Social Media Detox

Social media is literally everywhere around us. Its in the palm of almost everyone’s hands with their smart phones. It’s on TV, in newspaper & magazines, on billboards, in grocery stores and restaurants. You really can’t take more then 100 steps without encountering something to do with social media. Think about it for a moment. Most of us wake up and check one or more of our social media accounts. Then we may turn on the news and you see hashtags everywhere. Listening to the radio on your drive to work and you hear your favorite radio host asking you to follow them. Social media is surrounding our entire lives and maybe too much of something can actually be a bad thing.

When you hear the word detox, social media probably doesn’t come to mind. Doing a social media detox though can be great not only for yourself but also your relationships. Social media can actually cause a lot of stress on a person. You may see someone post exciting news and this may make you jealous or angry because you think you deserve that and not them. Being on social media a lot can also make you feel lonely and depressed. You may have tons of friends on social media but how many would you actually say hello too if you passed them on the street? Another way social media can stress you out Is by creating FOMO (fear of missing out). Have you ever continuously swiped through your social media account hoping you didn’t miss anything?

Doing a social media detox is actually fairly easily if you can stay disciplined. The first step is too take a break from social media is by simply putting your device down. When you’re at your desk or sitting on the couch, leave your phone in the other room. Try talking to someone near you or engaging in a new activity. Breaking the cycle can be the hardest part but once you have done that, it becomes so much easier.

If you do need to use social media for work or your business, then designate social media times. Instead of checking your phone every 10 minutes, make a schedule for yourself. So instead of checking it 30 times a day, maybe you only check it 3 times a day. This will help you prioritize what is really important and help you realize that your social media account doesn’t need your attention every minute of every day.

A social media detox is something that everyone should at least attempt. The days of face to face interaction, phone calls and simple hello’s are slowly disappearing. Let’s get out from behind our phones and see the amazing world that is around us. Let’s create new memories that last forever and let’s keep those memories with the special people we created them with. Don’t let your phone dictate your time spent. Take the time you spend on social media and use it to discover new hobbies or build relationships that will be here longer then your social media account will be.