Social Media Detox: How it Benefits You!

What does social media detox mean?

A social media detox reduces the amount of time you spend on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, and the many other #yolo #fomo hashtagging sites. And it’s not only the main popular social platforms people detox from, but this also includes you not checking email as much, not reading the gossiping blogs, and just putting down your phone to reduce some screen time. 

How does social media affect mental health? 

Social media affects your mind negatively and positively. But as of lately, it appears to be more negative than positive.

Starting with the negative, social media can disrupt your focus, cause anxiety, cause #fomo, sadness, and loneliness. One may start to feel isolated. 

As for the positive aspects, you can make new friends and meet people who enjoy the same things you do. For example, Facebook has groups you can join to meet people who enjoy thrifting as you do. Or if you wanted to network with other small business owners, they have a group for that. And it’s not all about meeting new people; through social media, you can keep up with your family and friends that live across the world. 

How do you detox from social media?

You can detox from social media in many different ways. If this is your first-time social media detoxing, you may want to take it slow; I understand. When I did my social media detox, I started by incorporating little tricks into my daily routines. This actually seemed to help because I’m way past my 30 days and haven’t felt the need to check any of my accounts so far.

Here are some examples to get you started with slowly social media detoxing:

1. Turn off your notifications.
2. Check accounts 3 times per day (morning, noon, night)
3. Log completely out of your account after checking.
4. When you want to check your sm, start prioritizing other hobbies like reading or taking a walk in the park.

If you get through the beginner phase and feel you can take your detox a little further, try this:

1. Check your sm 1-2 times per week.
2. Delete the sm apps off your phone 
3. Temporarily deactivate your sm accounts – Snapchat has a 30 day period where you can deactivate your account, and IG and Facebook let you deactivate for however long you like.

 
I started with doing a 30-day detox and checking my sm once a week. I went all-in, I know (this isn’t for everyone). So far, I am two months in as of writing this post. Once I passed my 30 days, I deactivated my accounts because I don’t feel the need to check them anymore. My anxiety is lower, and I feel like my mood is much better when I don’t check it. 

Why is a Social Media Detox Good For You?

  Social media detoxing can benefit you mentally, spiritually, and physically. Not only will your overall attitude improve, but you will be able to reconnect to the world differently. If you’re only connecting with people online and not in person, gain some closeness back. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a virtue. When you’re more mindful, you start to live in the present. You begin to notice and connect with things, people, and yourself on a more intimate level. 

Another positive is your mind will be more open due to less clutter, from what normally would be lingering in your head from your news feed. 

Obsessive Comparison  

The social media world is filled with influencers and SM models. You may begin comparing your life to others because of the posts you view and begin to think that you are inadequate. Many images and people’s appearance are manipulated, and even if you are aware, you still feel bad about yourself.

Social media was designed to have people feel more connected and closer together. Unfortunately, it has its side effects as well. Remember that many of the people you follow on social media will always post the high times in their lives and rarely the lows.

Learn How to Deal with FOMO

FOMO is real. Have you ever decided not to go out with your friends one night? And then later, you’re scrolling through IG.  You see people hanging out at your local spot or even somewhere new and feel you should’ve gone. You see everyone laughing and smiling in the pics and videos and think, wow, I should have been there. So now you feel compelled to always say yes to hanging out.

Stop. It’s ok to take time for yourself when you need to. Was the night really even that fun for them? Or did they make it look fun for the Gram (IG)? Social media detoxing will force you to learn how to deal with FOMO, and you will find you’re not missing out on anything.  

How do you know when you need a break from social media?

Do you find yourself posting the day-to-day activities of your life right after they happened or even as they are happening? When you do this, you take yourself out of living in the moment. Social media is a way to document your life experiences, but sometimes it can overtake the joy you get from said experience.

How many times a day do you find yourself reaching for your phone to scroll through IG or tweets? If it starts the first thing when you wake up and the last thing you do at night, you may want to try an SM detox.

How to Detox From Social Media Without Quitting Cold Turkey? 

The best way to start social media detoxing is to start slow. You don’t have to pull a disappearing act immediately to get the positive effects. Some simple tricks to start incorporating into your routine:

• Track your social media usage time. If you have a smartphone, you should be able to see the minutes of how long you were on each app by going to the settings. 

• Logout of your apps at night. This will help if you find yourself not sleeping; you don’t begin mindlessly scrolling.

• Clean up friends list or your “friends” list. This means if you follow or subscribe to people who don’t contribute to your happiness or good energy, remove them.

 If you would like a complete list of tips on slowly starting social media detoxing for beginners, download my free social media detoxing checklist by clicking this link or subscribing in the box at the end of this post. 

Recap

SM detoxing can be could for you mentally and physically. You can gain back more of your time, gain mental clarity to accomplish other things, and begin living in the present. 

Social media isn’t all bad. It’s a great way to connect with new people who share the same hobbies as you, a great way to document special moments in your life, and a way to keep in touch with faraway loved ones. 

If you find yourself going on SM because of FOMO, or if you find yourself comparing your life to others, it may be time for a break. 

Until next time.

Andie 🙂