Deciding to take a vacation from social networking was especially difficult for me. Not just because I love it or that my time during the day has become so deeply entrenched in it, but because, well, I work in social networking for a living. As a “social media marketer” part of my job description is creating and cultivating social networks for brands like The Ritz-Carlton Residences. On certain days, I literally spend a full work day bouncing between sites like Facebook and Twitter, LinkedIn and other little microcosms on the web.

I opted to take some time off from my personal Twitter and Facebook accounts this week mostly because I’m starting to feel burnt out. After hours of staring at a scrolling screen of messages, one starts to- how do I put this- go completely and utterly insane. Add to that, the constant feed of articles from my enormous Google Reader account and I was starting to feel dizzy. And tired of hearing my own voice. And tired of hearing everyone else’s voice. Feeling a constant need to “be caught up” with four hundred people was starting to get exhausting.

In the midst of Facebook’s current PrivacyGate crisis, this decision to quit the site, along with Twitter, cold turkey (even if just a short vacation) will likely not seem that surprising. But how does a networking addict feel after a short week of radio silence? Do I miss it? Will I go back? Would YOU go back?

Here, a glimpse at my days and the conclusions I’ve made in the process:

Day 1: Walking down the street, I can think of several one liners that both encompass what I’m feeling and thinking at the present moment and what I believe would suit my Twitter page perfectly. I suppress the urge to dig out my phone and spill them out to the online world. This feels completely unnatural and wrong. “I have to keep my thoughts to myself now?” I mutter to myself aloud on the crowded Chicago streetcorner. I get strange looks. My Twitter followers would’ve been so much more appreciative and welcoming of that statement. Stupid three-dimensional strangers.

Conclusion: Thanks to my horrible short-term memory, I don’t remember any of those one-liners now. If they were so forgettable, was it really worth it to toss them out into cyberspace?

Day 2, 3: When I get a spare few minutes at the office, I have to force myself not to jump on Facebook and see what everyone is doing, what links have been shared without my knowledge, what pictures are up, who’s making plans with who. I stare at my Bookmarks instead. I really need more good Bookmarks. “Maybe I should go back to StumbleUpon” I mutter to myself aloud at my desk. My office buddy Ivan lets out a sigh. My Facebook status would’ve loved that, whereas Ivan just puts on his headphones and rumbles through more coding exercises.

Conclusion: After a full week, not one person in my life has said, “Didn’t you see that? I put it up on Facebook.” I thought I would be FLOODED with those statements. Surprisingly, this is not the case.

Day 4: I think of a really good quip for Twitter. I don’t remember it now but it was awesome. It could’ve made me famous. I’m going to die poor and unknown because of this stupid exercise.

Conclusion: I am a bit delusional.

Day 5: I miss my Tumblr site. I’d abandoned it because between work, work, my novel, Twitter, Facebook, and work, I was emotionally drained of actual thoughtful writing that involves more than the instant gratification of 140 characters-send or a link with a pithy comment attached. I miss my TV blog too, getting dusty and sad after my writing partner decided drinking weeknights at The Elks Lodge (I am not kidding) was more fun than us arguing over the best Mary Tyler Moore episode. Maybe I’ll go back to both now that I have this time cleared up…

Conclusion: The instant gratification of Twitter & Facebook has murdered my drive to focus on projects that will take more focus, time and energy but that might also have a greater impact on my life, as a creative outlet, as a journal of my time in Chicago, as a means of being narcissistic and self-involved on a more expansive scale than 140 characters will allow. I really miss that (especially that last one).

So. The only question that remains is Stay or Go? And honestly? I don’t know. Like pretty much everything else in the universe, there’s something to be said for “moderation in all things.” If I drastically cut down my time on sites like Twitter and Facebook, it would free me up for other online pursuits. But would I also be drastically reducing my chances of cultivating a thriving personal network?

The only conclusion that I can make for sure is the one that surprised me the most- how easily I could live, happily and successfully, without both sites as a part of my everyday life. When it comes right down to it, maybe that’s the only conclusion that really matters.

UPDATE: I just found this amazing (fake) Twitter account for Mickey Rourke. I’m back in, y’all.

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