I feel like this is going to make me sound really old, but here goes! The other day I was driving and I passed a bus stop with about 8 kids standing at it. Now, I remember not being very talkative when I was waiting for the bus in middle school, but every single one of those kids had their chins down looking at their phones. I shook my head a kept going. Then, I was in a waiting room not long after that and noticed all of the waiting patients had their phones out. Could they have been reading a book? Maybe...but I have a feeling that they were all mindlessly scrolling through Instagram.
It's really been bothering me that we have become so attached to our phones! They are such great tools for so many things-but I have found that I spend a lot of mindless time on my phone throughout the day. And because I love a challenge, doing a social media free weekend sparked my interest!
My first social media free weekend was in September, and now my goal is to do a weekend each month. I found that the first time I went social media free it was pretty challenging, because I felt like I was going to miss out on something. But, it got much easier the next time. I've got a few tips for you, if you'd like to give it a shot!
My Tips:
Do some research.
It may be helpful for you to know exactly what you are spending your time on when you are using your phone. My phone has a 'digital wellbeing' feature that lets me know exactly how much time I am spending within apps. (There is an app called Moment that will do the same thing) Knowing this information is not only eye opening, but very inspirational!
Pick a good weekend.
You want to set yourself up for success. Don't pick a weekend to try your digital detox for the first time when you know you will regret it. For example, if you are going to be going to a wedding - a place where you know you are going to have the perfect photo to post, you may want to pick a different weekend. If you are going to be cleaning out your garage and will need to post a bunch of things on Facebook marketplace, you might want to pick a different weekend.
Delete the Apps!
This is my number one tip. You have got to delete the apps off your phone the night before. The very first time I did a social media free weekend I could not believe how many times my fingers mindlessly went to click on the icons and they weren't there. I would have certainly failed had the app been there to click on. After the weekend was over, I actually didn't redownload a couple of social media apps I had previously used.
Be prepared to entertain yourself.
Standing in a line or waiting in a doctor's office are usually times when I would pull out my phone, so if you aren't using social media you might have a moment of boredom. Embrace it! Look around, enjoy the quiet. While it's jarring at first, there are so many benefits to just being present. It's okay to be bored. Honestly though, boredom has been rare for me. I've always found someone to talk to or a book to read if I absolutely needed entertainment. (You may have noticed a lot more book reviews here because of that!)
Fill your time with something else!
If you are going to give up something, you want to make sure you feel like it's worth it. Replace the time you would be spending on social media with something else. The possibilities are basically endless here. I have found more time to read, and study. If I need something to do, I can text that friend I've been meaning to say hey to. And those are things you can still do on your phone! If you put the phone away all together, there are even more options to add to your productivity!
The Benefits I've Noticed:
The main positive benefit I've experienced with these social media detoxes is the fact that I feel less dependent on something. I hate that I've been come so attached to my phone, so these weekends make me feel like I'm in control of who I am-which feels downright good. (And that's how it should be anyway!)
Another thing I really like is that when I log back in on Monday, there is actually stuff to see! When you scroll through Instagram throughout the day, you rarely see more than one new post. Instagram is exciting again when you have lots to catch up on!
Leave a comment below if you feel like you need to detox from social media! How many social media apps do you use? Do you think you can log out for a few days? Are you the kind of person who needs something to do while you wait? Let me know if you've done a social media free weekend before!
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