What is a Social Media Detox + Why I’m Doing One

Ever heard of a social media detox? Today I’m sharing what it is, and why I’m doing one! Plus a few tips on how you can, too.

According to Wikipedia a social media detox is a period of time when individuals voluntarily stay away from social media. You may be wondering why someone would do it, or maybe you think it sounds more like punishment. While social media does have it’s benefits, it can also have some serious drawbacks.

I won’t get into all the science-y stuff, but there are plenty of studies out there proving that too much social media is just not good. It can do all kinds of bad things to our brain, mood, and body. The good news is it’s totally reversible. You don’t have to be a slave to your phone screen. You can stop mindlessly scrolling, and enjoy your life again.

Why I’m choosing to disconnect…

Truthfully, I find that too much social media makes me a cranky momma. I find myself being short tempered with my kids, and feeling like they’re “distracting” me from something “important”. That, obviously, makes me feel like a terrible mother. My children are the biggest blessings the Lord has given me. THEY are the most important. I’ve also learned that it makes me much less productive. I’ll take a quick break for “just a few seconds” and before you know it half an hour is gone, and my to do list is begging for my attention. IT’s a viscous cycle.

How to know if you need a break, too.

As I mentioned earlier, there are several negative side effects of using social media too much. If you’re experiencing any of these after using social media, maybe it’s time for you to take a break too. I stumbled upon this blog post that has some really great information about each one of these, and a few studies to back them up! (Obviously I’m not a doctor. If you’re experiencing anything that isn’t normal for you, maybe a checkup with your physician is in order.)

• Stressed out
• Unproductive
• Low Confidence
• Trouble Sleeping
• Weight Gain
• Loneliness
• Getting Sick
• Eye Fatigue
• Poor decision making
• Unable to stop checking your phone

How to Detox from Social Media

There are a couple of different ways to execute a social media detox. My favorite way to do it is cut it out cold turkey. I log out of my social media accounts (you can also temporarily disable them. It won’t get rid of your account permanently. It just sort of hides your account until you’re ready to log back in.) I delete the apps off my phone, and I set a goal of a certain time frame. This has always been the best method for me. I’ve always been an all or nothing kind of person.

Another way to do a social media detox is to simply limit the amount of time you spend on those apps during the day. Some chose to only spend a half an hour total, other choose not to scroll social media until a certain time of day. You set your own guidelines based on what works best for you.

Posting Less. Doing More.

If you’ve decided it’s time to detox. I’ve come up with four ways to help you get through those times you get the urge to scroll!

1. Turn off the data and the notifications for each app…or better yet, delete the app! Did you know that you can manually turn the data off for each of your apps? Doing this will keep you from getting those little tempting notifications. If you don’t want to turn off the data, you can also turn off the notifications for each app. My favorite way to nix the temptation to scroll is deleting the app from my phone!
2. Put your phone away. Somewhere out of sight, and out of mind. I keep my phone in a drawer in the kitchen. It charges in there, and I don’t allow myself to take it out of that room. It’s not usually conducive to scrolling standing at the kitchen counter.
3. Make some plans to look forward to! They don’t have to be elaborate. You can download a podcast or two you’ve been wanting to listen to. Read a book. Find something to do when you get the urge to check your phone.
4. Get creative. We were created to create. I truly believe God designed us to love to make things beautiful. Break out those old hobbies you no longer “have time for”, and get creative again.
5. Take a deep breath. There will definitely be hard days. You will definitely get the urge to check your social media. You will definitely feel like you’re missing out. Take a deep breath, and remember why you’re doing this.

Less scrolling more living!

I know that social media has played a HUGE part of our lives over the last year. We’ve been isolated from our families, and it’s been the only way many of us have been able to stay connected. I also know from personal experience that this equates more time on social media for me. It also means that I feel a whole lot more stressed, irritable, and unproductive.

I’d love to know if you’ve every done a social media detox, or if you’re planning to. I’ll check back in with you, and let you know how it’s going.

Thanks so much for spending a tiny part of your day with me!

Here’s an image to pin for later…