Social media is a noisy place. There’s so much stuff out there trying to grab our attention, and so many “experts” preaching online about what we should do with our life, how we should be, how we should act, and what we should and shouldn’t do. It can be a lot.
Sometimes we have to separate ourselves from that and take a break from social media in order to quiet the noise. Today, I’m sharing how I personally know when it’s time to do that and what I learn when I’m able to unfollow everyone and take the time away.
Here are a few signs you can watch out for that let me know it was time to detox and take a break from social media:
1. You’re comparing yourself to your social media friends.
I knew social media was becoming a problem when I felt myself trying to measure up to what everyone else was doing online, specifically things like: the types of pictures they would post, the types of captions they would write, how much I shared, and the success I achieved (or didn’t). It was too much.
2. You feel anxiety when you scroll.
I also knew it was a problem when I was scrolling my news feed and constantly felt anxiety and stress because there were people who seemingly had what I didn’t have, or I should say, who had what I wanted. And those same people screamed in their captions this is how you should be or this is what you shouldn’t do or this is what you should do in order to have all you desire, all contradicting one another. It was too much. It was causing too much stress. I felt tension in my head and pressure to perform and hustle, and be like them.
3. Your loved ones are craving more of “you.”
It can feel good from time to time to scroll the internet, catch up on what’s going on in the world, get distracted with trends, and check messages and notifications. But if we’re not careful, social media can become addicting and we could spend more time on our phone than we’d like to admit. It’s a good idea to put your phone down or at minimum, have designated times for when you will check it, especially when your little ones or loved ones crave more of you. Your people will appreciate you for being present and living more in the moment.
Here are some tips on how to detox from social media:
1. Take a break from social media accounts.
I’ve grown tired of seeing the same preachy choir preaching the same copycat messages over and over again about how we should and shouldn’t be living our lives, parenting, running our business, etc., etc. Everybody is beating the same dead horse and drum. Bring back more originality and authenticity!
I had to delete 99% of the coaches and online gurus I followed on Instagram. I needed to take a break from the hustle, hustle, hustle posts that were starting to make me feel as if I wasn’t (doing) enough and instead bounce to the beat of my own drum. Sometimes it’s not social media as a whole that brings anxiety. Sometimes it’s specific accounts. Now I mostly only follow and keep people on my page who spark joy.
2. Turn up your own volume.
Sometimes, we’ve already gotten to the point of learning the gist of whatever it is we need to know, and we don’t need to hear from more people. Sometimes, it’s just all about the implementation. I’ve gotten to a point in my journey where I am trying things my way rather than just listening to what the internet says I’m supposed to be doing or how I’m supposed to be doing it. I’m letting go of the comparisons and giving myself more time apart from devices to listen to my own voice, manage my feelings, and practice feeling good.
3. Practice the power of now.
When you’re not constantly checking your phone, you’re better able to live in the now. When I’m with my kids (or loved ones), and I need to be more present with them, I practice keeping my phone away so I can give them my undivided attention and won’t pick it up out of a habit of checking it all the time.
Everyone benefits from this and your ability to take time out for yourself, especially your loved ones. You end up being in a better mood and that spreads throughout your home. That’s the power of letting go of that which no longer serves you. I know that sounds so cliché, but it’s true. I’m finding that taking a break from social media from time to time is so good for my mental health and household.
Taking a break from social media is the start to taking your power back. You get to grow more into your own individuality and decide for yourself what feels best for you and your family, relationship, career, etc., and you get to give yourself more TIME back in the day.Sometimes you have to quiet the noise and take a break from social media so you can thrive.
