What I Learned From A Social Media Detox
Social media is globalisation’s boon and curse, both of which I have had my taste with. Yes, my career may rely on it and I’m incredibly grateful for it, but it’s also clearly something that’s a big player in our lives. And whether we acknowledge it or not, chances of in-authenticity and/or comparisons have skyrocketed! My thoughts on social media and its impact are rather strong and I will continue reiterating till my words leave behind a lasting impact!
I have been dabbling with sharing my personal thoughts and experiences with you for some time now and your response has been overwhelming! Going forward, I would also love to share my thoughts and opinions on topics that are relevant and critical to address, much like this one. Now the question that begs to be answered ~ how do I use social media in a manner that serves me, while not taking away from my peace? My answer ~ balance and social media breaks.
A tried and tested formula; here’s what I learned from a social media detox, and why I would recommend taking your own break from social media ~
IT HELPS PRIORITISE EVERYTHING THAT MATTERS
A heavy subject of discussion yet one that is necessary to have is a social media detox. In a fast-paced world, we tend to miss out on the little things that bring us happiness. So, over the last couple of months, Vikram and I had the intention of taking true time off. Hanging with Vikram’s cousins in our pyjamas and enjoying a little meal prepping, for instance, are minute life experiences that fill our days with happiness and laughter! That joy may come in your life in the form of watching a movie with your significant other or picking up flowers for your loved ones or even just the scent of coffee wafting through the air on a pleasant day.
It was only during this social media detox {enjoying some downtime shared with our loved ones} that I was able to truly enjoy life’s moments and realised the authenticity of each moment without drawing myself back to the lifeless phone screen that would just be a dark cloud over a happy day.
LIFE DOESN’T COME TO A STAGGERING HALT
I am sure everyone is quite aware of how meticulous and consistent I like to keep every aspect of my life; my social media feed included. I love producing content for you but I also, have over time, come to realise that I am allowed and most importantly deserve ~ breaks from it. Like any other person in a creative field, mental blocks are a natural occurrence. And, breaking away and catching a breather is a completely normal choice because churning out forced content would be a sheer disappointment for both you and me equally.
Life doesn’t come to a standstill if you don’t post for a few days nor is it the end of the world if you skip out on a few days of pre-planning your work. This valuable lesson, I have learned, when I cut away from my social media for a couple of weeks {both this month and the last} for a much-needed detox!
IT UNLEASHES YOUR CREATIVITY
Like I mentioned at the beginning, too much time on social media unintentionally draws you away from being authentic and you start to fabricate trends because the end game is a guaranteed success. Amongst all this, we have forgotten all about originality and creativity.
Nothing elicits more joy when you see your idealisation come to life and actually work successfully. This is another boon of said digital detox. Since 2018, I have made a conscious effort to draw the curtains shut on social media platforms for a bit, so that I can cut off from the overdone trends and find new inspiration in my everyday life. And might I tell you, was that a soaring success!
During this time, I would let my brain dwell in all directions till I found the one groundbreaking idea and worked from there. A refresh on my personal feed one might say, excuse my puns.
CHOOSE HEALTH ALWAYS
If you are someone who does not agree with the medical condition of scrolling thumbs, BE GONE! I am only kidding 🙂 please stay, but it is a real issue for those of us that spend a majority of our time mindlessly scrolling through our feeds, and a break from this won’t hurt. On a serious note, excessive screen time leads to a lot of craned necks and strained eyes, which we can avoid by stepping away and getting a healthy time-off by engaging in some physical activity to maintain a good balance in life.
IT LETS YOU GET BORED
I had a scary revelation when I realised that boredom has not struck me in months because I flip my phone out even if I have a second to squander. As children, we got bored more often than we were not and then came up with silly but creative ways to combat that. For instance, playing with toys or water colours gave us internal happiness which I cannot say is the case with social media. It is something that keeps us preoccupied, but that is about it. Cutting social media out for a bit can be quite uncomfortable at the beginning, but allows you to just indulge in simple acts like walking aimlessly, stretching, or cooking perhaps. Here’s to boredom and what it can bring back into our lives!
To conclude: I don’t want anyone to have or assume I have bad blood with the concept of social media because that is far from the truth. It has helped reform societies in unimaginable ways, has encouraged inclusive behaviour like never before, and it goes without saying that it is educational and entertaining like none other! I just wanted to bring to light the repercussions of over-exposure and the importance of enjoying social media within limits ~ because an excess of something is never good.
My emphasis through this article ~ What I Learned From A Social Media Detox ~ is not breaking away from social media completely, but taking short breaks in spurts to check back with reality. Things will be the same as you left them, I promise!
Are you someone who takes social media breaks? If so, when was the last time? What did you gain from stepping away?
Here’s what I believe ~ let online engagement just be an instrument to foster more offline connection. 🙂
Amen!
Extraordinary post, Tanya! My productivity, ability to focus and clarity of thought ~ all increased significantly when living without social media!
Not being on social media really opened my eyes to the emotions and motivations I have using Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Agreed! In a digital world we need a break from having our lives judged and commented on…
I felt a sense of freedom!
We have to comprehend that regardless of how much social media we use on our regular day to day, nothing can supplant an embrace from a friend, or a smile saying ~ “How are you?”
That’s putting it across beautifully, Sharada!
There’s something about my cerebrum continually consuming content and the constant scrolling that makes me feel fatigued. So this post – made a difference!
It’s always good to have control over what you want to consume, Diganth.
Prior to online networking, there wasn’t an open door for someone I had no interest in, to invade my personal space. I realize I want less of those situations to occur in my life.
It literally felt like ripping shackles off my mind and body!
This blog certainly helped! While I’m not going to completely quit using social media, I plan to assume responsibility for my use of social media.
I know I really value taking control of my time, Atul.
Like anything else, I think social media is great in moderation.
Yes. It’s nice to be focused on getting work done and being present in other things.
After reading your amazing post, I do hope people reflect on their use of social media and consider taking a break ~ if nothing else just to see how it makes them feel. xx
It’s been awhile since I’ve had so much clarity and focus in my thoughts, Jayanti.
I relate to this and how!! The more I consider returning to an internet based life the less I want to think about it. Does that make sense?
The only thing I can equate it to would be “getting in the zone” in sports.
Now this ~ I’d like to give a shot! Although, one thing I know I’ll need to do once I’m back, is filter my news feed and timeline.
Absolutely, Amrita. The biggest benefit for me has been the removal of negativity and unnecessary information.
For me, I’m not very worried about my digital privacy. Yet, I don’t know if I want to get any more connected than I already am.
I hear you…
I’d love to try this! I realize I would prefer not to get sucked back into social expectations and the notification enslavement.
What will I do on social media after the detox is up? Ha!
Considered this a couple of times before, however it turned out to be all the more clear today: I was (and many of us are) dependent on social media in similar ways people are addicted to alcohol, drugs, and other vices.
Hmmnn… I certainly felt an entirely new perspective on my digital life.
Wow! For me, this means I will not be scrolling when I first wake up or when I should be going to sleep. 😀
It’s a good wake-up call and doesn’t have to be permanent unless you want it to be.
Beautiful share! I guess one more way to “detox” is to really, really shrink down the number of people/pages we follow to the actually interesting 10-20%.
That’s amazing advice actually.
Love! Life is not on our phone, it’s not even within our sight or the brain space in our head. It’s somewhere beyond our heart and deep in consciousness…
Find that state and then everything will go as planned…
I think most of the danger comes from the fact that social media content is so ephemeral (as opposed to irl where content doesn’t just vanish), people feel like they’re gonna miss out on so much if they let go…
p.s. You look gorgeous, Tanya! Love your posts!
…data overload is a thing.
Yes! Encourage us to set ourselves the challenge of deleting our apps and taking a break. Even if for 24 hours, a week or a few weeks. I am so excited to see what I do with all of the extra space in my day that is usually filled with scrolling, replying to messages and posting!
Get ready for some epic personal growth, increased productivity, decreased anxiety and better sleep!
I really appreciate this post, Tanya. I have started doing #digitaldetoxing on a pretty regular basis. I find it very healing and freeing. I plan to do more.
Glad to hear it, Swapna. Life is not on our phone, it’s not even within our sight or the brain space in our head. It’s somewhere beyond our heart and deep in consciousness.
Real life vs Social media… I almost never shoot content on vacation as I’d rather enjoy the moment… Like we all do sometimes, social comparison is a natural human need. But now, I need more real life!
I hear you, Ayesha. I need to break free to be more me.
Everyone will do well to remember that Instagram/other SM channels never show real life. It’s glimpses & presentations of life – but only such tiny cutouts! My life is just like yours and theirs and ours, imperfect and real and wonderful! 🙂
Absolutely. Instagram is a powerful tool and I love all the inspirations & connections I experience there, but it does distract and also applies a lot of pressure.
I love that you decided to completely switch off from all socials so that you could be fully present and soak up every moment! In order to keep showing up and serving your readers authentically, it’s so important for to take regular breaks from social media.
Now that I’m back online ~ my head feels clear, my purpose and message is stronger than ever, and I can’t wait to dive back in to regular posts!