Is social media improving your life or did you become a slave to this human invention? Are you overdosing on social networks? What if, for a day, week or month you simply wouldn’t sign in? Carry on reading and find out why and how you should do a social media detox ASAP.
Social media (and the internet in general) has provided people with more access to information than what we could have ever imagined before. It connects us, gives everyone an equal voice, provides access to educational opportunities and real-time news updates, and as a communication channel it creates equal opportunities for small and large businesses. It is all good, but you shouldn’t forget how social media is a privacy risk that also supports the promotion of fake news, facilitates cyber-bullying, encourages narcissism, manipulates opinions and that it is addictive, making its users feel like they just fell into a rabbit hole. Furthermore, social media usage can increase instances of depression and it is also known that if you allow it, social media can have a negative impact on your productivity.
Notice the signs
Do you use your smartphone for more social things than smart? Do you have a constant craving to check your messages despite having no notifications at all? Are you on social media first thing in the morning and right before bedtime every single day? Do you tend to overshare and check-in everywhere you go? If your answer was yes to at least 2 of these questions, it’s time to do a social media detox! For many people, it is part of their job to use one or more social media accounts during business hours, but even they can detox over the weekend or during the holidays. Social media detox can break the social comparison cycle, make you gain a lot of free time, improve your overall mood, and reconnect you with the real world. Are you ready?
How-to
Starting a social media detox isn’t that hard, sticking to it is the real challenge. To do it properly, deactivate your accounts and then uninstall all social media apps on your phone. Yes, all of them. This way you won’t get any notifications and alerts. To ensure the success of the detox, try to replace social media with other activities. Find a new hobby that gives you a peace of mind or learn a new skill, for instance. Playing music, creative writing, reading, camping, volunteering, exercising, hiking, biking, cooking and baking are all cheap and fun things to do instead!
Regardless of how long you are willing to stay away from Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter or any other account), make sure to let people know on what other ways they can contact you during your social media hiatus. Go back to the old-school ways of keeping in touch with family and close friends, call them and exchange e-mail addresses so that you won’t miss out on seeing their baby and vacation photos, or whatever else they share.
What to expect
Those who have already took a break from social media (and survived!) say that slowly but surely you will lose the urge to whip out your phone to scroll your Facebook feed or to make an Instagram story. In addition you will feel more creative, productive, and healthier too. It is an awesome way to put yourself to the centre of your life and figure out what is really important to you.
According to several studies, people may get dopamine high when someone likes their posts just like an addict from a hit of cocaine. In case someone is seriously addicted, the detox should last for at least 3 months, because it takes approximately 100 days for dopamine levels to return to normal.