Seamlessly scrolling. Opening stories that we never really pay attention to, we just need to stay ‘up to date’. Double-tap. Add comment. More scrolling. More comparing. Square posts with a live check-in on your current whereabouts, what you are eating, who is in your company. Open Snapchat. Check TikTok. Refresh Facebook feed. A virtual space that has no regard for unfiltered and authentic experiences. An addiction to belonging validated by the amount of likes, shares and comments you receive. If we remove ourselves from this bubble, it is as though we would not know who we are anymore.
Have we painted a clear picture yet? Yes, we are talking about our unhealthy relationship with social media. How do you detox from a world that seems to explode with posts every few minutes that we fear we might miss out on? Below we have five practices that will offer actionable ways to unplug from a plugged-in world.
- Practice switch-off times
This can include turning off your phone one hour before bed or checking your phone one hour after you wake up. The one-hour window before bed can help you sleep better as the artificial light (from screens such as your laptop, phone or TV) interrupt your body’s melatonin production. Melatonin is the hormone that your brain produces as a response to darkness and helps you sleep. So, while your melatonin kicks in, discover who you are by interacting with your thoughts — stare at the ceiling and contemplate the world, reflect on your day, read a chapter of a book. Use switch-off times to appreciate silence and learn to live without noise.
And what do you do in the first hour of the morning where you are conditioned to check your phone as soon as you wake up? Well, open the blinds in your room, for starters. Breathe the fresh air of Mother Nature. Boil the kettle and infuse your home with the aroma of coffee. Step outside and meet the Earth with your bare feet. Look at the flowers. Watch on as the leaves fall from the trees. Listen to the bird’s chirp. Water your plants. Drink every sip of your coffee with no distractions.
2. Practice mindfulness
We used to have moments where we pause and reflect; now, we are so compelled to turn to the social world at any given moment of the day. We have entirely disregarded the importance of turning to our inner selves. When was the last time you focused on being intensely aware of your surroundings? Or just really experience the present moment with no distractions? It is a hard skill to learn but stepping away from your phone for just a couple of minutes a day can really make a big difference. We challenge you to some mindful yoga — a less traditional yoga practice that focuses on the mind-body connection. It allows you to cultivate awareness by focusing only on the present moment. Start by implementing a couple of minutes a day where you sit in a position with correct posture and focus all your attention on your breath. We recommend the box breathing technique that involves inhaling to a count of four and then exhaling to a count of four. Inhale. Exhale. Repeat this process until you feel that all your focus was on your breathing (it sounds simple, but try taming that crazy monkey that loves to dance in your head). Your breath is an anchor to stillness and silence and a great technique to implement when you feel anxious, stressed or overwhelmed.
Oh, and the next time you go for a walk, ditch your phone – vibrate with the universe and really focus on your surroundings. Apply this to your next meal, cooking time, or any small activity throughout your day. Make it your mission to cultivate little moments of awareness and notice how you can master your connection to the real world.
3. Learn a new skill
I’m sure you’re familiar with the whole ‘you learn something new everyday’ statement, but how true is this to the last time you actually acquired a new skill? This is where the idea of micromastery comes in. It is underpinned by this idea that if we take the time to just cultivate or work on small and measurable areas of expertise, we can add more meaning to our lives. Whether it be learning how to master photoshop, play an instrument, grow a vegetable, care for a plant or learn how to cook a new meal — we become more resilient to failure and embrace the art of mastery. Engaging in these little projects offer a meditation-like flow state where all your attention is on the task at hand. If you apply this practice of micromastery to everything you do in your life, you will learn to be fearless in the face of challenges and learn to embrace things out of your comfort zone. It may sound surprising, but humans only evolve through challenges. Henceforth, make more conscious decisions about your social media consumption and set a new skill you want to master. Reclaim your interests. Find your purpose. Live a meaningful life.
4. Prioritise your mental health by indulging in self-care
Sometimes we reach the stage of burnout and realise it’s time to step away from our screens. By then, you’re in a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion resulting from prolonged stress — you’re unable to tap into your creativity or meet demands because you are drained and overwhelmed. To prevent this from happening, we recommend that you add a self-care activity to your daily routine. It can be anything. Dim the lights in the bathroom. Light some candles. Fill the bathtub with bubbles and water. Sit and enjoy the silence; get to know who you are in solitude. Or you can invest in a colouring book to get lost in the simple act of adding colour to drawings. Read, go for a run, a walk — whatever your guilty pleasure may be, throw away your phone and make space for yourself to prioritise your mental health. You’ll notice that some of your best ideas actually emerge when you’re away from your screens. You’ll also notice more flow in your creativity, a sense of recharge, and most importantly, you will learn how to maintain a healthy balance with your work.
5. Live a real life!
If you really think about it, our social media craze has us orchestrating more than just our posts, but our lives too. Learn to fight the urge of sharing things — do something and don’t share it on social platforms (it’s invigorating, try it). Life is a journey of ephemeral moments. The nature of these moments is that they are fleeting. By embracing little moments in your life, you will begin to notice what is important to you and what brings you joy. We know it may sound a little far fetched, but a couple of moments each day to really practice gratitude and cultivate a sense of awareness for the world around you will change your perspective on life and allow you to live more consciously.
This week, be strategic with your social media use and start by applying these practices to your daily routine, even if you just start with one. Just start somewhere and start small. Because it is through micromastery that you learn to master anything.
