Average time a person spends on social media is 2 hours and 24 minutes per day. That's an astounding amount of time and indicates how social media has integrated with our lives.
Is it okay to spend so much time on social media then? Does it really benefit us in any way?
Here's 5 reasons why taking a break from social media is very important:
1. YOU STOP COMPARING
Each one of us leads a very different life. We could all agree, while scrolling through IG, we unconsciously compare our lives with our peers. This will have a serious impact on our self-esteem. In certain cases, it may lead to depression. You take time off social media, you break the comparison cycle! Time to reconnect with your well being.
2. IMPROVE YOUR MOOD
The amount of time you spend on social media platforms are indicative of whether you're stressed or happy. By taking a break, your mood will greatly improve. If you've been feeling stressed, anxious or even depress, why don't you try social media detox? You may feel something's amiss initially but gradually, your mind and body will thank you for that!
3. CONQUER FOMO aka FEAR OF MISSING OUT
This is legit! When you first stop using social media, you'll start to develop some withdrawal symptoms. This is due to the naturally ingrained fear of missing out. You're used to being on social media and having information firsthand. This feeds into your "addiction". You hate to think that you'll miss important updates. However, that's all in your mind, a social media detox won't make you miss out on anything!
4. RECONNECT
Reconnect - be it with your friends, family or world! You're well versed with connecting online but do you connect well with people face-to-face? Take a walk, go to your favourite spot, have a cup of coffee with your friends. Social media detox can make you feel at ease and keep your mental health in line!
5. LIVING IN THE MOMENT
Do you often post updates about your life on social media platforms? Well, it's time to NOT do that! Social media detox will teach you to begin living in the present. Experience the best that life could offer you, put down the phone/laptop/tablets etc and appreciate it through your own set of eyes. Though it's undeniably something memorable that you wish to preserve through lenses but it's even better to see it through your eyes!
Social media has seen a HUGE bloom for the past years. Therefore, taking a break from social media is easier said than done. However, it's not wholly impossible! Even though there are benefits to using social media, it's best to limit our time on these platforms and take a well deserved break from it every so often!
