You’ve been scrolling mindlessly on social media for hours and somehow ended up on a page about hiring a last minute jet charter. You feel like you’ve been using social media now more than ever, and it’s starting to take a toll on your mental health and productivity level. There are plenty of positive benefits to social media, but too much of anything is never good. That’s why we’re offering 5 important benefits of taking a social media break.
Relieves Anxiety
While social media is a great tool to connect and build relationships with others, it also has the potential to cause mental health issues such as anxiety if not used in moderation. Social media has been connected to an increase in stress levels due to overexposure to negative information, fear of missing out (FOMO), and cyberbullying – among other causes. It’s no wonder that taking a break from social media can help to relieve some symptoms of anxiety.
Makes You More Active
It’s not uncommon for people to become less active as they increase their social media usage. Instead of going for a walk or hitting the gym, they end up spending hours scrolling TikTok. Unfortunately, an excessive amount of social media use has been connected to weight gain and a whole host of other physical issues. This is why taking a social media break could help motivate and encourage you to be more active. Instead of getting drawn into the habit of scrolling, you’re more likely to do something that involves moving your body.
Reconnects You with the Present Moment
How much screen time do you track in a day? Startling research has shown that Americans can average around 19 hours per day of screen time. While the average amount of screen time should be around 2 hours per day according to experts. If you’re spending most of your day glued to a screen, you’re completely disconnected from the present moment. This is concerning, as you can start to lose touch with reality and yourself. Another important benefit of a social media break is that it helps you to be more present in your daily life.
Allows You to Explore More Hobbies
We know by now that social media impacts our desire to go out and explore the world around us. Instead of going on hikes, learning a new skill, or taking up a new hobby – we watch others do so. We live vicariously through social media influencers, which closes us off to explore our own hobbies. Taking a break from social media can help inspire you to get creative, go on adventures, and partake in new hobbies – as you’ll have the time and energy to do so when you aren’t focused on exploring your home page.
Increases Your Focus
One of the negative effects of social media is that it has the potential to drastically reduce your ability to focus. You can become accustomed to getting varied stimuli every 30 seconds, and your brain starts to get used to that bombardment of information. Then, when you attempt to sit down and focus, it seems nearly impossible.