Perfectly Imperfect

When one of my friends looked at me weirdly for saying I’m obsessed with LinkedIn, I knew something about the platform was getting my attention. Over the past week, I took on an experiment of not using LinkedIn for five days straight.

The following is a day-by-day summary, based on data I collected regarding my feelings and experiences.

DAY 0: WHAT SHOULD I GIVE UP?

I am being asked to give up a technological distraction for five days.

My brain is screaming. I cannot pinpoint what would be the least nerve wracking thing for me to leave behind. I manage different Instagram accounts for a variety of things, so I cannot simply leave that commitment. LinkedIn is something I check religiously. The thought of putting it away is painful, but it is more realistic for me to step away from than Instagram.

So LinkedIn it is.

Before I go to sleep, I recall a presentation that my friend gave a couple months back. A section from her talk was titled, “LinkedIn, but also LinkedOut.”

Time to be “LinkedOut,” I guess.

DAY 1: “CONNECT WITH HIM!”

I stand at the front of the room, moderating an hour-long panel. The topic of communication is brought up, and one panelist talks about LinkedIn. “It’s a great way to get your word out there,” the panelist says, “and you should connect with Sean on LinkedIn!” 

Yes! I think in my head. Please do!

But then I remember my little experiment, and automatically start to miss the platform. I wonder what I am missing out on.

DAY 2: “USE LINKEDIN.”

The conference room is empty, with the exception of myself and a professor. We are discussing ways to best search for internships. “One of the best ways my students have been successful in the past,” says the professor, “is by messaging recruiters directly on LinkedIn.”

What is going on with these reminders!

I cannot help but feel that in addition to missing out on career updates, now, I cannot even get a head start on my internship search. On a normal day, if someone told me to do something specific on LinkedIn for my personal benefit, I would open it in a heartbeat.

DAY 3: A STAND STILL

Today is one of the only days of the week on which I do not have to commute to campus. Instead, I have virtual classes and a remote internship that take up all of my attention until 6pm. This requires deep focus, much like Johann Hari discusses in Stolen Focus.

It is on days like this that I completely forget that social media exists. But after a long five hour internship shift, I suddenly want nothing more than to open up LinkedIn.

Good thing my friend invited me over to their house that night. It took away the drive to open LinkedIn again, and shifted my attention onto face-to-face communication.

DAY 4: PURE ACCIDENT

My phone says I have a couple notifications on LinkedIn. I open the app, only to remember five seconds later that I’m still doing an experiment. I close the app immediately.

Pressing that icon on the phone seems like a natural instinct.

DAY 5: ONE MORE DAY!

I feel proud of myself.

I have gone five days without looking at my profile, or at anyone else’s posts. But, will I continue to rely on LinkedIn as much as I used to once I am able to start using it again tomorrow?

Only time will tell.