How To Take A Social Media Break
Have you ever taken a social media break? Does the thought of it make you nervous or unsure about how you’ll keep in touch? Do you have the best of intentions, but never take that next step to create concrete boundaries around your social media?
With bustling to-do lists and a desire to spend quality time with loved ones, any time is the perfect time to consider taking a little break from the addictive scroll of social media.
Our cell phones are on us all the time, and it’s easy to get into a habit of checking what people are up to during any downtime we have (or TBH, when we’re trying to avoid doing something). Before we know it, we’ve zoned out for 30 minutes or an hour at a time, and we get to the end of the day feeling frazzled and not totally present.
Not only has social media usage contributed to a rise in anxiety and depression, but it can also become a bonafide, diagnosable addiction (in fact, over 200 million people are estimated to suffer from social media addiction today!)
Since late 2017, I have tried to take one week off of social media per month. I realize that sounds a little intense, and by no means do you need to feel any call to do the same, but I want to tell you my personal story with that!
The decision has a lot to do with my life during that time. I was in a season of total burnout, working every day of the week, up to my eyeballs in emails, and feeling the pressure to constantly output the perfect content for viewers, followers, and clients. We were also going through a tough time dealing with infertility, and social media often made me feel agitated, stressed, or like my life was lacking.
One day, a friend of mine shared about taking a one week Sabbath (rest) from social media every month and invited others to join her. It was just the gentle invitation I needed to break out of a cycle and allow my mind and heart a little breathing room, and it was comforting knowing someone else was doing it with me!
I felt like my business and social life largely depended on social media interaction, but it meant more to me to finally create that boundary for myself. I felt such immediate benefits from taking that break that I kept going with it and haven’t stopped since - taking social media breaks is a part of my regular life and rhythm!
What were some of those benefits? Better sleep, a greater sense of peace, more mental clarity, better ability to connect with others in person and truly listen to them, less anxiety, and enjoying more activities I love that have nothing to do with my phone.
So whether you’re in need of a full-on social media detox, or you could just benefit from a little break, these tips should help get you on your way to more mental space and deeper connection with those around you!
Make A Plan
The best way to make sure you actually get a good break is to make a plan! How long do you want to be offline? One full day? A weekend? A week or month? Pull out your calendar and write in when that will take place. If your business depends on social media, choose a time when output can be light and you can automate your postings. That way, you can more fully check out mentally!
Let People Know
I like to do a small posting the day before I go off of social media (usually an Instagram story) so people are tipped off to my whereabouts. This helps smooth out any instances where someone might be expecting me to like or comment on their posts during that time (say, they just released a project or announced good news), or if a friend or family member posts something that they might want or expect me to then know about (ie: we’re sick in our house this week, I just got a great job opportunity, etc.) A gentle nudge to text me during that time is helpful to not miss out on the more important moments of our friends and family.
I also encourage you to tell someone you’re close to about taking a break, like your partner, roommate, or best friend. Speaking it out makes it more real, and also helps keep you accountable.
Delete the Apps
Out of sight, out of mind! It’s not enough for me to just hide the apps in a folder - I have to delete them. This small action is a mental cue that a break is officially in effect! Take a deep breath, and enjoy your home screen with fewer apps to distract you.
Do not be surprised if you find yourself automatically picking up your phone and swiping to where the apps used to be, especially on that first day. This is a helpful part of the process to show you how often you pick up your phone throughout the day for no real reason.
Keep Taking Pictures!
During my first few breaks, not only did I stop posting, but I stopped taking pictures altogether. I thought that was interesting, and it encouraged me to capture memories regardless of if they’d ever be posted for others to see. I encourage you to keep capturing sweet moments during your break, but resist the temptation to plan which pictures you’ll post when you return to social-media-land.
Give it a Few Days
If you’ve never taken a real break from social media, I recommend starting out with at least two days offline. The first day can often be a learning opportunity for you to see how often you pick up your phone in a day just to look at social media. It’s good to let that sink in, and by the second day, you’ll enjoy the benefits of being able to leave your phone for more prolonged periods of time.
Plan for Reoccuring Breaks
At the end of your break, write down a quick bullet-point list of things you felt or benefits you noticed from that time. This will help to officially wrap up and honor that time and give you a more solid foundation from which to step back into social-media-land.
If you felt that it was beneficial for you, go ahead and pencil in when your next break could take place. It could be something as reoccurring as the second weekend of every month, or based more on natural breaks in your work and life schedules, like after you release a big project or move into a new house. Think ahead about what you might need in the future, and prepare something kind for yourself in a break from social media.
Let me know what you think! Are these tips helpful? What might you add?
Wishing you the warmest of holidays filled with meaningful connections with the people you love the most!
Sam
