Digital Detox | How and why I take a step back from social media

 

I have had internet and technology surrounding me from day one. My parents have always told me of how I first used a computer at the age of two and I have flashbacks of hitting up nickeloden.com to play my favourite games. Facebook and YouTube were a thing long before I was deemed old enough to use them and nowadays I am a regular on the likes of Twitter and Instagram. However it’s all still relevantly new and ever changing.

Social media gets a bad rep, and although I agree it can have a negative impact on people it can also have a positive one when used correctly, but it’s important to have balance. Something I think I have succeeded in with my years of internet use.

As you probably have gathered, I enjoy the time being online but when it gets overwhelming or if I think I’m coming away from it feeling deflated rather than motivated I know it’s time to change something about it or to just step back from it completely.

Here’s a few steps on how I achieve just that.

Negative people, sites, news. 

If you feel your social media use is getting you down it’s because you’re letting it. I’m going to let you in on a little secret here, you control everything you see, read, watch and hear. Every so often I’ll have a social media clear out and unfollow or unsubscribe to any channel who’s content no longer relates to me, having a negative impact on me or have outgrown. If there’s something online you see that you don’t agree with or you come across someone leaving comments to unsettle you, unfollow, block and report. Those options are there for a reason and it’s your right to invest your time into what you want.

Stop caring about numbers and likes

If you spend a lot of time online it’s easy to get consumed by the world of numbers and likes. Forget that! Your online profile is not a representation of who you are as a person.

Leave the phone behind/put on airplane mode

If you’re heading out for a walk or meeting up with family/friends ask yourself if you really need your phone before heading out the door. If you end up going on a short walk then maybe you could leave your phone behind of if you want music with the walk or plan on leaving your home for a period of time take a second to click into airplane mode so you won’t get inundated with notifications that will distract you.

Do something that’s not internet related 

Read, bake, talk a walk or paint a picture. Setting time aside to participate in something that’s not connected to your wi-fi is good for your mind and soul!

Take an hour off social media before bed

It’s a proven fact that staring into your phone and checking in on the world in the hours before bed keeps you wide awake and wrecks your sleeping pattern. So do yourself a favour and disconnect for at least an hour before you decide to catch some z’s. This is where I usually rely on airplane mode and choose to settle down with a good book.

Don’t check your phone first thing in the morning. 

Unless you’re waiting on an important message or call there is no need to unlock your phone the minute you wake. Start your day a fresh, because chances are you won’t miss much and it will all still be there in a few hours anyway. This can be a hard habit to break but you’ll be happier for it. Trust me!

That’s just my two cents worth. What helps you to disconnect from the online world and reconnect with the real one? I’d love to know so let me know in the comments below!