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Social media can be GREAT… until it's not. As a 24-year-old, I grew up in a time where social media was just starting. It was there, but it didn't consume my life. In high school, social media was used to post status updates about the song that you are listening to or post a picture doing the classic peace sign with duck face. There never used to be pressure on social media; it was only a way to stay connected. Man, how things have changed so quickly.
Now, when I log onto social media, I often find myself in a place of comparison. I compare how my apartment looks to others, or I compare how my body looks to others' bodies and even compare how my friendships and relationships look to others. They aren't even fair comparisons, honestly. Comparing my body to a 17-year-old on Tik-Tok, or comparing my relationship to those who have been married for ten years? It isn't on purpose, and often I don't even recognize I'm playing the comparison game until the score is 10-0, and I'm not winning.
For the month of July, I took a break from social media. Although it took a few days to appreciate the break, as I look back on the last few weeks, I recognize how important the reset was for me. This post helps those who are thinking about taking a fast from social media but are afraid to take that leap! I pray that as we work through some of these questions together, you can do what is best for your heart and mind with confidence!
When is it time to take that fast from social media?
I would say that if you're thinking about it, now is a perfect time. What is great about our hearts and minds is that they often know what we need before we do. Silent nudges or feelings of discomfort are signals. It is easy to ignore them because they act as a yield sign rather than a stop sign. However, eventually, we have to acknowledge them, and it's better to do it sooner rather than later.
If you close a social media app and feel discouraged or worse than when you opened it, that is a clear sign you need a break. Just like everything else, there are healthy doses of social media. Unfortunately, when we have access to everything at our fingertips, it is easy to take advantage of it and consume an unhealthy amount.
Why take a break from social media?
Before you take a social media break, it is essential to recognize why. The spiritual discipline of fasting can be life-changing, especially when there is a why behind it. Over the last few months, I realized that I allowed social media to instill paralyzing fear in my life. It comes from reading posts that were made on uneducated information, seeing loved ones fight behind a screen instead of respectfully discussing differences, and comparing my relationships barely hanging on through a global pandemic to those who are still posting photos from their photoshoot six months ago (maybe some relationships are completely unharmed from the craziness of the world, but social media has become an easy place to hide our problems).
One of the reasons why I took a break from social media was so that I could use the time I was scrolling to truly educate myself on what was going on in the world. Another reason was that I had forgotten how to be present with my family and friends. Whatever your "why" is, remember it as you begin fasting, so it is a fruitful experience.
How long does a social media fast need to be?
There isn't a right or wrong answer. Some people just need to fast from social media for a day; others may need to fast for a month. Be honest with yourself when you set up your boundaries, though. If you think you need one day because you want to post a picture tomorrow, set it up for an automated post. There are apps that do that! Take a true reflection in what your mind, soul, and heart need and set a boundary. I took a break for almost six weeks! I only thought it would be a week or two, but once I got started, I realized I needed more time than that to replace my habits and refocus my attention on being present in life and with the Lord.
If you set a goal, but end up redownloading the apps… It's OKAY! Just try again, and this time you may be able to go longer until you are no longer dependent on social media.
How do you take a break from social media?
Start by letting those close to you know that you are taking a break! So that if they try to send you links or DMs, they won't think that you are ignoring them. Then, delete your apps! Get them off your phone. Remove the temptation from even checking them. I've had friends remove apps from their phones and only check social media if they are on their computer- that way, it isn't always at the palm of their hands. This is a great option if your job includes posting on social media, that way, you can just create and post from your computer, and it isn't calling for your attention when you sit down for dinner or get in bed at night.
You will immediately recognize how much attention you were giving to social media when you go to open up an app and then realize that it isn't there! It may take some time to figure out what else you are going to do with your time. You could put the Bible app where the Instagram app was, so then you start opening up your Bible! It's important to have an idea of what you want to do with the time you're not on social media, so then you have something to go to instead of just twiddling your thumbs.
Do you need to take a break from everything?
No! If there is one media platform that is more harmful to you than others, then start with a break from that single platform. Personally, I took a break from all personal accounts but continued to update True Blue Faith a few times a week with blog posts. This worked out great for me, and I tailored it to fit exactly what I needed- you should do that too!
Finally, just like every other thing in your life, PRAY over your break from social media. Here is my prayer from my social media break:
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the gift of staying connected.
Thank you for using the spirit to speak to my heart and convict my unhealthy habits with the desire to turn my heart back to you.
I pray over this time away from social media that it is a time of growth. I pray that I reconnect with those closest in my life.
I pray that you remove temptations to check social media or to rely on it and if I am tempted, that you give me the strength to resist the temptations.
I ask that when I look up from my phone, I see and feel your presence everywhere and every day. I pray that I see your beauty in places that I may have missed before, or that I hear your voice speaking to me as my mind is quieter.
Father, I love you, and I thank you, Amen.
If you have any questions or personal experiences from fasting from social media, I would LOVE to hear you in the comments!
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