How to take a Break from Social Media and Why you should do it

 

“In this digital age that we live in, it has become more important now than ever, to learn how to take a break from social media. Excessive use of social media can cause feelings of inadequacy, sadness and even depression.”

 

We live in a time where almost everything is just a fingertip away. All you need to do is take out your smart phone and search for it on the internet. While this is very convenient, it can also cause a lot of problems if we do not learn how to use it mindfully.

 

Social media is where most people spend most of their time on the internet. It’s easy to use and is designed in such a way that you spend more time on it.

 

Now, if you’re someone who uses your time on the internet to learn new skills and habits, that’s great. But if you’re someone who spends countless amounts of time on social media, it might be doing you some harm that you’re not aware of yet.

 

If this is you, maybe you need to take a step back and think about taking a social media break. Especially, if you’ve been feeling like you’re not enough or think that other people’s lives are so much better compared to yours.

What is a Social Media Break?

 

A Social Media break is a period of time where a person refrains from using social media to varying extents. The time frame and what apps will be included is defined either by that person or maybe with a help of a friend or in some cases a psychologist.

 

Research shows that there are 4.62 billion Social Media users which converts to over 93% of all internet users. This is number is only going to keep growing and we can see what the future holds.

 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love Social Media. It has transformed how we interact with the world and has allowed individuals and businesses to take their success one step ahead with global reach and networking.

 

All this is fantastic but unfortunately, today there is a lot of studies that that suggest Social Media can have negative effects on our mental health.  

 

Learning when and how to take a break from social media is so important when it comes to reaping the benefits of the many possibilities it creates, without compromising your mental wellbeing.

 

Is a Social Media Break good for you?

 

Whether or not a social media break is good for you is highly dependent on your current social media habits. If you’re someone who is very self-disciplined and are sure that you are using social media to a healthy extent, then maybe you don’t need a social media break.

 

But if you’re struggling a bit with sleep due to too much screen time, or feeling like your life isn’t as good as someone else’s and constantly keep going back to social media to distract yourself from whatever maybe going on in your life, then a social media break maybe just what you need to find some mental clarity and balance in your life.

How to take a break from Social Media?

 

If you want to take a social media break and give yourself a little digital detox, below are some practical tips on how to take a break from social media.

 

Set a Goal

 

This applies to pretty much anything in life if you seriously want to achieve it. Before you decide to take social media break, think about what you want to achieve from it.

 

Maybe you want to utilize the time you waste on social media to learn a new habit or craft. Or maybe you just want to avoid scrolling on the screen mindlessly. Or else it could be that you don’t want to see all the negativity and hatred in the world and just want a break from all that.

 

Set the boundaries

 

Before you start your social media break, you should set up some ground rules. It is very important to set a time frame as well as what social media apps you are going to stop using during this period of time.

 

The boundaries you set are entirely up to you and it’s totally fine to even have a rule where you are able to check certain apps for a limited amount of time once a week or so depending on why you are taking this break from social media.

 

Delete the Apps

 

Now that you’ve set your goal and made the rules, it’s time to delete the apps that you won’t be using during this time. If you are very self-disciplined, then you can actually just log out and keep the apps if you’re sure you can refrain from logging in.

 

However, just deleting the apps would be a better idea as there are less chances of you being tempted to sign back in for a quick look.

Let your close friends and family know

 

Once you’ve made the decision to take this break from social media, it is very important to let your close friends and family know. Otherwise they might reach out to you on social media and your absence may get them worried.

 

Just tell them you’re on a social media detox and that you can be reached via a direct message or phone call during this period. This way, the people who matter to you won’t have to worry about you.

 

Learn a new habit or skill to replace all the free time you have now  

 

This time away from social media is a great opportunity for you to learn a new habit or skill. Take the time to think about what hobbies you had as a child or just think about something you wish you knew how to do. There are plenty of great things you can start to learn such as:

 

• A yoga or meditation practice
• Start reading a book
• Declutter
• Write or draw
• Learn to play an instrument
• Start a small home garden

Why you should take a break from social media

 

The truth is social media has enabled us to do many amazing things. But unfortunately, most of us use it mindlessly just for entertainment purposes. If you are unable to use social media in a healthy manner, it’s probably time to put your phone away for a while and think.

 

Learning when and how to take a break from social media is a very important step toward your mental wellbeing and success in life.