Social Media Detox: 1 year Later

Endlessly scrolling through hundreds of images, double tapping occasionally or a lot depending on my mood. A couple of saves, a couple of comments and then I realize I've wasted an hour of my life. Sound familiar?

It's been about a year that I've stopped posting on Instagram or Facebook (the only platforms I have) and honestly... it's been so refreshing. I didn't walk into 2020 with the mindset of a doing a social media detox but I gradually started distancing myself from social media platforms because I wasn't getting a positive benefit from them. Yes, I still check those platforms and give a few likes here and there but I haven't posted pictures on my account and I don't have to worry about "creating content."

I think in this day and age it's really important to know when these platforms go from being a fun little snapshot of your life to fostering a toxic relationship. It's okay to say no. It's okay not to post and honestly, none of my friends have noticed, commented or worried about my lack of social media presence. In a year with so much sadness and such hard times, I couldn't bring myself to post "highlights" and I didn't have the capacity to post vulnerably about realities in our world. This year for me has been a lot about self-reflection and I didn't feel that social media was an appropriate place for this (for me). There are a ton of incredible content creators who post and have posted consistently over this past year and if you're looking for content to follow I can suggest: Clothed in Abundance, Noelle and fox and Chloe goes slowly. I think they've all posted really thoughtful content with important messages throughout this time.

So if you're thinking about a social media detox, I think you should do it! If you're thinking about it, it's probably because you've recognized that maybe you want to change your relationship with social media platforms, maybe you want more free time or maybe they've just stopped bringing you joy. Listen to yourself and allow yourself to pull back if that's what you need. Accommodate your detox to your needs. For myself, I still use Facebook Messenger because it's the way I collaborate and contact peers during school. But maybe you don't need messenger, or maybe you want to utilize Instagram messaging. Do what makes sense for you and utilize aspects of social media that are adding value to your life.