It’s no secret that we’re all glued to our screens. Scrolling through reels, posting on BeReal, sending a snap etc— it’s practically a reflex at this point.
Social media is so ingrained in our daily lives that most of us begin and end our day with it , and not having instagram or snapchat or any other popular social media apps would be considered weird. But here’s the thing—the addiction is real. Our moms are right, our phone is the problem.
I’ve been on social media, and I’ve been off. And let me tell you, being off of it feels a thousand times better.
The moment we get back from classes or drag ourselves back to our hostels, or do any other work which feels rewarding, all we want to do is relax. And what’s our idea of relaxing? Endlessly watching reels. One reel turns into five, then ten, then suddenly, it’s 4 AM, and you have no idea where the time went.
We tell ourselves we’re just “relaxing” but are we really? Doom Scrolling isn’t relaxing, it’s just another way to stay overstimulated.
Think you don’t need a break from social media, think again and look for these signs while you are at it:
- You open Instagram anywhere, anytime out of habit
- You check your phone as soon as you open your eyes
- You feel the FOMO from seeing other people’s posts
- You get anxious when you don’t have WiFi (we’ve all been there)
- You go on your phone for “five minutes” and suddenly it’s an hour later
- You feel time is flying by very fast
I know the idea of deleting your socials, even temporarily, sounds scary, but hear me out. Taking a social media detox even for a week can seriously change your mindset. Here’s what I noticed when I took a break:
- I had way more time: All of a sudden I felt time was going slow and there were extra hours in the day, forcing me to eventually become more productive
- I stopped comparing myself to everyone online: I was more focused on myself and I slowly stopped feeling the FOMO.
- I felt more focused: I definitely saw an increase in my attention span and focus as I was able to concentrate in classes much more.
- I got better sleep: This one was the best change honestly. Getting off social media helped me have peaceful nights.
If going cold turkey doesn’t suit you, don’t worry. You can still reduce your screen time by following these tips:
- Turning off notifications: Out of sight, out of mind.
- Setting app limits: iOs has a feature for this (and trust me, it helps).
- Being mindful: Ask yourself if you really need to check your insta or are you just bored?
Social media is stimulating but taking a step back every once in a while is even better. A detox helps you break the cycle, clear your mind, and actually enjoy the world around you. So, if you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or stressed, maybe it’s time to go off and give yourself a break. Your brain will thank you.