Have you ever thought about taking a break from social media before? You may have thought about deleting all your social media apps from your phone, or you may have tried not using social media for a while. If these apply to you, it may be time to do a social media detox.
For many of us, it may be hard to go a day without going on at least one social media platform. Recent reports suggest that teenagers spend an average of nine hours per day on social media. Other reports have shown that internet usage of young people increased by approximately 60% during the first Covid lockdown.
The positives and negatives of social media
Social media has its positives. It helps us to keep up to date with what people we know are doing and share what we are doing with others. It helps us stay connected to people who we otherwise wouldn’t see very often. Also, there’s so much to learn from so many different people.
While the positive sides of social media are evident, it does also come along with its negative sides. Social media can be draining, particularly if you’re prone to comparing yourself to others. The anonymity aspect of social media makes it easier for people to bully and harass others. Finally, it can be addictive, and breaking usage cycles can be difficult if you become reliant on social media.
The idea of a social media detox may sound daunting, and if it does, then that’s probably another sign to do one. Here are some tips to help make doing a social media detox a little less scary and difficult.
Get to know what triggers you the most
You may not feel the need to take a break from all social media platforms if you find that it’s only certain apps or websites that make you feel bad. Therefore, when you use each different social media platform, pay attention to how it makes you feel.
For example, if you’re vulnerable to comparing yourself to others, it may be Instagram that you need to detox from. On the other hand, if you’re feeling overwhelmed because there’s too much information to take in, Twitter may be the one to have a break from.
Ease yourself into it
It isn’t easy to go from using something every day to not at all. Therefore, using social media less gradually may help you not feel the need to use it as much. You can then choose to spend more time away from social media when you’re more comfortable doing so over time.
With many smartphones, you can set limits to how much time you can spend on each app. On Apple devices, you can set app limits and downtime through screen time settings. On Android, the digital wellbeing app lets you set app limits. These are useful ways to help you reduce how much of your time you spend on social media apps. They may be especially helpful for people who lose track of time easily when on social media.
Discovering your healthy distractions
Whenever you feel the urge to go on social media while you’re trying to detox, you will find it helpful to turn to healthy distractions. This can mean anything that you enjoy doing that doesn’t include using social media.
One good distraction from social media could be doing something artistic. This way, your mind and body will be engaged with something fun and relaxing. The best part about art is that you can still be creative and create something unique for yourself.
Another idea would be to meet up with friends or family in person. This way, you get the socialisation you desire but you get to live in the moment rather than vicariously through a screen. Plus, you may find that social support would make taking a break much easier!
You could also journal how you feel when you notice the urge to go on social media. Paying attention to your thoughts and emotions with regard to your behaviour is a common practice in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, a type of therapy that is renowned for its helpfulness in changing unhealthy thinking and behavioural patterns.
Treat yourself with patience and kindness
Choosing to spend some time away from social media isn’t easy. As a generation, we have grown up with its emergence and growing popularity. Most of what we know has at least something to do with social media. So, deciding to spend more time away from social media is not going to be easy or necessarily happen quickly.
It’s important to be patient and kind with yourself when making this change. Remember, you’re doing it for yourself, so don’t be harsh with yourself if you’re finding it difficult to transition. It’s not an easy thing to do!
The takeaway message
If social media is negatively impacting your mental and emotional health, taking a break would be the best thing to do. Social media detoxes aren’t easy, especially if you’re so used to spending a lot of time on social media, but it is possible. Try to be patient with yourself while you make the changes, and use healthy distractions to make sure you are keeping busy in the meantime. Remember, social media doesn’t rule your life. You’re allowed to take a break if you need it!