Social media isn’t exclusively bad for you, but it can be a problematic distraction and a bad influence. If you want to separate from some of the most toxic influences associated with social media, or if you just want to be more present in your daily life, you might consider leaving it for good.
This is, of course, challenging. If you spend a lot of time on social media, you probably derive a lot of pleasure from it. It might be your main source of social interaction, your main source of information about the world, and your primary way to kill time when you have nothing else to do.
Still, even if you’re able to quit social media temporarily, it should give you a new perspective about your life – and potentially give you an opportunity to change some of your most problematic habits permanently, even if you eventually return to social media.
How can you maximize your likelihood of success?
How to Get Off Social Media
These tips can help you get off social media more consistently:
1. Establish a goal and a framework. First, establish a goal and a framework that you can work within. For example, you might have the goal of no longer using any social media app for the rest of your life, or you may have the goal of simply not using one particular app for a month. You may want to quit cold turkey, or you may want to wean yourself off of these apps gradually. What’s important is that you find a goal and a strategy that fits your life; think about your motivation for pursuing this, and develop your goal and framework from there.
2. Set time limits for yourself. One of the most effective measures you can implement early on is a time limit for social media usage (if you don’t plan on quitting cold turkey). Time limits on your mobile device will warn you when you’ve used a particular app for longer than you’ve allotted. It’s a great way to break the ongoing chain of infinite scrolling and increase mindfulness for your social media use.
3. Give yourself something fun to do outside. One of the best ways to detox from social media is to spend more time outside, so give yourself something fun to do outside. For example, you could create an outdoor bar in your own backyard. It’s a place where you can watch sports, breathe fresh air, and potentially even gather with friends and neighbors. You could also choose to take up a new hobby that forces you to be outside, like hiking or gardening.
4. Disable or uninstall your biggest “problem” apps. Which apps seem to be the most problematic for you? If you’ve imposed time limits on yourself, you should be able to figure this out quite easily. Consider disabling or totally uninstalling your biggest problematic apps.
5. Let people know what you’re doing. Consider reaching out to others and letting them know what you’re up to. Otherwise, your closest contacts may become concerned when they see you’re no longer posting. This is also a great way to build camaraderie; some of your friends may join you in this endeavor, strengthening your resolve on a mutual basis.
6. Meet up with friends and family in person (or via phone call). You won’t have social media, but it’s still important to socialize, so make plans to meet up with friends and family members in person. If they don’t live near you, call them. You might find that these interactions are much more fulfilling and rewarding than your interactions on social media. The higher the quality of your offline friendships and relationships, the less you’ll need social media.
7. Keep a log of your thoughts and feelings. From the beginning of your journey, keep a log of all your thoughts and feelings. It’s a great way to externally monitor how your mindset changes after giving up social media and figure out exactly how social media influences you. Journaling is also good for your mental health overall, so it’s a great practice to start if you’re not already doing it. You might be surprised at how much progress you can make after just a few days of detaching from addictive apps.
8. Monitor your impulses. Pay close attention to your impulses. When you have a moment of boredom, do you still instinctively reach for your phone and tap the location where a social media app used to be? When something interesting happens, do you immediately try to take a video or think of how you would describe it to others? These aren’t necessarily healthy.
9. Get through the first week. While behavioral addictions are, in many ways, different than physical addictions, people recovering from behavioral addictions can still go through symptoms similar to withdrawal. When you first give up social media, it may be very challenging. You may feel restless, anxious, or even depressed. This is normal for heavy social media users, but only on a temporary basis. Make it a point to get through the first week because after that, these symptoms should fade and you should have a much easier time resisting the temptation of being on social media.
10. Establish long-term habits that allow you to be social. Finally, establish habits that let you be social in the real world. Make new friends. Take on new hobbies. Learn to be bored.
Creating a New Lifestyle
At the end of this journey, you should have a new perspective on social media and a new relationship to it. It’s up to you how you want to shape your lifestyle from here on out. Do you want to return to social media on a limited basis? Do you want to keep it out of your life for good? There is no single correct choice here; what’s important is that you find the right move for your overall mental health and well-being.
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