Logging Off

We’re mindlessly scrolling for hours. Staring at a screen all day. Taking classes online. Working through the phone. Texting our friends and family. Only to spend more time watching other people live as if we weren’t still in a pandemic.

Social media has become toxic, for me at least.

It’s an addiction that only lends me to feel more depressed, anxious, and frustrated. I see one of my friends at a huge party, an influencer flying to Paris, and mask-less faces in Central Park. All the while I am sitting at home going on my twelfth month of avoiding risks.

I know, it’s a controversial subject. But I’m just trying to keep myself and others safe. It’s a choice, but I don’t need people telling me that I should just go out or I shouldn’t complain. For me, it’s not that simple.

But regardless of the frustration I feel, along with many others, a big culprit is social media. And that is avoidable.

This spring, I am going to be more mindful of my social media intake. I have been needing to get out of this social media-online funk, and with the weather warming up, there is no better time to log off.

For each app I use (well, it’s more like over-use), I will find another alternative activity to do.

I spend the most time hopping onto TikTok at night just to fill a little time. Then an hour will pass by without realizing it. Instead, I will grab a book, something I’ve been progressively trying to do more of (I’m reading Anxious People by Fredrik Backman now and I highly recommend it!). Grabbing a book instead of scrolling will give me an opportunity for personal growth and a mindful escape. Plus, minimizing your blue-light intake, especially before bed, will help give you a more restful sleep.

Instead of my time culminating on Instagram or Twitter, I will take on small mini projects that have been at the back of my mind for a while. I have been wanting to make my own wire rings, especially the braided ones with beads in the centers. Another suggestion is watercolor painting, you can get as messy as you want and it can still come out looking beautiful. I’ve also been knitting more so I can search for some new spring fashion trends.

This is where social media does come in handy...to get inspiration. There are some great tutorials out there, gorgeous photographs of landscapes to pull colors from, and fun ideas you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. That being said, use social media as a starting place. Just don’t spend a whole day searching for inspiration.

If nothing seems to spark an idea, or I am not up to starting a project or reading, I will try and spend some time outside (safely). As cliché as it may sound, just going outside can help your mental health. Your eyes will be more stimulated from looking a farther distance and sunlight is proven to improve your mood.

There are still benefits to social media, but the key is take it in moderation.

We’re already logged on for more hours than any of us signed up for. Take the time away from work or studying and use it mindfully. It has been a long winter and a difficult year for people all over the world. We owe it to ourselves to take a break and protect our mental and physical health. So when you can, take a step back from the devices and choose something else. Whatever that may be, I will be right there with you logging off.