Last summer, I took a MONTH long break from social media. I had some personal things going on and I just didn't need to see things from other people or be involved in it at all. I didn't set a concrete amount of time that I was going to take off, but I felt like after a month I had accomplished what I wanted to and had just kind of reset.
It was super eye-opening just to see how I mostly used social media as a time-filler and out of habit, rather than for purposeful enjoyment. Once I had logged out of everything and deleted apps from my phone and took bookmarks off my computer, I realized how much more free time I had to do things that I loved!
Granted, it was during the summer and it was the first summer I officially had off without school or work. It allowed me to really figure out what I like doing and set a schedule for myself so that I was still productive even though I didn't have much going on.
Instead of scrolling while sitting in the car or having any downtime, I would open the gospel library app or read books on overdrive. Instead of going through Instagram, Facebook, and Blogger (yes, all in that order) every morning, I just got started on my scripture study right away. I was taking President Nelson's challenge which you can read about here. I actually read real books I could hold in my hand and went outside more. I played the piano. I even left my phone at home sometimes if I went out. I felt more present with the people I was surrounded by and had more meaningful conversations.
I never considered myself addicted to my phone or to social media, but I loved see how much more I could do with my time by taking out such a simple thing. I honestly didn't really feel like I was missing out. If there was anything super important going on, someone would tell me about in person or through a text. So this led me to think about why I even use social media.
I love social media because of the connections I make, the memories I see from my friend's lives, learning about new products, and finding inspiration from anything to fashion, house decor, or spirituality, but as with all things in life we need balance. So, I came up with some guidelines for myself (some new and some I was already doing) and I think they will be helpful to you as well!
1. Set a specific time
I think we have all been guilty of checking social media channels unnecessarily throughout the day. I love doing it right before bed as a way to end my day so that I can start my day right off the bat without any distractions. Just once a day!
2. Delete apps from your phone or put them in a category
Sometimes we don't have the best self-control! One thing that has really helped me is putting my apps in a category that are not on the home page of my phone so they aren't as easily accessible. That way you have to work for it a little bit to check. Some socials, like Pinterest or Facebook can be accessed just as easy from a computer so you could even delete them from your phone and just solely check them from a laptop.
3. If you find yourself getting discouraged, take a break!
It's OK to take breaks from social media! Sometimes we do just need a reset even if it's only for a day. I also know that a lot of people struggle with self-comparison and can get depressed or discouraged when they see people's highlight reels. Yes, of course we all wish we were taking a that vacation in Greece or going to Disneyland one more time or had the perfect outfit and smile in every picture, but that's not reality! And if seeing that from other people is hard for you, then do yourself a favor and take a break so you don't have to see it! Then come back when you are feeling better mentally and emotionally.
If you are going to take a break, find some alternatives to scrolling. Do what you love to do and get so caught up in those things that you forget what everyone else is doing!
4. Re-evaluate the accounts you follow
Recently I realized that I was following so many companies, some that I had never even bought anything from. Because of the algorithm on Instagram, I wasn't even seeing what my friends and "real" people were even doing! So as much as I loved seeing every single sale that was going on, I just started unfollowing a TON of accounts so I didn't have to convince myself that I couldn't buy anything or that there would be another sale eventually! It was so easy and now I see things on my feed that are actually important to me.
Following people you actually know and care about can bring you a lot more joy and satisfaction that constantly living in a state of fake and perfect.
There are a lot of influencers on social media accounts and some of them are super awesome if you feel passionate about their content, but they can also give you a false sense of reality so just evaluate how you feel when you see their posts and if it's adding or detracting from your life.
5. Don't allow push notifications
This is something I've always done and I can't imagine doing it differently! I would feel so stressed if notifications were popping up on my phone all day! If you don't get notifications to your phone, you physically have to go into the app to see them. And if you're only checking once a day like I suggested in number 1, then you'll feel really popular with all the tags, likes, and comments you may have gotten during the day without even knowing!
I also like to keep my phone really neat and tidy, so I love not having little red numbers on my apps all the time!
During my social media break last year I also learned that you don't have to see EVERYTHING. It's ok if you miss that one post or if you don't get a chance to enter that giveaway or if your favorite shirt just went on sale and you missed it. Life really does go on and like I said, if it's really important, you'll find out eventually.
Let's use our technology as a resource to learn more and
help others instead of as a [distraction] and a toy!
I want to hear your thoughts and what has worked for you! Please share in the comments below!
