As someone in their 40s, I remember life before social media. I experienced the beginnings of the modern web, the successes and failures of web 2.0, and then the inexorable rise of social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace. While the latter still exists, it’s a shell of its former self. And in its place came the likes of Twitter (now X), Instagram, and countless others.
I am currently active on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. After debating which is better out of Bluesky and Threads, I lost interest in Bluesky a while ago. I am also generally in read-only mode on X while still debating whether to delete my account entirely. In the meantime, I have taken steps to make X more tolerable. Snapchat, TikTok, and any more recent releases feel a little too young for me, so I have skipped them almost entirely. I do find myself watching Reels occasionally though, as they’re almost impossible to avoid these days.
Working from home in my own office means that I can use social media extensively, and often do. And I’ve noticed that my usage has increased in the last few years, as I’ve fallen into the same trap everyone else has of defaulting to scrolling through content whenever I have a moment to spare. And this is something I dislike about myself. I also feel like the endless barrage of information (and misinformation) is having an adverse effect on me. So, I decided to take a week off of social media to see what, if any, impact it had. And here’s what I discovered…
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I instantly became more productive
Dave Parrack / Foundry
On my first day of swearing off social media for a week, I found myself being much more productive. Instantly, I had more time on my hands. To the point that I didn’t quite know what to do with myself when drinking my morning coffee.
My default had always been to scroll through my various social media feeds to find out what everyone had been up to. Now, I was forced to visit a handful of different news websites to fill my time. But that proved to be pretty boring, so I eventually gave up halfway through my drink and opted to dive straight into work instead.
Not only did I start work earlier than usual, I found it easier to delve straight into writing. It felt like not being hit over the head instantly with masses of information had freed my mind a little to focus on more important stuff. And I was then able to finish work more quickly and earlier than expected.
I went out for more walks outside
Dave Parrack / Foundry
One of the ways I filled the time I had clawed back from not using social media was to go out for more (and longer) walks. Don’t get me wrong, as someone who works from home, and sets my own hours, I try to get out for a walk once a day anyway, but I suddenly had more time to do so. Time I could have spent at the gym too, if I was that way inclined.
The point is, I was utilizing my time for more worthy pursuits. In this case, an activity that helps both my overall fitness levels, and mental health. I literally swapped pointless doomscrolling on my phone for a life-affirming physical activity. And again, because physical activity is good for for both mind and body, when I then returned home, I found myself being more productive.
I slept better and longer
Dave Parrack / Foundry
Prior to this experiment, I had read plenty of studies that claimed looking at your phone or tablet right before bed could have a negative impact on the quality and/or quantity of your sleep. However, like, I suspect, most of you, despite my best attempts, I usually defaulted to browsing my phone right up until the moment I dozed off. And that time was usually spent on social media reading updates from friends and having my mind numbed by short videos.
Now, I had resolved to put the phone to one side before even climbing in bed. And suddenly, I was able to drop off more quickly, stay asleep for longer, and wake up feeling much more rested and relaxed. This continued throughout the week to the point that, even though I am now back on social media, I do not put my phone within reaching distance in bed. It’s a hard lesson learned, and one I recommend that everyone reading this try.
My mood improved massively over the week
Dave Parrack / Foundry
My biggest problem with social media at this point in its existence is the negativity that seems to have become the default. From hate-filled clickbait to moany responses to what should be good news, the negativity across all social media platforms can sometimes feel overwhelming. And now, and in pure hindsight, I think that this endless negativity was affecting my mood to an extent I hadn’t thought possible before taking my week off of social media.
After a few days, I noticed my mood lifting due to fewer mood-altering updates. I’m left to conclude that being exposed to negativity was putting me in a negative mindset. And that once I had pushed that negative social experience to the sides, my mood improved. I literally became happier and more positive over the course of my week off.
How this has changed my relationship with social media
Overall, I am pleased I experimented with having some time away from social media. The experience proved to be a fundamentally positive one, and one I may repeat again if I ever find myself slipping into bad habits.
Even now, after returning to social media, I have done so in a slightly different way. I do not instantly open Facebook and Instagram upon waking up. I do not browse social media in bed before sleep. And I’m much more careful in what content I engage with in order to avoid the wall-to-wall negativity I was previously being exposed to. If you’re feeling unhappy with your relationship with your phone, I highly suggest trying a social media detox of your own.