Contemplating a much-needed social media break? Here are 6 things you learn when you take a break from social media to detox your life!
I never would’ve imagined taking an offline social media break. EVER.
But then I read this: According to a 2021 survey, 86% of Americans reported a negative impact of social media apps on their moods and self-image.
And it got me thinking… Am I part of the 86%? I felt like I had to compare myself to other influencers on Instagram and TikTok. I was always doing the mindless scroll thing when I should be sleeping. I was focused on liking and commenting more than getting some important tasks done.
Yet, most importantly, I felt like social media makes my life stressful for reasons I can’t point out.
So I went on my 6-month offline social media break, worrying about worrying so much. And in this blog, I’m talking about everything I learned after I decided to step away from social media. But before I do…
How long should social media break be?
There are no set times to get off social media. Some people scale their social media use to a few minutes per day, while others unplug entirely for weeks or months! However, spending one week without social media can significantly improve anxiety and depressive behaviors.
Another report in 2018 revealed that cutting back sometime on social media to 30 minutes can decrease loneliness and FOMO while improving focus and mood.
Signs you need a social media break
More often than not, I’ve learned that there are many clear signs you need a social media break. Here are some signs you need to take an offline social media break:
- Mindless scrolling throughout the day, especially in the morning
- Spending too much time using social media
- Difficulty in focusing on productive tasks
- Feeling anxious and depressed
- Trouble sleeping at night
- Comparing yourself to others
- Facing cyberbullying and body-shaming
- Extreme mood swings because of social media posts
- Deciding your self-worth based on likes and comments, or
- Wondering if you need to step away after seeing a social media break post.
6 Things I Learned From My Offline Social Media Break
Now that you know all the telltale signs of taking a break from social media, let’s talk about something I’ve learned from my social media break!
Digital detox helped me be present
The nature of social media is that it doesn’t help you realize you’re spending too much time on mindless scrolling. For me, social media is an incredible tool for my business, but it was also taking me away from my family, friends, and me.
I couldn’t find time to spend with my loved ones or catch up on important chores around the house, all because I was scrolling social media. Digital detox helped me realize that social media will always be there, but I had to pull myself into being mindful and present in my life.
Financial strategies weren’t just for my clients
As an accountant, I’m embarrassed to say that my books weren’t up-to-date! My business was booming, and I was so caught up with work that I’d often end up checking social media consistently as a form of relaxation.
Let’s be honest, we’ve all been there.
And in this hassle, I forgot to implement the same financial strategies I was recommending to all my clients! After all, it wasn’t just for them. It was for me too. So when I finally stepped back on a digital detox, I got time to regain control over my financial situation.
Spoiler: these strategies ended up helping me invest, grow and spread my business within months!
I didn’t need to do everything myself
The first few days I kept wanting to check my Instagram and considered taking a few minutes to check on my Instagram engagement. My biggest worry was how much my business would be impacted because I’m simply not on there.
But with some time, I got focused on working with my clients and taking care of myself as well. And as my business grew, I found this one-woman army show wasn’t going to cut it anymore. So to tackle my growth and keep up with everything happening, I hired a team for SFco and some house help for helping me around personally.
I could set my boundaries and work-life balance
I knew I wasn’t able to balance my personal and professional life, because my business was on an app on my phone. And pulling out my phone in my bed, on a date, or even while doing groceries wasn’t hard.
During my offline social media break, I transferred business details into a second phone. I chose not to work on weekends and long hours anymore. I learned taking my time for personal events was okay and not unprofessional. And that freedom is one of the biggest lessons I learned from taking a social media hiatus!
Prioritized working is productive working
Repeat after me: prioritized working is productive working. You don’t need to juggle 10 balls like an acrobat because one day or another, you’re going to let an important task slip through the cracks.
With my social media break freeing up so much time for myself, I figured out ways to prioritize my work responsibilities from high priority to low. Not only was I not distracted by scrolling, likes, and comments, but I could prioritize important tasks without breaking my focus.
And for my business, it ended up being the BIGGEST turning point.
Every moment was a learning opportunity
The last 6 months away from scrolling Instagram helped me realize my learning potential. And I’m proud to say that the last 6 months were full of growth and learning.
Every problem I faced in my life became an opportunity to improve my problem-solving skills and take it up as a challenge.
From reading books and booking a tech startup to getting my hands dirty with home investing opportunities, any form of social media hiatus can give you a bolster to learn and grow!
Ready to take a social media break?
Our relationship with social media is fuzzy. We love social media, but it’s also an addicting activity where you’ll end up mindlessly scrolling!
As a virtual CFO with her services based on Instagram and TikTok, I decided to take the leap and quit social media for a while! And it might just have been one of the best things I’ve done for myself in a while.
So are you ready to jump on the offline social media break wagon?
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Stanton Financial Co. is a premium bookkeeping and CFO service that brings big business strategies to small businesses, solopreneurs, influencers, and content creators.
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