It’s quite shocking to find out that social media is one of the major contributing factors to depression nowadays.Spending too much time scrolling can increase feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Around the world, about 3.96 billion people use social media, spending an average of 144 minutes on it every day. If you can’t imagine your life without social media, you’ve probably fallen victim to the strong power that social networking sites have over the public. Chances are that you’ve also experienced some of the negative effects of social media on people. Social media is often associated with cyberbullying, social comparison, and other phenomena that can be detrimental to our health and wellbeing.

Then, it’s time to take a break from social media. They say you need to cut it off gradually, like an addiction. However, I would recommend that even a day break from your week will help you to improve your mental health. Let me share with you a few tips for how to take a day break which really works for me.

Turn off the notifications or logged out of them 

The constant beeping and buzzing may  make you more likely to check your phone. When you get a “like” or “comments”, it urges you to check it as your brain stimulates to release dopamine hormones which will get you addicted later.So, turning off notifications can help you actually stick to your social media break. As for me, I would prefer to be logged out of some platforms for a day.

Give time for yourself

It’s time to give a little self care, self love while you are having time out from social media.

For instance, pick up your favourite books or novels, or listen to your favourite playlists, or go jogging or doing minor exercises, or go swimming, or go window shopping, or doing skin care, and lastly you could set up time to hang out with your friends in person. There are plenty of activities that you could have fun once you took a break from social media.

Use old-fashioned devices to replace your phone

Sometimes, it’s better to go back in time. Use an alarm clock instead of using a clock app on your phone, and leave your phone in another room overnight. Use a paper notebook instead of using a note app. Use a calculator instead of using a calculator app on your phone. What I am trying to say is that the less you pick up your phone, the less you have a chance to check your social media.

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