- You may need a break from social media if you obsess over "likes," feel more anxious and depressed, check your feed constantly, and more.
- Decide how long you need a break and commit to it. Log out of social media accounts, delete apps, and turn off notifications.
- Try new hobbies, such as reading, getting involved with your community, connecting with friends in person, and more.
Signs You Need a Break
There are many warning signs of needing a social media break. While social media has some benefits, such as community, education, and connection, it can do more harm than good when used excessively. Here are some signs you may need to unplug: You're overly concerned with how many "likes" or views your post gets You neglect basic needs, such as eating and sleeping, to keep up with your feed Checking your feed is more of an impulse than an active choice You use your phone in bed and delay your bedtime without meaning to You can't enjoy an activity until you post about it Seeing posts from your peers makes you question your own life and choices Seeing certain posts makes you feel angry, scared, or frustrated and causes you to engage in online arguments You fixate on things that you saw and think about them for the rest of the day You check your social media notifications during in-person events and activities with friends You feel anxious when you're in a place you can't check your social media You feel more depressed and have trouble sleeping If you experience any of these habits, you may need to detox from social media.
Logging Off
Decide how long you want to take a break from social media. There’s no right or wrong period of time you should spend off social media. The choice is entirely yours. You could spend 24 hours or 30 days off social media (or more). Some social media apps, such as Instagram, allow you to temporarily disable your account while you're away. Once your break is up, you can activate it again. Don’t feel locked into the period of time you’ve decided to stay off social media. If you get to the end of your social media-free period and find you wish to continue your break, do so. On the other hand, you can also shorten your social media break if you feel that you’ve accomplished what you wanted to accomplish by taking a social media break.
Choose when to take a break. The best time to take a break from social media is during family vacations and holidays. This will give you and your family the opportunity to speak together in person rather than through social media exchanges. You may also take a break from social media if you need to commit all your attention to something, such as a school project. If you’re feeling overwhelmed due to bad news and politics on social media, you might also take a social media break.
Choose the social media networks you want to take a break from. Taking a social media break could mean stopping all social media use, or it could mean taking a break from specific networks. For instance, you may temporarily quit Facebook and X/Twitter but stay on Instagram. A good way to start the selection process is to consider your reasons for needing a social media break, then take a break from the network(s) that will most directly allow you to achieve those goals. You can also just log out of these sites and applications on your computer and phone. Having to log in every time you visit the site or use the app may reduce the chance that you will check them whenever you get bored or distracted.
Develop a schedule to cut back on your social media use gradually. For instance, if you plan on taking a social media break between Christmas and New Year’s Day, work to reduce your social media use before Christmas. Start cutting back about ten days before you intend to take your break. The amount by which you cut back depends on how much you use social media. If you use social media for two hours daily, cut your social media use back to 1.5 hours 10 days before your break. Then, seven days before starting your social media break, cut down to one hour daily. Four days prior to your break, cut back to 30 minutes daily.
Let your friends and family know you’ll be taking a break. During your period of decreasing social media use, you might want to let your friends and social media followers know that you will be taking a break. This will let people know why you aren’t answering their messages and prevent them from worrying once your social media break begins. It will also help to keep you accountable whenever you feel like logging in. If you wish, you could schedule posts to appear even while taking a break. Some third-party apps allow you to schedule your posts on Instagram, Facebook, and other social media platforms.
Remind yourself why you are taking a break. Without a good cause, you will have a hard time maintaining time away from social media. There are many reasons you might want to quit social media temporarily. Perhaps you want more time with your friends and family. Perhaps you are tired of using it every day. Whatever your reason, clearly articulate it so that you can answer people who may ask. You may also want to keep a list handy to remind yourself why you are taking a break from social media. It’s important to identify why you want a social media break to stay strong when you start to feel that you don't want to continue. In those moments, you can remind yourself, “No, I refuse to use social media until my designated break period ends because I want to spend more time with my family.” EXPERT TIP If you feel depleted, lethargic, envious, or anxious after you use social media, you probably need a break. Annie Lin, MBA Annie Lin, MBA Life & Career Coach Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com Annie Lin, MBA Annie Lin, MBALife & Career Coach
Staying Offline
Deactivate your account. If you typically access social media on your phone, delete the apps from your phone. If you tend to use social media on your computer, keep your computer turned off for the duration of your break from social media. A less extreme alternative is to turn off social media notifications on your device of choice so that you are not tempted to look. If you turn off notifications, be sure to turn off email notifications, too.
Delete your account. If you find you’re healthier, happier, and more productive during your social media break, you might want to extend the break to a full-time social media deletion. In this case, you’ll say goodbye to social media for good. The process for deleting your account varies with each social media platform. Typically, it’s quick and easy and requires navigating the user menu options to the section dealing with your account (usually called “Your Account”). From there, just click “Delete My Account” (or some similar prompt) and confirm your decision. Remember, if you ever want to hop on a particular social media platform again later, you can, but you’d be starting from scratch.
Reframe the decision to take a break from social media. It’s easy to think of taking a break from social media as the exclusion of something. Instead, consider your time without social media as freedom from the demands you may have unconsciously placed on yourself to constantly post new content and engage in social media interactions. Instead of posting on social media, you can focus on being present for your life as you live it. Try keeping a journal with you to write down your days and memorable events; it doesn't have to be a social media post.
Distract yourself to get through the hard part. There will likely be a few days where you miss being on social media. After a time – three days, five days, or even a week, depending on how connected you are to social media use – you’ll begin to feel the urge to use social media decline. Stay strong through this tough period, and know that it will pass. There are several ways to avoid temptation and temporary depression. For instance, you could: See a movie with friends Catch up on your reading by grabbing a book off the shelf Take up a new hobby like bicycle repair or playing the guitar.
Recognize the reality of social media content. Many people post only their best-looking photos on social media and rarely – if ever – post negative things about their lives. Once you see past this carefully curated lens, you'll realize the lives of others aren't so different from yours.
Think before resuming your social media use. If you decide to resume using social media at some point, you might want to take some time to consider your decision. Make a pros and cons list to help you identify your reasons for wanting to resume your social media use. For example, your pros might include things like “staying up to date about what friends are doing,” “having a place to share my good news and pictures,” and “engaging in conversations with friends about interesting news.” However, your cons might include things like “getting frustrated by political posts,” “wasting time by checking my account too often,” and “worrying unnecessarily over things I’ve posted.” Compare your pros and cons to help you decide which option has the greatest benefit and make your decision. You may also want to place some firm limits on yourself if you do resume your social media use. For example, you might set aside two 15-minute sessions per day to engage on social media and stay logged out of your accounts at all other times.
Trying Other Activities
Connect with your friends outside of social media. Social media is not the only way to stay in contact with people. Instead of getting updates about what your friends are up to via social media, call them or send them an email or text message. Ask them, "What are you up to later? Would you like to grab some pizza and hang out?"
Meet new people. Without the constant instinct to check social media, you’ll be more engaged in the world around you. Strike up a conversation with your seatmate on the bus. Ask a department store worker for their favorite recommendations. You could also get involved in your community. Look up local charities or non-profit organizations that offer volunteer opportunities. You might be able to volunteer at your local soup kitchen, food bank, or home-building organization (like Habitat for Humanity). Check out local clubs and groups on Meetup.com. The site allows people to connect and share their favorite interests, including movies, books, and meals. If you don’t see a group you’re interested in, start one of your own!
Read a newspaper. Social media isn’t just a great tool for communicating and seeing what others are doing. It is also often a primary mode of getting the news. But even without social media, you can stay informed. To read the day’s news, read a newspaper, visit the site of your favorite news purveyor, or grab a periodical covering current events from your local newsstand.
Catch up on your reading. Many people have a long backlog of books they promised themselves they’d get to “someday.” Now that you’re taking a break from social media, your “someday” has arrived. Settle into a cozy chair with a mug of warm tea and one of the books that seem most interesting to you. If you like reading but don’t have books of your own to read, visit your local public library and check out a few volumes that seem interesting.
Organize your house. Dust, vacuum, and do the dishes. Go through your closet and identify clothes that you don’t wear anymore. Take them to the secondhand store for donation. Go through your books, movies, and games and look for ones that you’re willing to part with. Put them up for sale on Craigslist or eBay.
Take care of business. Use the time you’d otherwise devote to browsing social media to reply to your other correspondence (email or voicemail). Get started on school projects or catch up on your homework. If you work from home, use social media time to locate new clients or revenue streams.
Be thankful for what you have. Take stock of everything and everyone in your life that you’re thankful for. For instance, make a list of friends and family who are always there for you when you’re down. Make another list of your favorite things or places – your local library, for instance, or your game collection. This will redirect your attention from social media and make it easier to take and maintain your break from it.
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