Why I recommend a social media detox
By Colbi Edmonds
At the beginning of the new year, I decided to challenge myself and my usage of social media. I deleted Instagram off of my phone, turned off the notifications for any other platforms I have and do my best to limit my screen time.
Social media is a great tool for connecting with friends and family, keeping up to date on current events and having a laugh every once in a while when you come across a funny video.
But, for me, social media has also turned into a really toxic environment, one where I constantly compare myself to what everyone around me is doing. I’m also prone to doom scrolling — when you just keep scrolling and scrolling through bad news — which isn’t great for my mental health.
So, in an effort to prioritize the things that make me happy and are productive for my well-being, I knew taking a serious detox from social media is what I needed. And it’s already been so amazing.
You don’t realize how easy it is to mindlessly scroll on Instagram or TikTok for hours taking in everyone’s picture-perfect photo ops, everyone else’s amazing successes on LinkedIn and the awful news of yet another unprecedented event on Twitter.
I think you will find that it’s much easier to focus on your work and stay present in the moment when you don’t have the urge to constantly check your phone. I also just feel so much more intentional with the things I do. Have you ever found yourself doing an activity just to post about it? I know I definitely have. I want to have fun and see people because I genuinely want to — not because I need a new photo to post.
It’s definitely a difficult task, especially for certain professions. As a journalist, I need Twitter and Instagram for reporting and crowdsourcing. It’s something that will definitely be in my life forever but I am slowly learning how to create those work life balances.
I would rather nurture the relationships in my life than feed photos to a 1,000 people on Instagram who I haven’t talked to since high school. So, if you have this mindset as well or just need a break from all of the current chaos, I recommend stepping back from social media for a bit.
