The average person spends 2 hours and 24 minutes per day on social media.
Thanks to social media, we’re able to easily stay in touch with friends and family members from across the globe. For many people, social media is also a platform for creative expression. Social media also gives businesses a great opportunity to grow their brand.
However, social media can also be draining and toxic. If you’ve been feeling out of sorts lately, it may be time for a social media detox. Check out this guide to discover the top signs you need a social media detox.
1. You’re Comparing Yourself to Others
One of the biggest drawbacks of social media is that it can cause people to compare themselves to others. On social media, most people are putting their best foot forward. Because we only see the highlights of people’s lives, it becomes so easy to think things like “How is this person always so happy?” or “Why is her life so perfect?”
Many people also find themselves comparing the way they look to social media influencers. Many influencers rely on angles and filters to look their best, so comparing yourself to them just sets up unrealistic expectations for yourself.
If you find that you’re constantly comparing yourself to others on social media, it’s time to take a break. Comparison is not healthy in general, but it’s especially unhealthy to compare yourself to social media accounts that are perfectly curated by people who only show the best versions of themselves.
2. You Post About Your Life Before Living It
While social media allows us to share special moments from our lives, sometimes, things get taken so far. People become so obsessed with posting something cool or creating the right aesthetic on their page that they forget to live in the moment.
When you’re going about your day, do you specifically stage photos for social media? Do you spend a significant amount of time coming up with the perfect quip to say on Twitter? Do you think about what to post when you’re in the middle of a fun activity?
If you find that you’re curating your life to fit your social media profile, it’s time to take a break. Putting your phone away and enjoying what’s in front of you will allow you to greater appreciate the special moments in life.
3. You Check Social Media Without Thinking and Mindlessly Scroll
If you go about your relationship with social media the right way, checking your profiles can be a fun treat. However, if you find that you’re logging onto social media constantly and scrolling mindlessly, it may be time for a break.
Do you find yourself automatically logging onto social media when you’re bored just to ensure you haven’t missed anything? If your first line of defense against boredom is to scroll social media, it’s time to break that habit.
4. You Never Let Your Phone Out of Sight
Do you sleep with your phone tucked in next to you? Do you feel empty-handed if you leave the house without your cell phone? Do you find that you can’t sit at the dinner table without your phone in your pocket?
If you feel anxious when your phone isn’t in your hands or nearby, then it’s likely time to detox from social media.
5. You Feel Worse After Scrolling Social Media
One of the best ways to figure out if you need a social media detox is to check in with yourself after scrolling. Do you feel happier and lighter after scrolling social media, or do you feel upset, envious, or anxious?
While scrolling social media can help stave off boredom in the moment, it often leaves people feeling upset and sad. A lot of social media accounts are riddled with negativity, especially in the comments section where people sometimes fight and make rude comments.
If you’re someone who tends to compare themself to others, scrolling social media can also leave you in a bad mood. Next time you log off social media, note your emotions. If you find that you feel worse after you get done scrolling, it’s time for a break.
6. You Don’t Have Time for Anything
As we mentioned earlier, the average person spends close to 2.5 hours per day on social media. This adds up to about 17.5 hours per week spent scrolling!
If you feel like you don’t have time to workout, cook dinner, meet up with your friends, enjoy your hobbies, or even get all of your work done, it’s likely because social media is eating up your time. While scrolling for 10 minutes here and there may not seem like that big of a deal, it all adds up over the course of a week.
Just think of all of the things you could with an extra 17.5 hours per week! If you find that you’re losing time to social media, it’s time for a full detox.
7. Your Sleep Schedule is Messed Up
A messed-up sleep schedule is one of the telltale signs that you need a social media break. Often, people log onto social media before bed with the intention of only scrolling for a few minutes. Before they know it, it’s 2 am and they need to be up in a few hours for work.
If this has happened to you more than once in the recent past, it’s time to take a break from social media. Your sleep has a major impact on your life, from your mood to your hunger levels to your stress levels. You need adequate sleep to stay healthy, and if social media is affecting your sleep schedule, it’s time for a detox.
Are You Ready for a Social Media Detox?
If any of these signs sound familiar, it’s time for a social media detox. While saying goodbye to social media can be difficult, a break can really help you get your life back on track.
If you’re struggling to break ties with social media, try deleting the apps from your phone. If that doesn’t work, you may want to deactivate your accounts for a while. For more tips on how to improve your life, check out this post to learn how to create true happiness.
