Unplugging Without Side Effects or FOMO
Do you experience FOMO when you unplug?
Fear of missing out is a real thing.
Here’s my inner monologue before I got rid of this habit:
Me *aimlessly scrolling the feed*
My inner voice: Oh, another wedding… Someone’s on vacation. Look, they’ve got a new car! Such a cute baby^^
Me: I need to go to sleep
My inner voice: 5 mins, please, please, please…
Me: OK, only 5 mins
1 hour and 20 minutes later…
Me *putting down my phone*
My inner voice: I can’t sleep, let’s scroll the feed and watch some cute Kpop idol videos until we fall asleep^^
Me *slowly takes the phone*
My inner voice: Yaay, we’re back!
This is disturbing, I get it. And a bit embarrassing, I know. But it’s obvious that most of the teenagers, and not only, are going through this. They are scrolling their feeds, trying to absorb all the information available online. Consuming everything is not healthy, right?
Social media platforms are not helping it by creating endless scrolls, group chats, video reels, and stories, etc. All these tools are designed to keep us online as long as possible. Even if it’s not healthy for us.
Is there a way to unplug safely?
First, let’s answer some questions!
What are You Afraid to Miss Out On?
It’s an easy one. Text messages from friends, funny jokes in group chats, new posts, finding new blogs to read, celebrating achievements, showing support, discovering new things, etc. These are actually mine.. So this differs from person to person. What’s your addiction?
Do You Ever Unplug, Besides When You’re Asleep?
I was lucky enough to become a full-time employee whose work is not directly connected to social media. That’s when I gradually started to overcome the feeling of missing out. But before that, I would spend hours on different social apps.
Do You Worry that Staying in the Social Media Loop Gets in the Way of Your Everyday Life and Future?
Yes, and yes. If you’re not concerned about it, then you’re in big trouble.
Now, the best part — tips for all of you who struggle with it. These are tried and tested methods by me. Some of them might not work for you, so try to improvise and adjust them to your daily life.
How to Overcome the Feeling of Missing Out and Unplug?
- Don’t use your phone in bed.
Using your phone before sleep stimulates your brain and makes it harder for you to fall asleep. So, when you finally fall asleep from exhaustion, you wake in the morning tired and struggle through the day.
2. Replace virtual communication with face-to-face meet-ups.
Instead of exchanging messages in your group chats, go out and have fun with your friends. Or, if they are far away, don’t forget that in the first place your phone was invented to make calls.
3. Temporarily deactivate your accounts for a short period of time.
This trick worked for me so well that I remained deactivated for several months and successfully recovered from the stress I experienced during the first week.
4. Accept that too much useless information is bad for your mental health.
Seriously, you won’t gain anything but a headache. Instead, read a book or go out for a walk.
5. Realize that social media is not a solution, unplug and live your life.
When you’re online, you don’t realize that your time passes by and you miss on many opportunities that life offers.
6. Focus on the good in your life and be grateful for what you have.
This point doesn’t need a long description. Be grateful to live this life and focus on what you have.
7. Social media won’t make you happy.
Find other sources of happiness. Take on a new hobby, meet new friends, spend some quality time with your family, learn a new language, do everything that makes you happy and satisfied with yourself.
8. Be present in your life, pay attention, and notice the simple things around you.
It’s time to pay attention to what matters most.
Hope these tips will help you get back to your offline life and keep your mind healthy and clean. Stop taking part in the game of social media giants, save your time, and spend it with purpose!
