Here’s How a Social Media Detox Will Change Your Life
Out of curiosity, what was your average daily screen time this week? Three hours? Maybe five or six? Just over a year ago, my screen time was over eight hours every single day. When I really stopped and put that into perspective, I felt a little disgusted with myself. If I’m sleeping for eight hours and working for another eight, am I spending all my leisure time on my phone? Granted, a good chunk of that screen time probably took place at work (shh, don’t tell my boss). Regardless, it was getting out of control.
I felt like my phone had complete control over me.
When I dissected exactly how I was spending that eight hours on my phone, I found that the biggest culprits were…
- Entertainment (mostly YouTube)
- Information and Reading (that’s you, Medium)
- Social Media (as you might have already guessed)
On a typical day, five to six of my eight hours of screen time were spent liking stranger’s pictures on Instagram or reading meemaw’s third status update of the day on Facebook. Oof, that’s a lot.
When you break it down further, that’s a whopping 35–42 hours a week spent on social media. I was spending over a day each week on apps like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I knew something had to change.
My 2021 New Year’s Resolution was to essentially disappear from the Internet. For the most part, I achieved my goal. I deleted my Instagram and Twitter accounts. I removed the Facebook app from my phone and stopped logging on. I was free!
Well, I was free for about six months. Here’s the thing: Facebook is insidious. What I learned when trying to delete my Facebook account is that you have to refrain from logging into your account for a whole thirty days. And here’s another thing: my Facebook account is connected to literally every other account I’ve ever used for anything in the history of ever. Spotify? Connected to Facebook. YouTube? Connected to Facebook. And here’s one more thing: I love my boomer dad and he only knows how to communicate via Facebook. There, I said it.
It doesn’t have to be perfect, but a social media detox can be incredibly beneficial. When you’re more intentional with your phone time, you stop comparing yourself to others so much, you notice your real life relationships improve, and you increase your productivity immensely.
You Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
Let’s be clear, I was no social media influencer. I was the most average kind of social media user there was. I posted a few pictures a month on Instagram, I retweeted some things on Twitter every now and then, and I liked my grandma’s pictures on Facebook.
But, it was still vital that my Instagram following count never exceeded my follower count. It was still vital that my Facebook profile picture be the most flattering selfie. And it was still vital that my Twitter consisted only of the most perfectly crafted Tweets, and if it didn’t get retweeted, it got deleted.
I saw friends with follower counts in the thousands and wondered what they were doing that was so great. I started to feel resentful when others were “doing better” than me online. What I didn’t understand was that the person they portrayed themselves as online was the absolute best version of themselves. Most people don’t log on to Facebook to announce they can’t make their rent payment this month, or how they lost their job, or how they’re struggling to conceive.
What you see online is not a realistic display of someone’s life- it’s their highlight reel. When you compare the full version of yourself, the good and the bad, to the online version of others, you’re making an unfair comparison. Of course a staged selfie in full hair and makeup looks a little more put together than your morning breath and frizzy hair.
The truth is, though, that we exist on a spectrum and social media displays only our best days. When I stepped away from my phone, I realized other people aren’t perfect and I don’t need to be either.
Your Real Life Relationships Improve
When I left social media, I realized most of my online friends were only keeping up with me because I kept appearing in their stories or on their timelines. I was always present in the constant cycle of posts and status updates. Any message I received was only in response to something I posted. Can you guess what happened when I logged out?
Most of the people that I talked to nearly everyday disappeared.
My social circle dwindled down to about three people (as opposed to my three hundred Instagram followers). And guess what? I felt fine! Sure, there was an adjustment period. I wondered if I’d ever hear from those people again. I felt pretty lonely at times when my phone wasn’t constantly chiming with notifications. But eventually, I felt fine.
While I wasn’t getting hundreds of likes on Facebook statuses, I was having more in-depth conversations with my family. I had more things to say when I was face-to-face with others and I couldn’t check my social media as a crutch for my social anxiety. Instead of sending a funny meme to my boyfriend, I sat down at mealtime and listened to what he had to say about his day. The number of people I interacted with became less, absolutely, but the interactions themselves improved. Without the distraction of social media, I could give my full attention to anyone I spoke with.
Your Productivity Skyrockets
By cutting my screen time in half, I gained about an extra day’s worth of time each week. A whole day. I had a few extra hours each day to dedicate to side projects, spend with my family, or sure, just sleep. Because I think we can all agree that a few extra hours of sleep is priceless.
I realized I was less tempted to stop working every five minutes to check Twitter. I could finally work uninterrupted and let my ideas flow freely. I also saw that I suffered less writer’s block. I felt like I could truly be creative again.
I stopped checking my phone constantly, whether at work or home. People who insist that there be no phones at the dinner table used to scare me. Now I get it. Giving the speaker your undivided attention is respectful, yes, but it also eliminates so much mind clutter for the listener. Why force myself to multi-task (that is, listen to their conversation and think of life online) when I can just be present?
Now, instead of using my phone as a means to gain popularity, I use it as a tool. Did you know there’s a calculator on this thing? Or that you can use it to make phone calls? Weird. When I’m debating with a friend whether Harry Styles is a Capricorn or an Aquarius, I just Google it! This thing’s got Google!
Our phones are powerful tools. There is a whole Internet’s worth of knowledge in our pockets- with a social media detox, you can actually take advantage of it.
Social media isn’t purely evil but it’s best enjoyed in moderation. Whether your social media detox lasts indefinitely or it’s something you decide to implement periodically, it will benefit your relationships and your overall well-being. Try it out and watch how your life changes for the better.
