Social Media Detox

A social media detox is when an individual voluntarily takes a break from social media platforms. This form of detox has become quite popular as people are starting to spend a lot more time on digital devices and the net. And we don’t blame them.

We all want to feel special, and we like feeling as if we are accepted. We want to feel loved by the people around us. But the continuous use of social media increases our desires, and we don’t even realize it.

This goes up to a point where it becomes unhealthy. We criticize ourselves for not having enough followers or likes.

We constantly think we are not enough and live with the feeling of being enough. Honestly, we all deserve a break sometimes. Here are just some of the many reasons why a social media detox is very important for us:

Competitiveness

We all feel competitive sometimes, and social media brings out much of your competitiveness. We like to acquire as many likes, comments, and followers as possible.

Each like, comment, or follower represents how ‘popular’ you are. Each post that we make is an attempt to outdo the others.

The process of posting and checking can cause a great deal of anxiety too. Taking some time off social media [Social Media Detox] can help us break away from this.

Get Rid Of Your FOMO

The fear of missing out is common. We are afraid to put our devices away because we like to stay updated on everything around us. Those addicted to social media can potentially destroy their personal and professional relationships with others.

Chances are, people will directly contact you if something has happened that needs your immediate attention. You can cut this out of your life by limiting yourself to opening your favorite app one or two times a day.

[ Social Media Detox]

Stop Comparing Yourself To Others

Going on Instagram or Facebook is almost like entering people’s lives through a window. We know everything they are doing. How rich or well off they are, when they married, had children, won their awards, etc.

It is human nature to become jealous over something others have that we don’t. We also compare ourselves to other people while criticizing ourselves.

Doing this leads to severe depression in some people. It is a good idea to break away from this for a while by cutting yourself off social networks because our mental health is very important. 

You Will Have a Ton of Free Time to Focus on the Things that Actually Matter

We constantly complain about not having enough time to do things like reading books or cleaning the house. Pausing your social media shenanigans for a few hours would help you do everything you wish to achieve in a day.

You could have enough time to do things you never thought you would, like going on a walk, exercising, painting, etc. Putting your phone away can also help you find what you are passionate about because usually, your phone creates a barrier between you and your passion.  

How to Correctly Cut Yourself off Social Media [ Social Media Detox]

Yes, there is a right and wrong method of doing it. You should follow a few steps to social media detox correctly and prevent withdrawal symptoms. 

1. Delete the social media apps from your phone: You usually have an account with social media, so deleting it is only temporary. You can reinstall it later, so don’t worry. Once you can completely quit it for a while, limiting yourself after reinstalling it will not seem so daunting anymore. 
2. Put your phone away at bedtime: Treat your phone like your friend; if you need a bedtime, so does your phone. Ideally, you want to keep it far away from you when you sleep to prevent radiation from affecting your brain while you sleep. If you charge your phone overnight, station it far away from you. Enough so that when you reach your arm out, you shouldn’t find it. 
3. Get a real alarm clock: By doing this, you can ensure that the first thing you do in the morning will NOT be scrolling through Instagram and checking your snaps. You will have a real, better start to the morning. 
4. Do it with a friend: This way, you can keep each other motivated and plan on how you will go through with it.
5. Chrome Extensions: You can do this on your laptop if you get too tempted to open up Facebook while you should be doing work. It will prevent you from opening social media on your laptop. Here is a link where you can access this extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/stayfocusd/laankejkbhbdhmipfmgcngdelahlfoji 

Here is my Experience with a 15-Days Social Media Detox

I tried a social media detox for 15 days earlier this year. Initially, I was restless without being able to open Instagram or Snapchat. The first week was incredibly tough.

When I went out with my friends, I would see them Snapchatting and Instagramming things, making it difficult to resist reinstalling the apps on my phone again. I also noticed that while at a social gathering, most people spend an average of 20% of their total time on social media. With the presence of other people. Watching my friends being on their phones instead of connecting with the real world, if only they could look up from their devices.

By the second week, the urge to redownload the apps had passed, and I did not feel the need to take frequent breaks while doing work. During the last few days of the detox, I started considering taking it from a 15-days detox to a 30-days detox. I realized that I did not need my phone as much as I thought.

Going into it, my prediction was that I would last a minimum of 5 days. But I made it through to the entire 15 days.
If this is something you would like to try, just remember that it is worth it. Deleting your apps is only temporary. After reinstalling it, you will find that you are able to have full control over how much time you spend on social media.

Last Words

In conclusion, a social media detox can be a great way to break from the constant deluge of information and reconnect with the people and things most important to you. If you’re interested in doing a social media detox, stay tuned for our upcoming article on how to do it.

Featured Image Courtesy: Photo by Jakob Owens on Unsplash