10 Ways a Social Media Cleanse Will Help You Reclaim Control In Life

Real talk: much of the time, social media is that toxic friend. You love spending time with her and she’s always there for you when you need her… but she can also really bring you down and end up wasting your time without even knowing it. Not to mention how addictive she can be – maybe it’s time to give her some space.

It sounds intimidating I know, but going on a social media cleanse (especially if it sounds like it would be difficult) is a healthy move. Whether it’s a full month, just a week or a couple days – it can work wonders. Here’s why:

1. You’ll be more productive

During the often mindless social media browsing, we regularly find ourselves doing takes a lot more time out of your day than you probably realize. When you have a moment to yourself and remember social media is off the table, the gut reaction will probably be – what do I do now? That’s a good thing. The best way to start is to occupy your time with something like reading a book to fill the usual sit and scroll routine.

2. Remember your other interests? They miss you

A social media cleanse will drive you to look to other activities to fill the hole in your heart once occupied by it. You will certainly find yourself searching your mind for answers – what do people do with their time without social media? It might be tougher for some, but it allows one to think of your other interests / lack of interests that we always can never find the time to do!

3. A new awareness of your surroundings

We spend so much time relying on a screen to see the world that we often forget to look around in our reality – and social media is a huge reason why. If you take some time away from it, you will definitely notice something new on your morning walk, a new face to say hi to, that you would not have met if you were glued to your Instagram feed or maybe how messy your room is? It’s super weird when it inevitably happens but one of the best reasons to try it out.

4. Ever craved exercise?

For many of us, it’s really easy to drag our feet when it comes to regularly exercising or getting outside for some time during the day – especially when it’s so easy to grab our phones instead. Without social media for a time, you will likely find yourself with extra energy to get out there and really see the world and do something to give you gratification other than the “like” button.

5. You’ll ~really~ want to talk to other people

Social media can be a pesky habit because it give us the illusion of catching up with a friend. They already posted about their day and you saw their face and liked it – so what else is there? When you’re away from this illusion, you’ll likely want to really check in with people and take time to see them, really see them and end up having a genuine conversation away from all the filters and edited posts.

6. Your sleeping habits might improve

There’s been tons of research about how looking at the bright screen on your phone or laptop can contribute to sleep deprivation. So if you regularly look through social media streams right before bed, skipping it with a social media cleanse could help you go to sleep quicker and enjoy a better night’s sleep when you do.

7. It could reduce your anxiety

Scrolling through your Instagram and Facebook feeds can easily put you in a frenzy about what friends and family are doing (a.k.a what you’re not) and in turn bring you down for not feeling like you have it all together or are missing out on something. Eliminating the option to constantly check it, puts the pressure way off and can condition you to stop letting yourself fall into this unwanted feeling.

8. It’s “Living In The Moment 101”

When you don’t take the time to see what (or who) you’re missing you can start to place focus back on yourself and where you are at any given moment. You’ll start to think about how you can you use the moment your in to your advantage – when people talk, you’ll be forced to listen, when you’re in public you’ll actually see what’s going on: which is sadly a sea of people looking at their phones. *curses society*

9. You’ll learn something new about yourself

A social media cleanse is sure to get you thinking about the role of it in your life and who you are without it. Whether you realize you can function quite well without it or find that it’s an addiction that’s left a hole in your days, that’s progress. Regularly placing yourself out of your comfort zone and looking in to your daily habits – healthy and unhealthy is how positive change happens.

10. You might realize the positives of social media too

Finally, a social media cleanse might get you thinking about why you spend so much time on social media in the first place. Whether it’s a creative outlet, a way to connect with others or a way to escape for a bit, taking space from something is the perfect way to learn about the importance of it and go back to it with newfound confidence and appreciation. If you’re burned out from social media now, taking this cleanse will help you focus elsewhere and then come back and realize its role in your life.