00:00Hey guys, it's Lucy Fink.
00:01This week is five days of no social media.
00:06What happens on social media stays on Google forever.
00:12My co-producer assigned me to do five days on a social media cleanse.
00:16And because this is my job, I have no choice.
00:19Every single time I make one of these videos, you get my little name popping up right here.
00:23That's my Instagram handle and my Twitter handle.
00:26This is how I communicate with you guys.
00:28There is definitely a bit of a generational discrepancy when it comes to the way that
00:33society tells us that social media contributes to our lives.
00:36Personally, I'm at a crossroads when it comes to social media because I use it for two very
00:42different things.
00:43One thing, and something you guys might not know about me, I'm a stop motion artist.
00:46And I've turned my Instagram feed into a productive, creative platform that allows me to make both
00:52art and money.
00:54But on the complete opposite end of the spectrum, social media can be for me an endless soul-sucking
01:00void of emojis and red hearts, hashtagging, tweeting, Instagramming, liking, commenting.
01:07This week, I want to gain a better understanding of that crossroads for myself.
01:11Am I actually addicted or am I being creative and adding art into the world and inspiring other
01:16people?
01:17Starting right now, Monday morning, time to log out of my apps.
01:20Being famous on Instagram is pretty much the same thing as being rich in Monopoly.
01:25It's not real, so everybody can just calm down.
01:28A couple of times already, my fingers have automatically navigated to the spot on my phone
01:33where these social media apps used to live.
01:35I'm learning that I reach for social media when I'm in moments of transition from place
01:41to place when I don't have much else to do.
01:43Not having access to these apps has caused me to be a little bit more aware of my surroundings.
01:48To see if I'm really addicted or to see if I'm just a media-loving millennial who has embraced
01:54the digital revolution, I'm bringing you guys into my place of work, Refinery29.
01:59I think it's really interesting in a week without social media to be in a place like this where social
02:05media is so integral to our daily operations.
02:08While some people in other fields might get in trouble for Snapchatting at work,
02:12we at Refinery actually have a team of people whose sole job here is to create content exclusively for Snapchat.
02:21Anyone on the social media team will tell you that it's real hard work,
02:24and they work extremely hard to cultivate this ongoing relationship that Refinery29 has with our audience.
02:35Hashtag man bun.
02:39Today I took a coffee break with my friend Lauren Magenta.
02:42She is a food photographer, yet another person who uses her social media feeds for business.
02:49We had our lattes and our donuts, perfect for that perfect Instagram post.
02:54And I do have to admit, I felt an ounce of FOMO back when I went a week without my
03:00phone.
03:00I spoke to a psychologist.
03:01She told me that getting social media likes and comments acts as a type of reward for us
03:07because of the chemical that it releases in our brains.
03:10I mean, when I go to a cafe, do I even order what I'm ordering because I want it?
03:15Or do I order it because I think it will look good in a photo?
03:18In the absence of photographing the donuts to post them on social media, I just got to eat the donuts.
03:23I had a good midday snack.
03:26So on Instagram, once you hit 11 likes, all of the names disappear and it starts counting up.
03:31So 11 likes or you should probably delete it.
03:35This week I've been thinking a lot about my Facebook wall, my Instagram feed, my Pinterest boards.
03:41Honestly, no matter how hard I try to convince myself that everything that I put up there is only for
03:47me,
03:47I think that there's no denying that a bit of what we post, if not most of it, is intended
03:54for other people.
03:55Today I decided no more of that.
03:59I'm making myself a wall.
04:01Similar to my Facebook wall, but instead it's literally going up on the wall of my bedroom.
04:07People I love, things that I love.
04:09Without likes, comments, without affirmation from others, this is what makes me smile.
04:16It's for me and only me and that makes me happy.
04:25I don't care about how many followers I have, it really doesn't matter.
04:31Oh wait, this?
04:32This is vintage.
04:33Follow me.
04:34Am I addicted to social media?
04:36I don't think so.
04:37It was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be.
04:39Here's what I'm hoping you guys take away from this week.
04:42I think social media is a huge community of movers, shakers, makers,
04:47and whether you have five followers or five million followers,
04:51these small niche creative communities can provide you with the opportunity to
04:56connect with people that you never would have met otherwise.
04:58For a creative brain, I think that this is a very important platform.
05:02I believe that if you put into this community, what you get out of it can also be very positive.
05:07I'm not leaving this week saying I'm going to cut myself off from all forms of social media.
05:11Rather, what I've taken away from this week was to remember to inspire myself.
05:17And for me, it was that literal social feed hanging on my wall.
05:20What is that for you?
05:21Are you a writer?
05:22If so, maybe keep a journal next to your bed.
05:24Are you a musician?
05:25Sing yourself a song every night.
05:27Try giving up social media for a week.
05:29Let me know how it feels.
05:30Send me a tweet.
05:31Send me an Instagram direct message.
05:33See you on social media.
05:35Are you tired of living alone?
05:36Try living with me, Lucy, instead.
05:39Subscribe to Refinery29 for more episodes of Try Living With Lucy.
05:42I promise I'm really fun.
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