When you’re something like me, you may spend hours and hours on social media. And if you happen to do, then you definitely’re most likely conversant in the TikTok infinite scroll or doomscrolling on Twitter very first thing within the morning. However extreme use of social media has been linked to elevated despair, anxiousness, lack of sleep, and different detrimental results.
After all, nothing is wholesome in extra quantities – and the time we spend on social media is one thing we don’t usually cease to consider and verify. So on this article, we are going to share the explanations for and advantages of taking a social media break, in addition to perception into what occurs when a Chronically On-line individual (a.ok.a. me) decides to take one.
There have been a number of research to corroborate the detrimental results of social media. One 2022 cross-national survey carried out throughout the U.S., U.Ok., Australia, and Norway discovered that those that used social media for leisure or to lower loneliness throughout the pandemic skilled poorer psychological well being. And ExpressVPN, in a 2021 survey, discovered that 86 % of 1,500 People reported detrimental impacts of social media on their happiness and self-image.
Social media may also grow to be an dependancy. Social media dependancy is outlined as “an uncontrollable urge to go browsing to and use social media, and devoting a lot effort and time to social media that it impairs different areas of life.”
If any of this resonates, then chances are you’ll want a social media break. And even if you happen to’re not fairly on the level of dependancy or poor psychological well being but, there could also be another indicators that present you might want to take a break:
- Frequent annoyance or frustration with trending posts or subjects
- Evaluating your self to different individuals
- Having hassle sleeping and checking social media very first thing upon waking up
- Experiencing or noticing a rise in anxiousness or despair signs
- Spending a major period of time on social media
- Feeling disenchanted for not receiving any engagement with a publish or remark
- Dropping focus and lacking deadlines or neglecting chores
- Feeling bodily misery if you happen to can’t verify your social media for a time frame
Bear in mind, social media is designed to be addictive, so it’s not shocking that many people discover it onerous to interrupt the behavior. Nevertheless it is perhaps time for a break if you happen to discover that social media impacts your psychological well being or productiveness.
Potential advantages of taking a social media break
Stepping away from social media, even for a short while, has many advantages. A number of research have been carried out on the results of limiting time on social media, leading to some attention-grabbing findings:
- This 2021 examine discovered that limiting social media use for per week improved well-being by stopping sleep issues.
- One other 2021 examine discovered that almost all college students reported a constructive change in temper, decreased anxiousness, and improved sleep throughout and instantly after a break from social media.
- The authors of a 2020 examine requested contributors to abstain from social media for per week. They report a important improve in psychological well-being and social connectedness after the interval of abstinence.
- A 2018 examine discovered that abstaining from social media use for a couple of week decreased stress in each typical and extreme social media customers and that the results have been extra pronounced within the latter group.
- And this 2018 examine discovered that limiting social media use to about half-hour day by day considerably decreased emotions of loneliness and despair.
Most research have discovered constructive connections between social media breaks and improved psychological well-being. However what do these breaks appear like in observe?
Statistics and information are nice, however they’re not lived experiences. So to organize for this text, I took a week-long social media break and documented my emotions about it. I picked the size of time and methodology as a result of I felt it was life like – social media is an enormous a part of my job as a Content material Author at Buffer, so I can’t take too a lot time without work. I additionally deleted the apps I exploit essentially the most from my cellphone for the week.
Now that we’re on the identical web page, right here is all the information and highlights from my time without work (henceforth known as Break Week) and the week after.
The Parameters
- Deleted Instagram, Twitter, TikTok, Whatsapp, LinkedIn, and Tumblr (sure, I nonetheless use Tumblr)
- For 7 days, from Sunday to Saturday
- Collected the onerous information from iPhone’s ScreenTime monitoring characteristic
- Took notes in my Notes app
The Stats: Earlier than and After
Whole Display Time: I truly spent extra time on my cellphone throughout Break Week total, however on apps like Chrome to learn content material and YouTube to look at movies. My time on Chrome dropped by almost half the week after my Break.
Most Used Classes: Throughout Break Week, the time I spent on Social Media total, even contemplating the instances I needed to redownload apps to get screenshots for articles, was WAY down. Regardless of the seeming drop in display screen time, I reverted to my outdated habits as soon as the Break was over, spending a complete of 24 hours, 13 minutes (!) on Social Media apps the week after.
Pickups: I picked up my cellphone much more throughout Break Week than the week after. That is positively due to my intuition to go for social media apps once I open my cellphone. I turned to my browser once I wasn’t met with my ordinary distractions. The distinction between the 2 weeks is the apps I opened after selecting up – Chrome was essentially the most used throughout Break Week, whereas Twitter was my most used the week after. A humorous word is the period of time I spent on my ordinary procuring app, Farfetch, throughout Break Week – window procuring to self-soothe could be very on-brand for me.
What did I study from the expertise?
Social media is a distraction and a way of procrastination for me
I usually discovered myself reaching for my cellphone once I wanted one thing else to occupy my time. With out the apps on my cellphone, I discovered different methods to occupy my mind for these moments. My display screen time didn’t actually change, however I spent extra time studying, watching movies, and listening to music than ordinary. To cite my Friday log, “I’ve consumed a lot random YouTube content material this week that I simply know my suggestions are endlessly altered.”
The FOMO hit me onerous – however it wasn’t as dangerous as I anticipated
Social media has grow to be the primary place many people go after we see a breaking information headline, and finally the first supply of knowledge for many individuals – myself included. So, with out the apps on my cellphone, I usually felt like I used to be lacking one thing regardless that I used to be getting my New York Occasions newsletters and common updates from Google Information.
My notes mirrored this as I acknowledged a number of instances that I didn’t really feel tuned in to what was occurring outdoors of my bubble. Despite the fact that it wasn’t fairly information (relying on who you ask), my Tuesday log has a hilarious development:
- 6:43 pm: Usually, FOMO isn’t as dangerous at this time – I’ve had numerous issues to take my thoughts off social media
- 7:06 pm: The FOMO is again! A Nigerian artist known as Burna Boy dropped a brand new video LIVE – and I’m lacking the reside tweet expertise
I discovered myself eager to share issues that didn’t actually should be shared
I’ve grow to be used to sharing on a whim, so not with the ability to take an image or movie a video and add it wherever, or sort out a fast tweet or LinkedIn publish, felt odd.
🖊️
One word from my Wednesday log stated, “I acquired my dad and mom a few nights at a seaside resort for his or her anniversary, however I can’t publish the pics of how cute they have been taking all their footage. Unhappy.” A bit dramatic, if you happen to ask me.
Nonetheless, I did discover that when the cycle of eager to share after which realizing I had deleted social media handed, I didn’t really feel the urge as a lot. Even now, almost a month later, I don’t replace my social media as a lot as I used to. I could return to outdated habits ultimately, however I’ve positively gotten higher at managing the intuition to publish as soon as I get inspiration.
Finally, though I needed to redownload some apps for work functions, the week and the time I took off have been fairly low-stakes. Nothing tremendous attention-grabbing occurred, not less than not sufficient to warrant profound remorse about my choice to take that specific week off.
All that is to say that taking a break, even when it is sporadic and as soon as in six months, will trigger you much less discomfort than you suppose. It could even drive you to be a bit extra artistic with the way you select to spend your time on-line. And it’ll positively drive you to rethink your relationship with social media and set more healthy boundaries.
When you’re contemplating taking a break from social media, let’s talk about find out how to do it. Listed below are some suggestions:
Set a restrict
One strategy to break the social media behavior is to restrict the period of time you spend on it every day. Use a timer or app to trace your utilization, and follow your restrict. This can make it easier to be extra aware of your time on social media and hopefully scale back the period of time you spend on it total.
Apple units include automated display screen time monitoring, and you’ll attempt apps like House or Forest to assist handle your utilization.
Delete the apps
If setting a restrict doesn’t give you the results you want, attempt deleting the social media apps out of your cellphone. It is a extra excessive measure, however it could successfully break the behavior. You possibly can all the time redownload the apps if you happen to really feel such as you completely must – I usually wanted to get into one app or the opposite to seize screenshots or hyperlinks. However you’ll be shocked how a lot there’s to do with out boredom-induced Instagram deep-dives into your college professor’s niece’s account.
Take a break from particular platforms
Another choice is to take a break from the social media platforms you employ most. If you end up spending hours on TikTok, for instance, attempt taking a break from that app particularly. Give you a reward system for each time you are feeling the urge to open the app and might resist to make it enjoyable.
Discover different issues to occupy your time
When you end up with the urge to scroll by social media, attempt to discover one thing else to do as a substitute. Go for a stroll, learn a e book, or name a buddy. You are able to do loads of issues that don’t contain a display screen. In truth, chances are you’ll end up selecting up a brand new pastime – I found extra podcasts throughout my time without work.
Be life like in your method to taking time without work
It’s necessary to be life like when eager about disconnecting from social media, particularly if you happen to at present spend numerous time on it. Not everybody needs or wants to steer clear of social media for prolonged durations of time – like the whole lot in life, it’s important to set boundaries.
However whether or not you select to go chilly turkey or take little chunks of time without work, like at some point per week or one week each month, you’ll seemingly see elevated advantages on your psychological and emotional well being.
Have you ever ever tracked how a lot time you spend on social media? Tell us your stats over on Twitter @buffer! It is a judgment-free zone, promise.
