How do I take a social media break?

There can be a big gap between saying you are going to take a break from social media and actually doing it. Stepping away from constant communication with your friends and the instant gratification of likes can be difficult. But it is possible. Here are some tips on how to take a break from social media:

• Remove social media apps from your smartphone but keep them on your computer. They will take a little more effort to access. If you don’t want to remove them completely, you can turn off their notifications.
• Keep your phone in a different room or limit yourself to a certain amount of time on social media per day, for example 10 to 30 minutes.
• Go on a social media break with a friend or your partner. This can add a little more motivation for everyone.
• Make a plan to do something else with your time! This could be going for walks, taking up an art project, or reading a book.
• Call the people you want to talk to instead of messaging. Or, even better, meet up!

You may have noticed that these tips don’t require you to cancel all social media, throw your phone in a lake, and live in a cave somewhere. People use social media for different purposes, and taking a break may look different for different people. For one person, it might mean cutting back on the hour they spend each day looking at reels and stories. For someone else, it might involve taking a break from getting caught up in arguments in the comment section of news articles, while still checking to see what’s happening in their community on the weekend.

Before you get back on social media, think about what you’ve learned. Did you really miss the reels and the comment sections? Did you enjoy the things you were doing to fill your time more than being on social media? Were you still able to talk with and meet up with friends and loved ones? Your break could turn into the new normal!