5 Benefits to a Personal Social Media Detox

Social media is everywhere.  People can be so consumed with their devices that it is hard to keep their attention for more than 5 minutes. Don’t get me wrong, being on social media has many positive outcomes like fitting in different communities, gaining self-confidence, gaining exposure, and most likely for a good laugh. But with all the positive there are also negatives within social media such as cyberbullying, the ultimate case of FOMO (Fear of missing out), negative body image, and unrealistic expectations.

So when social media becomes too much for your life and you  need to take a little break checkout my personal top 5 reasons for a social media detox.

Live in the Moment

When I first started using social media I would attend events where something special was going on and I would try to capture every moment on my camera. When you are focused on recording, you miss out on actually living in the moment. It is so easy to feel like you need to share and post every little thing in your life even if it’s unnecessary. I started to wonder, why do I need to record an entire concert? For what purpose? And every single time I looked back on a recorded video I would notice how poor quality it was and ended up deleting everything anyway.

I personally avoid being on my phone during any kind of event nowadays because I have a short attention span and fear that I would miss something important happening right in front of me because I have my phone in my hand. Do you post everything you do to Facebook while each activity or life event is actually happening? Do you spend so much time taking a picture in a beautiful location that you miss out on taking in your surroundings?

*Posting to social media is definitely a viable way to document your life, but it can also become a burden that takes you out of the moment. If you’re living everything through the lens of social media instead of directly interacting with it, your experiences are going to be of lower quality and become less memorable.

Connect with the Real World

I sometimes gravitate to my social media accounts when I am feeling a bit of social anxiety. I hide behind my phone when I am around too many strangers making it nearly impossible for someone to talk to me. In this instance, social media is my crutch. I have all my attention focused on my phone not what others are doing. I could be potentially missing out on something great.

I have been actively working on connecting with people at networking events, seminars, and even outings with my friends. Making sure my phone is only out when necessary, allows me to focus on what is happening in front of and all around me.

Do you find yourself scrolling through Instagram or Facebook feeds looking for your next laugh instead of spending time with people? Do you connect well with others online but find yourself never connecting in person? Don’t be afraid to suggest that phones should be put away during family time or while watching a movie.

*Become more conscious of how much time you spend on social media. Spend more time taking in the sights or having meaningful conversations.

You’ll Stop Feeling So Competitive

I use social media to find something to laugh at or see what my family and friends are talking about on their own platforms. It is never my intention to see someone doing so well that it makes me feel like I should be doing so much more. I’ll be honest, more than a few times I left Instagram feeling a little bit more down than when I first opened the app. Luckily the feelings don’t last, they actually urge me to attend an event or reconnect with a friend or stop spending a beautiful day indoors.

Social media can definitely bring out your competitive side without you even realizing it. Because almost every post is supposed to grab your attention and make you like or comment, you could wind up wanting to outdo others based on likes and comments alone. This type of competitiveness is not healthy, and it can cause anxiety and depression.

*Remind yourself why you are on social media. Enjoy what your friends are posting, NOT STRANGERS.  Taking a mental health break by stepping away from social media is a must if you sometimes feel like an underachiever because of other MISLEADING profiles you are viewing!

More Free Time

It is completely understandable when people spend 90% of their time on social, especially if they are in the business of social media like youtubers, fashion bloggers, video game streamers, reviewers, and YT reactors (people who record themselves reacting to strange videos…it’s actually pretty dumb but entertaining). The list can go on and on. But what about the rest of us who aren’t looking for that YT or IG paycheck?

Do you feel like you begin your day with so much promise, with a list of IMPORTANT things you need to get done and end up glued to your phone or computer screen? Do you feel like you never have enough time to exercise, walk your dog, or tidy up? It is safe to say that although your fingers are getting exercise with all of that scrolling, you may need a little break for some actual physical exercise.

*If you have a difficult time unplugging completely, consider social media topics or influencers that are positive and will give you great motivation and encouragement.

Improve Your Overall Mood

If you’ve been feeling highly anxious, stressed out, or depressed take a break from social media. You may feel a little strange at first but your overall mood should begin to improve when you give yourself time to breathe and de-stress.

The amount of time you spend on social media may be directly related to whether or not you feel stressed out or happy.

*We all have our go tos on social media but its sometimes hard to avoid a spiraling path of stress, anxiety, and depression. For some, it is easy to detach but for others, it will always be an uphill battle. Mental health is sometimes overlooked but it is a vital component to actually ENJOY your life and the little things.

Final Thoughts

We all want to capture the moment but it is important that we live in life’s beautiful moments because we may not get a chance to experience certain things again. If you have experienced a social media detox please share your thoughts on the subject below.

Oh, an when you do hop back on social media, be sure to look for the Roundpeg team, and say hello!