I have taken two social media breaks over the last few months, the first break was for 60 days and I am currently one week into my second social media break. I noticed the positive impact of taking a social media break about 48 hours into my first break. When I first started, I set my goal to be one week of no social media. The positive impacts were so great after one week that I decided to take a longer break. I did still allow myself to consume other forms of media such as movies, tv-shows, and listening to podcasts.
Within the first 48 hours of my social media breaks (both times) I noticed an immediate decrease in anxiety and an increase in feeling grounded and connected with my environment. After about a week I noticed an increase in productivity at home. After 60 days of being off social media, then slipping back into it, I realized that I cannot consume short form content (i.e. Tiktok, Instagram Reels, Youtube Shorts) anymore. It was hard to accept but ultimately it was the one form of social media that has the ability to consume hours of my time in a way that is not enjoyable and often leaves me feeling anxious. The best part of my social media breaks is that I do not have to hear/consume opinions from strangers that have no relevance in my life. When I stopped using social media I realized that all that ‘noise’ from other people gets silent and the world keeps spinning just as it did the day before. If you are interested in taking a break from social media, here are some steps you can take to get started.
Establish your Reason
When attempting to break or create a new habit, it can be important to establish a reason and motivation for this change. This motivation or reason only needs to make sense to you. The important part of establishing your motivation for taking a break from social media is in the details. Statements like “I want to get off social media because it’s a waste of time” are not as helpful as statements such as “I want to get off social media so I have more time to do activities that are productive. With the time I do not spend on social media I would like to make plans with friends, learn a new skill, reorganize my room, etc.” The difference in those statements is that the second example establishes how the goal is personal to you and therefore it is more meaningful and you are more likely to continue with the practice.
Prepare and Plan
If you make the commitment to turning off social media for any extended period of time, you will likely notice how much extra time you have in your day. Part of the habit of checking social media may be due to boredom or not having anything to do with small windows of time. Before your social media break, it can be helpful to have a variety of different activities planned for your break. For example, have at least two books that you would like to read in your possession before starting your break. If you have established hobbies such as crocheting or drawing, it will be important to have whatever materials you need as well. If you do not have any hobbies that you can do from home, independently, this would be a great time to explore different activities you can do at home.
The second part of preparing is to plan out what other activities you are going to engage in throughout the day/week. If you have large gaps of time open every week, it could be helpful to plan out how you can use that time. If you have noticed that your main social media usage comes from having smaller gaps of time free-time, have your hobby, book, or activity readily accessible. For example, bring the book you are readying everywhere you go. If you are into digital art, make sure your device and accessories are charged and are able to be accessed offline.
Accountability and Self-advocacy
If you feel like you impulsively check social media, it will be important to establish why you are taking this break and hold yourself accountable to ceasing using social media if you accidentally check. If you find yourself going ‘well I already accidentally checked social media today, guess i’ll restart tomorrow,’ challenge that thought process by referring to why you want to take a social media break. If you are doing so to be more present, then the only opportunity you have lost to be present is that moment where you accidentally checked. You still have the whole day/week to feel the positive effects of remaining present and grounded, you lose that opportunity when you throw out your goals for the day because of a minor mistake.
Something to consider is that just because you are taking a break doesn't mean everyone you know is also taking a break. There may be temptation to engage in consuming content a friend or family member may send to you. This is an opportunity to talk about (self-advocacy) your social media break and that you are unable to consume the content they are sending directly to you. I have found that most people are very understanding when people say they are taking a social media break but then forget and will continue to send social media content. This is your friendly reminder that your boundaries are yours to hold and it would be unfair to expect others to remember and abide by them. If someone you know sends social media posts directly to you, you can inform them of your social media break each time or disregard their social media messages and change topics if needed. Additionally, telling others about your social media break is a way to hold yourself accountable as you are speaking it out loud and that process registers in the brain differently than just thinking about it.
Identify and Notate the Positive Effects
When I took my first social media break, I noticed the positive impact within the first 48 hours. Then when I took my second break, I noticed the positive impact within that same timeline. By identifying the positives within the first 48 hours, I felt motivated to see what was possible after a week of being completely off social media. If you are able to take time out of your day and identify what positive impacts are directly related to being off social media, not only will you engage in a mindfulness practice but you will also subconsciously reinforce any motivation to continue with the practice of abstaining. This practice can be further enhanced by physically writing down the positive impacts you notice. If you have a list of positive impacts to reference, any time you feel like straying from your goal, you can refer to that list as a reminder to what you will lose out on if you begin using social media again.
Written By,
Madison Repak, LPC
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