Is Social Media Taking Over Your Life? Maybe You Need a Break

Youtuber and Influencer, Toni Sia, announced on her Instagram stories on Sunday night that she was going to be taking a social media break for an indefinite time to get away from the online negativity that’s taking a toll on her mental health. Before signing off, she leaves a gentle reminder for her fans to take a break if they need it, too.

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If you’ve been feeling drained or unproductive from mindlessly scrolling on your phone, maybe it’s a sign you also need to go on a social media detox, and here’s how you can do it.

Turn off Notifications

If you need to stay connected to the online world but easily get distracted when a notification pops up, consider turning it off. That way you aren’t compelled to open the app as often. Don’t feel obligated to reply to messages or comments as soon as you get them unless it’s urgent.

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Photo by Claudio Schwarz on Unsplash

Delete the App

This is may not be the best option for everyone — especially if you’re job involves handling social media accounts — but you can work around this by accessing the sites from your computer instead. Not having these apps on your phone allows you to be more present and frees up time for you to do worthwhile things, like a hobby you’ve been meaning to take up.

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Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva on Pexels.com

Set Limits

Most phones nowadays have a “Digital Wellbeing” feature that monitors your total screen time and lets you put time constraints for apps like Facebook and Instagram. Cutting back even just 30 minutes from your usual consumption has been said to reduce anxiety and fear of missing out (FOMO). It also helps to keep your phone out of sight, so you aren’t constantly reaching for it.

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Photo from Macworld

Social media isn’t inherently a bad thing — it’s the way we consume content and interact online that can be harmful. It’s important to recognize when it’s becoming toxic and learn how to retreat from it when needed.

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