Likes, shares, retweets, comments, favorites - forms of validation we can't even explain why we seek. How does the amount of likes on your latest Instagram picture determine if you were actually having a good time behind the lens of your camera and the filters you used to make your skin look clearer and stomach flatter? Where do our cyber personalities stop and our real lives begin?
I decided it was time I found out just how much of an effect social media had on my daily life. I'm the first to admit I spend a large portion of my time mindlessly scrolling through countless feeds, liking pictures, favoriting tweets all the while not paying attention to the life happening around me. Social media constantly overwhelms us with things we don't want to see: whether it's advertisements for things we don't need, or pictures and statuses from the ex you're trying to get over.
So, I took a step back and decided to take a break from social media for five full days. Prior to my break, I frequented the website and app versions of Twitter (about two hours a day), Instagram (about one and a half hours a day), Facebook (about 30 minutes a day) and Snapchat (about an hour a day). That's about seven full hours a day that I spent distracted from real life and absorbed in wondering what others were doing, while trying to make my life look as awesome as possible. I quit all social media cold turkey on a Monday morning. Here's what happened.
Day one.
Immediately the struggle began. I woke up in the morning fully prepared to scroll through news feeds and timelines. I wanted to check stories and see what everyone I follow, or that I am friends with, was up to but I couldn't. I laid in bed for a moment realizing what a void in my life the lack of social media would create. Clearly this was going to be a bit more of a challenge than I anticipated. I read a lot of BuzzFeed articles throughout the day; scrolling through the app seemed to be a good substitute for scrolling through my social media feeds. I also found myself using my news apps a lot more to read articles about what was happening in the world rather than my social circle. Though I instinctively wanted to check my social media accounts whenever a notification showed up on my phone, or when I was bored, I resisted the urge. The problem was, though I was off social media, I was still very much attached to my phone.
Day two.
Much to my surprise, day two started off even more difficult than day one. I wanted to check my accounts a lot more as the little numbers indicating my notifications grew and grew. Still, I resisted and realized how much happier I was when I actually put my phone down and focused on other things. I went to the beach and actually enjoyed the scenery rather than spending my time there trying to get a cute picture for Instagram. I ate dinner with my grandparents and left my phone in my purse, being completely present in every conversation and not worrying about what Kim Kardashian was tweeting about Taylor Swift. Unplugging a bit more made me really appreciate the things and people I have in my life. At the end of the day, I noticed a significant increase in my happiness.
Day three.
Rather than searching for things to fill the time I spent on social media, I decided to reconnect with things I love doing but never seem to have time for. I read some books, practiced yoga, played the ukulele, crafted and listened to some great music. I was fully present in what was happening throughout the day. Though I began to feel lonely, I realized this was for no reason other than my existence wasn't being validated online. Our generation often relies on social media to maintain friendships and connections as well as to seek approval, so I decided to reach out and text or call some of the most important people in my life to have conversations outside of comment sections and likes. This was one of the best things I could have done and instantly took away my loneliness. I realized I don't need social media to be connected to people at all.
Day four.
On this day, I had little to no urges to check social media. I found myself very present in my real life, and comfortable with the natural silences and dull moments that occur throughout the day. I was less eager to fill my time with scrolling and more willing to let my mind be quiet. This day, I realized that social media is such a weird thing that humans have created. The responses we get to a post online can actually dictate our entire mood. I am guilty of that, and it just feels so silly now. Personally, I know that in the past I used to get so angry about the things people would post online, and now I feel so detached from it all.
Day five.
Today, I actually lost my phone. Because I wasn't constantly checking notifications and news feeds I didn't really feel the need to be carrying my phone everywhere I went. My detox was complete! I didn't miss social media at all. I felt unplugged and refreshed. I've slept better because I haven't been on my phone until ungodly hours at night, and I have become more in touch with my surroundings.
Final thoughts.
I really valued this experiment. At first, I truly found myself going through withdrawals; all I wanted to do was log back into all my profiles and post. I often would think about things I could tweet or see things that would have made a cute Instagram picture, but as the week went on I realized how superficial that all was. While I recognize social media is a powerful tool in connection and potentially change, I have also come to the conclusion that some of us are just far too invested. I know I was. This break from the world of the internet helped me realize there is more to life than mindlessly scrolling though my phone. I have learned to truly appreciate what is happening in front of me and I have declared a new motto:
Live for the moment, not for the selfie.
So what do you think? Tell me in the comments section how long you think you could last without social media in your life. Share this article and challenge your friends. Better yet, try out the #antisocialexperiment for yourself and tell me if your experience was similar to mine!
