In an age where many of us are active consumers of social media, it’s easy to get wrapped up in it. Social media has its benefits of keeping us connected, up-to-date and entertained. On the other hand, social media can bring up an array of emotions, including stress, anxiety and feelings that come with comparing yourself to what you see on your feed. Seeing other people’s shiny content of their best moments on your phone every day can make you have unrealistic expectations of your life.
Some people have highlighted the importance of taking a social media detox—temporarily deactivating your social accounts or deleting these apps for a certain period of time. As someone who’s taken week-long to month-long social media detoxes, I’d like to share some of the pros and cons.
PROS
- You live in the moment
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When you don’t have the opportunity to immerse yourself in your phone and scroll through a feed, you start to feel more present and mindful of the world around you. It’s almost like you’ve completely left behind this realm of selfies and memes.
- The social comparisons fade
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Your self-esteem may increase during a social media detox. You can start to enjoy the things that you do have instead of trying to see how you “measure up” to others. Never forget that comparison can rob you of personality and joy.
- You have a lot more time
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Your screen time will go way down. Without the distracting apps, you can switch out the scrolling for other activities. When I stopped being on my phone all the time, I found myself reconnecting with the things that I used to love doing.
- Life feels less like a performance
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Life feels less like a performance when you don’t feel the need to document it. Keeping visual memories is great to have a photo to look back. Now, without the social media aspect of trying to get “post-worthy” photos, you’ll start to enjoy tasks without feeling the need to perform for the camera or have it fit into your “aesthetic.”
Cons
- Social Media WITHDRAWALs
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The first time is hard. We actively look at our phones multiple times a day, either to check our notifications, watch a funny video or just to scroll in order to avoid talking to people. At first, it can be really hard to not have that comfort anymore.
- You’ll be out of the loop
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Being less active on social media can also mean you’re not up-to-date on things that are going on. Some trends and information may be a complete mystery to you.
- It can be hard to connect with people
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Social media is great for staying connected to people all over the world and right in your neighborhood. Limiting that social media usage can affect how you maintain your relationships with other people. Some people may have only kept up with you or connected with you through social media. A detox may teach you some things about the relationships you do have. If you want to connect, you’re going to have to reach out through other means than a “swipe-up” on an Instagram story.
Should you quit social media? It’s up to you. A social media detox is not a one-way ticket to enlightenment, but it may help you learn something about yourself or just make you feel better. Try it for a day, a week or maybe a month. When your break is over, you want to come back with a fresh take on how you want to re-incorporate social media in your life. Or it’s possible that after the detox, you may want to keep that social media cleanse ongoing.