Last week I wrote a post on 10 Ways to Care for Your Mind. As number one, I suggested doing a social media detox. Easier said than done, I know. And what exactly does that look like? I’m going to #smbsfreestyle this post, so it’s going to read more casual, as if we’re having a face-to-face conversation. I’m going to share why I regularly detox from social media and a few tips for how. It may not be exactly how you want to go about it, but I’m just going to put my two cents out there and you can use it in parts or none at all.
There is an invisible tether between our brains and social media. A magnetic pull in moments of boredom, moments of waiting, moments of overwhelm…all kind of moments. Even the beautiful ones, the precious ones that we should probably just hold close to our hearts instead of broadcasting to the world.
I’ll be the first to admit that I don’t always manage my relationship with social media well. I’m human and I struggle, too. With the silence, the gap, the desire to check out, the need for validation, looking for connection in a screen instead of my loved ones standing in front of me.
Here is my “why”: I can see a direct correlation between my well-being on every level and how much time I’m spending on social media.
If you asked me: “So, HOW do you do a social media detox? What does it look like?”
First, I’d tell you, there’s no right or wrong way. Second, I’d share a few tips I’ve picked up along the way…
Tip #1:
Delete the app(s). If I need a hard reset (which I do often), I delete the app(s). Usually every weekend. But then I take longer sabbaticals every quarter or so, for at least two weeks, sometimes longer.
I use that time to put my phone away and focus solely on what’s in front of me at the moment. I spend a lot of un-distracted time with my people, a lot of time reading, maybe watching some shows, listening to podcasts and writing. I seem to get huge amounts of inspiration and light bulb moments when I’m off social media. Go figure. Fresh ideas mean lots of note taking, journaling, thinking. I also spend time connecting with friends in real life as much as possible and via text or email.
I highly recommend the hard resets (just like our computer or our phone needs to reboot) even if it’s just for one day a week or the weekend or one weekend a month. You decide. It’s a great breather, allows the mind to clear, the thoughts to settle, everything really to just REST. There’s something about knowing the app isn’t even on my phone that frees me from the constant pressure to absorb information, create content, respond to every notification…
But here’s the thing, you don’t have to be doing a hard reset in order to detox from social media. Just like our bodies are always detoxing by default, it makes the most sense for us to be detoxing daily from social media even while we’re using it – especially while we’re using it – and not just waiting for those times we delete the app(s). We need to be supporting ourselves by limiting the “toxins” we come in contact with and making sure all those detox pathways are open.
Which leads me to…
Tip #2:
Turn off notifications. Do you really need to know the second someone likes your post? Nope. In fact, you can even take this a step further and turn off all your phone notifications. Quiet the mental chatter a little. The only time my phone makes a sound (unless I choose to turn my ringer on) is when my husband texts or calls. He gets the special bypass because he’s my priority. Plus the sound of his texts and calls make my heart flutter instead of my adrenaline rush. Amen?
Tip #3:
Choose your social media platform(s) wisely. I am only on one social media platform because I know that’s all that I can handle. Years ago I quit Facebook. I tried Twitter and couldn’t figure out the point. Instagram stuck because I love photography and I’m a visual person. Now TikTok is the rage and I’m just sitting over here watching like I guess this is what it feels like to be old, because I don’t get it.
Anyways, I think a lot of that has to do with me. I get overwhelmed by input very easily. Paralyzed would actually be a better word. Ha. Even just being on one platform, I think about getting off multiple times a week. Just being honest. The only thing that makes me stay… well, two things really: 1.) I believe it is an amazing tool to share my message of self-care and 2.) I’ve made some genuine connections that I would miss.
So, honestly evaluate why you’re on the platforms you’re on. Make sure they are adding more than they’re subtracting from your life. Have clear reasons why you’re staying if you choose to stay.
Tip #4
Set clear boundaries when you’re in the app(s). I only post and story on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. I communicate this to my followers so they know my rhythms and what to expect. It also helps me stay accountable to my boundaries. I might hop on to answer DM’s or comments, but I don’t actively “do” social media the other days.
Even still, I am no stranger to the scroll. Some days are hard and long and I’m tired and my brain is mush and somehow scrolling seems easier than being present right where I am. Which sounds so silly as I type that out. I always feel like crap afterwards, never better. There’s never a time when I’ve escaped to the scroll and afterwards been like “Whoohoo! I’m ready to take on life again, I’ve got so much energy now!” Nope. Not once. So, quit the escapism scroll, Hannah. Just quit it.
Caution: mini tangent rant ahead. The Explore tab is my nemesis. I always feel so weird scrolling through peoples’ faces, peoples’ lives when I can’t possibly know or care or connect with more than a tiny handful of them. So, the question I always come away with is: why? I mean, I understand why the Explore tab is there, but why should I scroll through it? I can’t think of a single good reason.
Tip #5
Be very selective about who you follow. I follow very few people for the simple fact that there’s only so much information I can take in on any given day. Also, I am very sensitive to outside stimuli, so I curate my feed to be upbeat, truth-filled, real. I routinely purge who I follow. It’s just how I do because life is too short and, really, it’s just an app.
Let’s all repeat that together: It’s JuSt a FreaKin’ ApP! Puts everything into perspective, right?
Anything else to add, mama? Let me know in the comments.
This post is part of the #smbsfreestyle series. Where I write a stream of consciousness type post once a month. Less structured and more journal entry feel. The topic(s) will be something from my heart about everything from motherhood to self-care (of course) to health + wellness and beyond. More like a relaxed conversation between friends and less like a “how to” lecture with bullet points.
I’m over on Instagram and, if you haven’t signed up for my email list, I’m there, too. If you sign up, I’m giving you my Healthy + Healing Warm Drink Guide FREE.
Let’s care for ourselves,
Hannah