Social Media Detox 101

As great as social media is, with all the chaos and negativity that can surround it, sometimes a little detox is needed. According to Medical News Today, detoxing from social media can improve your mental health, relationships, physical health, and increase productivity.

Social Media Detox vs Social Media Break

It is important to know that a social media detox is different from a social media break. Like most detoxes, it lasts more than a few days. As opposed to staying away from social media (or select social media apps) for a brief amount of time, as a break would entail, a detox can last up to 30 days or more and involves removing all social media apps from your phone and even temporarily disabling your accounts.

How to Detox

1) Determine If A Detox Is Right For You

Are you looking for a small break from social media or a complete disconnect? If your job requires you to use social media, do you have an account just for your business or professional persona? Are you able to use these accounts without the temptation of visiting your own? Do you think a detox will benefit your mental health or make it worse? Are important people in your life able to reach you outside of social media if needed? Questions such as these are vastly important to consider before committing to a detox.

2) Plan The Length Of Your Detox

Although most people detox for around 30 days, do what is best for you. Whether that's a few days or a full year, it is important to prioritize yourself and your needs. Setting a goal will help guide your focus, measure your progress, and stay motivated.

3) Tell People You Are Planning To Detox

If there are people you interact with primarily on social media, you might want to tell them why you are about to disappear and give them another method of contacting you. Telling people can also help to keep you accountable if they see you online before your detox is over.

4) Delete The Apps

This is an essential part of the detoxing process. Deleting any and all social media apps will prevent temptation. To take this process further, you can deactivate your accounts. This temporarily removes your profile and prevents people from looking at your account or contacting you while it is deactivated.

5) Block Social Media Websites

If you think that having access to social media platforms via the web version would be tempting, block their websites. There are social media blocking apps that you can download to help you do that if needed.

6) Decrease Technology Use Overall

Try to limit the amount of time you spend on devices in total. Try using a real alarm clock instead of your phone, download apps to decrease your screen time, remove all notifications that could be a derivation of social media, and keep technology out of reach when it’s not needed - as they say: out of sight out of mind.

7) Form New Habits To Keep You Occupied

It is important to find new activities that will keep you occupied during the time you would have spent scrolling through social media. These can include creating new morning and nighttime routines, spending more quality time with friends and family, reading, journaling, or even finding a new hobby. If possible, select activities that do not revolve around technology to prevent temptation.

If a social media detox seems like something you are interested in and doable - give it a try! As women, it is important that we take care of our mental health and prioritize our well-being, and maybe a detox can help you do just that.