Facebook can be addictive and time-consuming for many people. You may want to use it less or stop using it altogether, but don’t necessarily want to deactivate your account. Here are some tips for how to stop or limit your Facebook use without deactivating your account.
Why You Might Want to Stop Using Facebook
There are several reasons why you might want to stop or limit your use of Facebook:
- It’s distracting and reduces productivity
- It can be addictive and time-consuming
- You want more privacy and less data collection
- It causes stress or anxiety
- You want to spend less time on your phone/computer
- It has become boring or pointless
- You don’t like the political discussions
- It feels like a waste of time
If you resonate with any of these reasons, reducing or stopping your Facebook use may be beneficial for you.
How to Use Facebook Less
Here are some tips for using Facebook less without deactivating your account:
- Delete the app from your phone. This makes it harder to access Facebook throughout the day.
- Log out after each use. Don’t stay logged in so you’re not as tempted to scroll throughout the day.
- Remove it from your home screen. Having the app off your home screen makes it less visible and accessible.
- Set a timer. Give yourself a time limit when browsing Facebook, such as 20 minutes per day.
- Designate specific times. Only allow yourself to check Facebook during certain times, like your lunch break.
- Remove notifications. Turn off all notifications so you aren’t alerted every time something new happens.
- Avoid the newsfeed. Don’t scroll through your newsfeed. Only go on with a specific purpose.
- Unfollow friends or pages. Unfollow friends who post too much or pages that aren’t useful.
Starting with just a few of these tips can help you spend significantly less time on Facebook without having to delete your profile.
How to Take an Extended Break from Facebook
If you want to take a more extended break from Facebook, like a month or longer, here are some additional tips:
- Deactivate your account temporarily. You can always reactivate it later.
- Let friends/family know you’re taking a break so they don’t wonder where you went.
- Remove the Facebook app and bookmark on your devices.
- Find other sites/apps to replace your Facebook use.
- Designate a friend to check your messages periodically.
- Choose a return date to prevent the break from being indefinite.
Taking an extended break can be rejuvenating and help reset your Facebook habits. Just don’t forget to come back and check in periodically if you want to keep your account active.
How to Permanently Delete Facebook
If you ultimately decide you want to permanently delete your Facebook account, here is how to do it:
- Click on the arrow in the top right and select “Settings & Privacy.”
- Click on “Settings” and then “Your Facebook Information” in the left sidebar.
- Click on “Deactivation and Deletion.”
- Choose “Permanently Delete Account” and then “Continue to Account Deletion.”
- Enter your password and click “Permanently Delete Account.”
Once you confirm, Facebook will begin deleting your account and data. This can take up to 90 days. You have 30 days to cancel your deletion request if you change your mind.
Some key things to know about permanent deletion:
- You’ll no longer be able to retrieve any data including photos, posts, messages, etc.
- Your Messenger account will also be deleted.
- You can’t reuse the same username if you ever recreate an account.
- It doesn’t cancel any Oculus or Instagram accounts.
Overall, permanent deletion is the best option if you are fully ready to part ways with Facebook for good.
How to Post Less on Facebook
If you want to continue using Facebook but post less personal information, here are some tips:
- Be more selective about what you post. Does it really need to be shared?
- Review old posts and delete ones you no longer want public.
- Limit posts about your location or plans.
- Be vague or brief rather than detailed.
- Share less about your relationships.
- Avoid oversharing personal struggles.
- Post less about political or controversial topics.
- Disable location tagging on your posts.
You should also tighten up your privacy settings, such as enabling 2-factor authentication, restricting old posts visibility, and limiting who can see your friends list and recent posts.
How to Be Less Addicted to Facebook
If you feel truly addicted to Facebook, here are some additional tips to break the habit:
- Delete the app for several months, not just a few weeks.
- Find a new hobby or activity to replace Facebook use.
- Log out and change your password to prevent easy logins.
- Write down when you feel urges to use Facebook.
- Keep track of how many times and how long you use Facebook each day.
- Reward yourself for reducing use, like treating yourself after a week off.
- See a counselor if you are struggling with serious internet addiction.
Getting over a Facebook addiction may take time. Be patient with yourself and celebrate small successes along the way. Enlist friends to support you too.
Limiting Facebook Access for Kids
If you want to limit your kids’ access to Facebook, here are some tips:
- Don’t let kids under 13 have a Facebook account since that’s against their policy.
- Friend/follow your kids and set rules about what they can post.
- Agree on a reasonable time limit for using Facebook, like 30 minutes a day.
- Use parental control settings to restrict access during certain times.
- Install monitoring software that tracks Facebook use on their devices.
- Have ongoing conversations about appropriate online behavior.
- Lead by example by limiting your own Facebook use around your kids.
With younger kids under 13, the best approach is generally avoiding Facebook entirely until they are old enough to use it responsibly.
Facebook Alternatives
If you’re looking to move away from Facebook altogether, here are some alternative social media platforms to consider:
| Platform | Key Features |
|---|---|
| News, short text updates, following interests | |
| Photo and video sharing, stories | |
| Snapchat | Messaging, video chat, temporary sharing |
| Discord | Text, voice, video chat, servers |
| Tumblr | Blogging, microblogging, interests |
| Forums, news aggregation, anonymity | |
| Nextdoor | Local neighborhood news and updates |
Each platform has its own unique feel and focus. You may find you like the brevity of Twitter, visual appeal of Instagram, anonymity of Reddit, or community vibe of Nextdoor. See which ones align best with how you want to interact online.
Conclusion
Facebook can be difficult to quit entirely for some people. The good news is, you don’t have to deactivate your account to use Facebook less or take a meaningful break. Start by identifying your reasons for wanting to stop and how much of a break you need. Then utilize techniques like deleting the app, restricting notifications, designating limited times, and finding other hobbies or sites to fill your time. You may be surprised by how refreshing and rejuvenating even a short break from Facebook can feel.
If you eventually decide to return to Facebook, establish better habits going forward. Be more selective about what you share, limit when you allow yourself to scroll through the newsfeed, turn off distracting notifications, and refrain from getting pulled into commenting debates or rabbit holes. Prioritize your mental health and time spent on activities or people who bring you joy.
While Facebook has its benefits, it’s perfectly reasonable to want to detach from it sometimes. Listen to your needs and instincts. You have full control over your use of this platform. With some discipline and techniques to shift your habits, you can find the right balance of using Facebook mindfully or even removing it from your life if that feels empowering.