10 Signs It’s Time For You To QUIT SOCIAL MEDIA
Ok, so quit is probably too strong of a word, or not. Either way, social media has become such an integral part of our lives, and the benefits of this method of connectivity are huge. So, how do you go about detaching from something which has become such a central point of your lifestyle and what are the signs?
10 Signs It’s Time For You To Quit Social Media
Constantly Checking Your Phone
Studies show nearly 80% of us check our phones within 15 minutes of waking up before doing anything else.
For many of us, our phones double up as our alarm clock so it automatically ends up in our hands first thing in the morning.
Unfortunately, this can tempt you into checking your social media apps and digesting, before you have even gotten outside.
Suffering From FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out)
I don’t know about you, but I couldn’t think of anything better than not being ‘in the loop’ for five minutes let alone a couple of weeks.
Honestly, there is nothing happening on social media that you will miss out on that is more important than taking a break, particularly for your mental health.
If you fear by not being on social media you will miss out on something, you may need a detox. The world will still spin, and if it’s something so important, you will see it on the news, you’ll read it in a paper, or someone will keep you updated and fill you in.
You Feel the Need to Post Something Every Day
In a previous article we looked into how to romanticise your life and become the main character of your story, this required slowing down and paying attention to the finer details of our day.
I can personally understand the need to capture each and every moment, especially as a content creator wanting to share aspects of my day with the Coffee Moon community.
Still, feeling as though you need to post to your feed every day can distract you from enjoying and appreciating the simple things in life.
Struggling to Put The Phone Down in the Company of Others
We’ve all been there where we meet up for lunch with our friends, the waiter brings over your food, and suddenly all of the cameras are out.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with this, it’s become a way of life, it’s fun and we should embrace it.
It only becomes a problem if you are so distracted by your phone during a catch up with friends you are disengaged in the conversation leading your friends to potentially feel offended.
You Feel Disconnected from Loved Ones
Although you shouldn’t suffer with FOMO from social media, you should definitely be concerned if you have suddenly become disconnected from your loved ones.
If you find you are spending more time on social media than you are connecting with your loved ones, there is a chance you may feel a little left out the next time there is a family gathering.
Do not let social media become such a part of your life you overlook the importance of spending quality time with your nearest and dearest.
Constantly Comparing your Life To Others
It’s no secret social media is a playground for comparison, and not an accurate one at that.
It’s not common to post hundreds of images going through a break up, or gaining weight, or losing money, or hating your job, those are negative memories no one wants to document or even remember, so it’s one of the few things you’ll see plastered on their feed.
This means most of what you do see are happy couples smiling together, people getting in shape looking healthy and happy, entrepreneurs making lots of money and loving Monday mornings.
That’s not to say those moments aren’t real, but they are only a single moment captured in a single image, it doesn’t mean their lives are perfect and yours isn’t.
Yet, if you’re finding it difficult to not compare, this is a sign to take a break focusing on self-care and embrace your own unique path.
Obsessing Over Likes, Engagement, Analytics
This sign is aimed more at my fellow business owners and content creators.
When building a brand or community we rely heavily on social media to do so, however, this can sometimes mean we become too fixated on numbers and lose the fun side of building via these platforms.
Tracking your likes, engagement and analytics are imperative for understanding what works from what doesn’t, though if it’s all you’re focused on, when your numbers aren’t doing well it can be discouraging.
If you’ve noticed you have become a little too obsessed with your numbers, you may need to take a week off to refocus and remember why you created your page in the first place.
You’re Distracted from Prioritising More Important Things
With so much happening on social media it’s easier now more than ever to be distracted from more important things you had planned.
For example, if your goal this year was to get in shape but the first thing you do every morning is spend an hour scrolling the feed, there’s a chance by the time you’ve finished scrolling you won’t feel motivated to go to the gym.
Decide whether social media is a distraction from any goals you had set, be brutally honest with yourself, if you come to the realisation that you would get more done without the distraction of social media, take a break.
Mindless Scrolling
One of the most popular signs you need a social media break is when you find yourself consistently scrolling through apps unconsciously.
Spending hours on end scrolling for nothing in particular is time you will never get back, not to say your downtime should be filled with something productive, but it is time you could use to talk to a friend, read the book you bought, fill out sections of your wellness journal or run yourself a Goddess bath.
You’re Not Finding it Fun Anymore
Things have changed a lot over the years, particularly Instagram, it isn’t what it used to be.
These days you can’t go a second without seeing a list of sponsored ads, brands trying to sell you stuff and a sea of infographics and bullet points (guilty).
Although this new wave of content is of more value than the days of simply posting a picture of your dinner, it can be seen as much more serious now and losing its fun side. If when you feel bored and uninspired while on social media, take a break.
The Benefits of a Social Media Detox
Here are some of the reasons why a social media detox might work well for you.
Increased productivity
Not feeling the need for comparison
More free time
Reconnecting with family and friends
Not feeling the need to share and gaining some privacy
A reduced fear of missing out
What To Do Before You Begin your Detox
It might seem a little over the top, but the best way to successfully complete a social media detox is to plan it out.
Of course, you could just leave, but the chances of you really giving yourself a break would be slim and you’ll return without ever really giving yourself the break you needed.
Decide on how long your detox will be
Give yourself a set amount of time of how long you want to be offline, this will vary for everyone however I believe two weeks minimum is a good amount of time to feel a difference.
Keep in mind, you might give yourself a couple of weeks, end up really enjoying being offline and decide to continue for longer.
The very first time I did a social media detox I planned to be offline for one month, which then turned into six, it was bliss.
Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad
Start to unfollow accounts you are bored of, uninspired by, or make you feel bad about yourself in any way, shape or form. By doing this before your detox you return to a feed consisting solely of accounts which make you feel good.
Plan and schedule your content
For many small business owners, a lengthy break away from social media is a bit more challenging. Business owners are required to be present to answer enquires, respond to DM’s and post content. In saying this, a couple of weeks is still a good amount of time to take a break without completely neglecting your business.
Let your customers know ahead of time that you will be taking a short break and assure them they can still contact you via email.
Use scheduling apps such as Later to plan your content for the next few weeks so you can relax while the app does the work for you.
Switch your notifications off
Turn off your notifications so you are not alerted when there is activity on your page. If you want to go a step further, delete the entire app from your phone and reinstall on your return.
The idea is that you are not tempted to log back to ‘quickly check something’ since this goes against the break you’re needing.
What To Do During your Social Media Break
Now that you’re fully present and available to get lost in the physical world around you, how exactly are you going to spend this time? Below are a few suggestions to get started
Take a nap
Focus on your self-care
Swap your usual scrolling in the sofa, for a book
Bake a new recipe
Watch Youtube videos
Write new affirmations
Work on your side hustle (the bits that don’t include social media)
Dance around your living room
Send thank-you cards to those who have helped you in recent times
Go to a yoga class
Catch up with friends IRL
Invite a friend round for dinner
Go on a solo date
Join a self-help membership program
Sign up to an online course
Learn a new language
Plan your next trip abroad
Visit a farmers’ market
Write down your life goals
Declutter your home
Tidy your work from home desk
What to do after your social media break
After a break away from social media it will feel a little different on your return, especially if you’ve been away for over a month. Become more intentional in your reasons for being on the app, even if it’s a mindless scroll. You can now set a time limit on Instagram which is useful if you want to gain more control over the amount of time you spend on the app.
Final thoughts
Regardless of whether you recognise these signs within yourself or not, there’s no harm in being offline for a while, in fact there are more benefits in a social media detox than not.
Social media has enough of our attention, and us as consumers of these apps are being used for our attention, it’s a game and the game is to stay on the app for as long as possible even if you’re doing absolutely nothing. The only way you win is to be in control of how and why you use social media without becoming totally consumed by it.
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