Unplugging: Social Media Detox Why and How to Do It
We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.
Unplugging and Social Media Detox are being talked about more as our culture is waking up and becoming more aware of what this addiction is doing to our lives. Unplugging is actually pretty simple to do, once you’ve decided to actually do it. That’s the key part, to decide to do it and then actually follow through on your decision.
However, before you decide to jump on board with this unplugging social media detox, you have to know WHY you’re doing it.
Start with Why
- Why are you feeling you need to step away from social media?
- What emotions are you experiencing as you scroll through your feed?
- What do you experience during the day when you are not scrolling?
Identify what it is doing to you and why you want that to change.
Did you know that more and more studies are confirming there are direct links between social media use and depression, anxiety, loneliness, and several mental health conditions?
Trouble with depression and anxiety? Here are 16 ways to battle those!
This topic isn’t anything to take lightly. So let’s dig in.
Do you identify with any of the following?
The Constant Scroll
Most of us don’t realize how truly addicted we are to the constant scroll of our social platforms.
Scrolling is the:
- First thing we do in the morning
- Last thing we do before we go to bed
- What we do at work and at home
- While we are eating dinner with our family
- When we are (supposed to be) spending quality time with those we love the most
We are more concerned with those faces on our phone than those faces right in front of us.
Who’s doing what, where, when, why, how?
WHO REALLY CARES?!?
Getting Nothing Accomplished
Your grades are suffering at school, you are falling behind at work, your business or side hustle is not growing like you wish it would or could. You look around and wonder how others just seem to “have it all together”.
When your focus is being constantly interrupted by notifications and alerts then, of course, you will not be able to move forward.
A story from Forbes.com starts with:
“In early July 1991, Bill Gates Sr. invited some guests over for dinner. The diners that evening included his son Bill Gates Jr., the founder of Microsoft, and Warren Buffett. These were two of the most successful men in the world, who, for many years, had taken it in turns to top The Forbes World’s Billionaires list. The host asked his dinner guests,
What factor do you feel has been the most important in getting to where you’ve gotten in life?”
Buffett immediately replied, “Focus.”
Bill Gates Jr. agreed.
Forbes.com
If the wealthiest and accomplished people who have ever lived are saying FOCUS is their #1 factor of how they are where they are today… how important do you think it is for you??
We must fight to keep our focus and do absolutely anything we can to remove any distractions.
Devices and social media are major distractions.
If you feel like you could be getting more done in a day then check out Best Time Management Tips for the Disorganized.
The Comparison Trap
The perfect pictures, the perfect feed, the perfect life.
All a lie.
If you can please remember this for the rest of your life, it will help immensely:
Stop comparing your “behind the scenes”
with someone else’s “highlight reel”
I’m sorry but can we be real for a sec?
NO ONE’S:
- HOUSE is that clean and organized… all of the time.
- RELATIONSHIP is that joyful and fulfilling… all of the time.
- KIDS are that well behaved… all of the time.
STOP IT. It’s just not reality.
The people that you are comparing yourself to also live this crazy thing we call… LIFE. They too go through the garbage and junk that you go through.
Their house has some clutter, somewhere, or at least has a junk drawer. I mean we ALL have a junk drawer, right? (Some of us it’s a junk closet, or junk room, or junk car, but that’s another topic for another day.)
Their significant other drive them crazy at times. They do something dumb at some point in the relationship. It’s just inevitable.
No one’s perfect, we are all human. That’s why I am adamant that no relationship is perfect, because we are human beings that are all dealing with other human beings. What is more complicated than that?
Their kids are definitely not that well behaved. I don’t care how perfectly those kiddos are dressed, sitting at the dinner table, with their hands folded waiting patiently for the mother to sit down for dinner.
Before that picture was taken, the mother threatened their life if they didn’t sit still and smile for 5 seconds.
Trust me, I’m a mom of 4.
Your social media friends just choose not to show you that part. And that’s okay, that’s their choice.
You Are in Charge of You
Why in the world are you letting their decisions and their choices affect you and your mental well being?
They too live in a free country. They have the ability and right to do, say, and post whatever the heck they want. Whether it’s specifically to upset you or not (which it’s usually not, by the way), they have the freedom to choose.
I learned a long time ago that we as humans are only in control of 2 things:
- Our Actions
- Our Attitude
That’s it. You cannot control what other people do or how other people act.
The sooner you accept this truth, the sooner true peace will set in.
The way you feel is 100% up to YOU. You choose to feel certain ways. No one can make you feel. You accept feelings or you reject them.
It is all. on. you.
“So and so made me so mad.” ~ Nope, you decided and accepted to be mad.
“So and so made me so sad.” ~ Nope, you decided and accepted to be sad.
I’m not saying that other person didn’t do anything to cause upset, I’m saying from the moment it happened, it is then 100% up to you on how you respond.
So when scrolling and you see something that could cause upset, it is then up to you at that moment on how you will respond. Will you really allow it to disturb your peace or will you say “that’s nice” and just move on.
If you are unable to take the high road then it’s definitely time for an Unplugging Social Media Detox.
Comparison is the thief of Joy
The Breaking Point
Once you come to the place that you realize you are putting the people in our devices before anyone or anything else in your life. That your devices are another member of your family and that it has taken the top spot most of the time.
You realize the most important relationships in your life are suffering. You know things are changing in regards to your significant other, kids, and family.
Once you come to the breaking point of constant comparison, anxiety, depression, or overall loss of joy, it’s time for a social media detox.
Okay, Now Tell Me How?
TAKE THE SOCIAL MEDIA DETOX CHALLENGE!!
There are 2 things I have done that have brought a lot of peace to my life.
1. The Simple “Unfollow”:
First, do a Stat Check!
If you are following more people than you have followers that indicates unbalance.
You are allowing too many voices in your head to guide you and impact you.
I personally follow very, very few people.
Who to Follow and Who to Let Go?
Check the fruit on the tree.
I ask myself “does this person have the life, relationships, marriage, kids, finances that I want?”
If the answer is no, then there is no way on God’s green earth you could pay me enough to follow them.
I don’t need their mindset or attitude to seep into mine. I definitely don’t need their drama in my life clouding up my mind.
However, if the answer is yes, yes I would love a marriage, relationships, kids, lifestyle, peace, love, and joy, like that… then yes!
Association is everything.
*Please refer back to the highlight reel section. I know not everything I see on social media is real life. But I am very clear and honest with myself when it comes to striving for perfection and trying to be like someone else. What I note is the level of peace and joy people have. That’s what I want in my life. That’s why I follow that particular person.
You are who you hang out with, Social Media is no different.
If you don’t want the condition of their life, then they don’t get your follow.
I am not judging people. I am asking myself whether, based on their posts, if this person will add peace to my life or if they will take it away.
It has nothing to do with that person as a person. It has everything to do with striving for my personal peace.
My rule of thumb: when scrolling and coming across a certain person or group of people makes you feel emotionally negative, hit that unfollow button, IMMEDIATELY.
You have no time and no room in your life to feel jealousy, anxiety, rage, or sadness. There is just NO TIME for that. You’ve got too much to do and accomplish in this very short time here on this earth.
Focus.
So now knowing you are in charge of reducing and eliminating these negative feelings altogether, then why haven’t you done it?
Oh, that’s right, you might hurt someone’s feelings by unfollowing them.
Oh wait, aren’t your feelings already hurting by following them?!?
Friend, it’s time to get out of the crazy cycle.
Unfollowing will include people you don’t know, which is easy… but it also includes people you do know. Maybe this is someone you work with or hang out with or maybe even a family member.
Does unfollowing them on social media mean you have to stop talking to them in real life? NO! Still, go to work and be friendly, attend family functions and enjoy your time together, yes! You just don’t need to see and hear from all day, every day.
Just because they are a friend or family member doesn’t mean you absolutely MUST follow their life.
That is ridiculous.
Hit that unfollow button and never look back. Don’t feel bad about it for one second.
You are finally putting your personal peace, joy, and happiness before making others happy… finally!
It feels good. Be proud of yourself.
This is where your personal freedom begins.
2. The Complete “Detox”
This is for those who not only know they need to detox unhealthy people from their feed to clear their minds and hearts, but they also know their addiction to their phone is affecting their relationships.
Prepare
What to do ahead of time to prepare for your Unplugging Social Media Detox:
- Decide how long the detox will be
- Some people do 7 days, 30 days, or a full year
- Let people know
- Tell everyone you’ll be going off the grid
- This helps hold you accountable
- Purchase or rent some books you’ve had your eye on
- If you are not much of a reader, then ask friends for recommendations or search Amazon for their most popular titles.
- Ask or send a DM to the people you follow, who inspire you the most, for their personal book recommendations
- Research some educational or fun podcasts
- This will help further your mindset and education in a certain field you’re interested in
- Schedule times and events with your friends and family
- There’s nothing like face to face time with those you love
- Exercise and self-care
- Choose to go for walks, sign up for a workout class, or just simply soak in the tub
- Pursue something you’re passionate about
- How many times have you felt emotional about a specific topic you saw on your social media feed? A topic where most people feel the need to talk about it or fight about it online, but offline don’t actually do anything about it.
- What a perfect time to go do something about something you care about.
- Start researching how to get involved.
Execute
When the urge strikes to grab your phone:
- Grab your book
- Keep it with you at all times
- Press play on a podcast
- Phone a friend
- Do something to move forward in your passion
- Go for a walk or head to the gym
- Light a candle and go for a soak in the tub
Final Thoughts for the Parents
Mama, daddy… you are reading this because you know you are struggling with the addiction of social media. It is real and it is no joke.
If you know you need to reduce or detox from social media, imagine what your kids are dealing with.
For me and my family, my kids are NOT on social media. At all.
Yup, my oldest is 15 years old. Nope, he is not on social media.
Yes, each of my children has Instagram accounts. No, none of them know the passwords or have access to their accounts.
Why do they have accounts then? For the past several years, I have been tagging them in my posts.
Why? For when they finally get the password to their accounts, they will have years of events and memories already set up for them.
I know how negative and devastating the power of social media can be on a fully grown adult’s self-image, peace, and joy… I chose not to give that power to someone who is not ready to handle it.
Please, please read this from Psychology Today on the effects of kids and social media.
Soooo Tell Me…
Are you ready for an Unplugging Social Media Detox? I hope this helps you as take on your detox.
Please comment below if you are planning on taking this challenge. Let me know how it is going and what you are finding.
Have you already done an Unplugging Social Media Detox in the past? I would love to hear how it went and what you found during and after the process.
xoxo
Mo
Loved this info? Sharing is Caring! Please share this post with your friends. xoxo
