While social media provides countless opportunities in terms of connecting with others and providing wonderful business opportunities, it can also be extremely controversial in terms of the effects that it has on someone’s mental health. A digital detox might be exactly what you need. Regardless of your age, everyone can connect to the feeling of both loving and hating social media, for countless reasons. Perhaps social media is affecting how you feel about yourself, it is distracting you from necessary tasks throughout the day, or you are finding that it is simply having a negative impact on your daily life.
If you feel as if social media is providing you more stress than it is fun, it may be time to consider a digital detox. A digital detox will not only help you to free up your time, but it may also help to relieve any stress you are feeling. Being plugged in 24/7 has become the norm, so a digital detox may feel uncomfortable and hard to stick with.
Here are some ways that you can ease into a digital detox, and work on unplugging overall:
Only use your phone with purpose.
Think about why phones existed in the first place – to get in touch with someone when necessary. Nowadays, it has become the norm to be in constant, 24/7 contact with family and friends. Consider only taking out your phone or using it if it has a specific purpose, rather than feeling like you must be connected to it all day and night.
Don’t begin and end your day on your phone.
It is so common for people to check their phone first thing in the morning and fall asleep after scrolling on their phone before bed. Try to avoid doing this so that you can truly allow your mind to relax. Consider other habits in the mornings and evenings such as stretching, exercising, or even making yourself a cup of coffee or tea instead of spending time scrolling on your phone.
Limit time spent on apps.
With so many different types of apps available for smartphones these days, it can be so easy to get caught up in an app for hours upon hours. Take a look at the apps on your phone and check out which ones you are spending the most time on. Once you assess the apps that are taking up the most of your time, make a mental note to limit your time on each app and slowly work your way down to as little time as possible.
Utilize “Do Not Disturb” mode.
Apple created “Do Not Disturb” mode for a reason! If you are trying to be productive throughout the day or know that you need some time away from your phone, set your phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode so that you are not distracted or interrupted by any notifications coming through, whether that be a notification from an app, social media profile, a phone call, or a text.
Log out of social media profiles.
This one is a big one and will require some serious will power if you find yourself on social media frequently! Log out of your social media profiles to give yourself a true break from the constant posts. This will allow you to truly reset and take a much-needed break, which is proven to have positive effects on your mental health and overall well-being.
Keep your phone out of reach.
If you know that you will not need to get in immediate contact with anyone, try to keep your phone out of reach so you can truly enjoy the moment. This goes for whatever activity you are participating in – whether you are out for dinner with friends, on a date night, or just indulging in your favorite show!