Taking breaks from social media will change your life (for the better)

Hi friends … I’m back!

Grab a beverage and turn on some music (what I’m currently listening to) because we have some catching up to do.

If you keep up with my blog posts, you might have noticed I’ve been on a little hiatus. Actually, a long hiatus. I wasn’t quite sure how long it would last. I took a break from writing in part by choice, but also because I found myself in a creative rut. Instead of blogging, I focused that extra time on other things like finishing school, spending time with friends and family, taking Instagram more seriously while simultaneously taking frequent breaks from the app, seeking to understand myself better, and unlearning a lot of habits and thought patterns that were no longer good for me. It’s been a time!

In hindsight, taking a mental health break has been and always is, much needed. But the waves of guilt and fear of falling behind made the time away feel less like a “break” and more like a hideout. Like less of a choice, but rather, a force urging me to slow down and reconnect with myself and this blog’s purpose.

Backstory

When I created this blog, I firstly wanted it to be useful to those who read it, and secondly, I wanted to share topics I genuinely believed in and connected with. In the past few months that I’ve been “out of office”, so to speak, I wasn’t sure which direction to take anymore. When the world becomes noisy, on top of having an already noisy mind, sometimes it seems like a lot to bear. Who can relate?

Learning to disconnect and step away from social media

This brings me to my main point: disconnection. We hear all the time that we need to take breaks from social media and there’s truth to it. While social media has its positives, like escapism, connection, expression, entertainment, and career opportunities, it can also take us to a dark place. It’s important not to take the online world too seriously or allow it to control our lives because our mental health should come first, always. I’m speaking to those of you like me, who have spent countless hours scrolling, and lost themselves somewhere along the way while trying to keep up. Regardless of whether you’re a public or private user on social media, it can begin to consume you if you let it.

I love connecting with others online and appreciate the wonderful opportunities social media has given me and others. However, my screen time slowly began to fall this year when the simple act of being on my phone began to take so much out of me. At first, I felt guilty as many of the people I know and love also use social media platforms to communicate. How many updates, stories, memes, posts, and conversations would I be missing out on? I also felt guilty as a content creator because I feel a unique responsibility to stay in the loop, keep updated with trends, post often, and engage with others. I didn’t like the thought of missing out. Fear of missing out, or ‘fomo’, is a topic that will resurface in an exciting blog post, coming soon!

Reclaiming joy

Eventually I asked myself: why do I feel guilty for taking this time off? I’m learning that not every decision we make requires an explanation and sometimes the only validation we need must come from ourselves. Social media will always be there, and there are plenty of ways to connect with the world and our loved ones outside of it.

Social platforms can make you feel bad as quickly as they make you feel good. That’s why you need to use your own judgment and choose how you go about it. Some days my screen time is relatively low and other times it’s high, but I try not to focus on the number. Your screen time could average 3 hours/day this week and 8 hours/day next week, but it’s still possible that next week will be better for you mentally than this week. Instead, I focus more on how I’m feeling outside of my “screen time” and whether I am happy or drained by the end of the day. If it’s the latter then I know I need to make some changes.

Social media isn’t entirely bad

Upon reflection, I know I won’t be giving up social media any time soon. Maybe one day when I’m a coastal grandma living off the grid like Meryl Streep in ‘It’s Complicated’, but not now. Truth is, I enjoy social media, sharing goofy memes with friends and family, storytelling, and the freedom it allows me to learn more about others and myself. It is very much a digital world we are living in, so why not explore it?

My advice is to be aware of how your soul responds to what you feed it, because it’s only then that you can make the necessary changes you need. Are the people you’re following making you laugh? Are they teaching you something? Do you share a mutual interest in each other? Do you inspire one another? If not, ask yourself why they’re taking up your mental space.

YouTuber, Meher Saini recently said, “randomly disappearing from the internet is a really powerful feeling” and I agree. Not because being offline makes you a better person, but because choosing yourself over what everyone else thinks you should do is empowering. At least, that’s what it means to me. Not checking my phone often does wonders for my mental health and I know this because I have noticed the difference when I am frequently on my phone.

Becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable

So, during this hiatus, how have I tuned out the noise in the world and in my mind? If I’m being honest, you can never get rid of it completely. It seems there will always be something competing for your attention. But there are things you can do to calm your mind and help yourself navigate this world we live in. One of my personal favourites? Disconnection. In fact, one of my favourite quotes is, “disconnect to reconnect.”

That said, if you’re on the fence about taking a break, either from social media or any fuzzy area in your life, I’m giving you my stamp of approval. Take one hour, one day, or one week if you need to. For me, the focus shouldn’t be too much on the break itself, but on the wisdom, clarity, and growth that you gain from it. We all need time to ourselves to figure out who we are, what we want, and what we don’t want. You’re not weird for doing so; it takes courage to admit when things aren’t working for you!

How to disconnect

Disconnecting from social media, people, and everything in between is not always as easy or straightforward as it seems. But there are always small practices you can slowly incorporate into your life. I have a blog post on the way that will delve into the ‘how’. I promise it will be worth the wait!

What’s to come

As I sit writing this post (a true miracle given the long stretch of no writing), I feel happy to be back. I’m learning to give myself grace, not take myself too seriously, and listen more to my gut. I also enjoy having my own little bubble on the internet to speak to those who care to listen. I feel I’m a lot better at expressing myself through writing than speaking.

I have more exciting posts coming up that I think you’ll enjoy. Each post that follows this one will be created with intention and with the hopes of inspiring you. This year I’m all for trying new things and exploring, so, naturally I’ll do the same here. I won’t give too much away, but expect more think-pieces, adventure-filled travels, and features with friends!

As always, I’m grateful to you for reading and supporting this blog. Please connect with me at any time and feel free to share any comments or ideas you may have! I love to hear from you, and I want this to be a safe space for us all 🙂

Much much much love,

Kundi