I Went Off Social Media for One Month Here Is What I Was Able to Achieve…

What an incredibly liberating experience it was, you should try it too.

So, I decided to go off social media for one month, and guess what? I didn’t die. Surprise! Apparently, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Tiktok are not so essential to our existence. We can exist and even thrive without these apps.

We all struggle with an addiction to our phones and social media, for millennials and Gen Z, social media is intimately linked to our lives. While there are real benefits to using social media, there are also several downsides to these platforms.

I have always thought of social media as a loyal servant, but a horrible master. It is great when used to build businesses, promote brands, and make positive connections.

It is horrible, when it steals our time, inspires discontent, and is used to disseminate hate speech and fake news.

What’s more, studies have shown that people who use social media are more prone to depression and mental health issues. If this is true, then the opposite is also true. People who consume fewer social media contents are happier and less depressed.

A bit of a background story, I tested positive for Covid-19 a few weeks ago, and so I had to quarantine. I decided to use quarantine in the most productive and refreshing manner possible. I was intentional about it and the first step was to delete certain apps from my phone.

So, here’s what happened during my social media break;

I spent more time bonding with my husband, we communicated better and enjoyed each other’s company more.

I had quiet moments meditating and renewing my creative energy by reading my Bible and praying. I felt extremely refreshed mentally and physically doing this.

I had fewer distractions, less anxiety, and my mental health greatly improved.

I focused on improving myself, by exercising and eating healthy meals.

I had more time to pursue other creative endeavors without measuring my progress by other people standards or perceived success.

… and because I had more time, and less distractions, I was able to participate in the Medium Writing Challenge and wrote entries for all four writing prompts.

I realized that I really didn’t miss anything or anyone on social media and that I could thrive and be happy without it.

I know what you are thinking, how difficult was this process? The truth is that it was absolutely easy.

Here is how I achieved it, I took this one simple step, I uninstalled the “offending” apps from my phone, that’s all.

You can do the same too. Take a break from social media and watch your productivity level go through the roof, and your mental health improve significantly.

Will I continue with my social media break?

Possibly.

For how long?

I am not sure.

What I do know, however, is that whenever I chose to return to social media, I will be intentional about how I use it, the contents I consume and how much time I spend in that space.

You should try going off social media for a while, you’ll be surprised at what you can achieve. It is incredibly liberating.

Check out this story on how social media is affecting teenagers and what we can do to help them.