Thinking of taking a break from social media? Here are our tips!
Updated: Jun 7
Special thanks to Bec Box for the weekly reminder suggestion!
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Transcript
00:00:00:06 - 00:00:00:49
Speaker 1
Hey, Team.
00:00:01:08 - 00:00:05:18
Speaker 2
This week we're going to be talking to you about taking breaks from technology and social media.
00:00:05:23 - 00:00:21:37
Speaker 1
So some of the reasons people might feel the need to take a break from social media and technology is for personal reasons. Like maybe you're looking at someone else's life on Instagram and you're taking it personally and comparing herself like, why am I not there? Why do they have that? Why do I not?
00:00:21:39 - 00:00:41:38
Speaker 2
Another reason could be because people are receiving hate online as well. A lot of creators we know of actually had to have breaks for periods of time because they were just receiving a lot of hate comments. And another reason I think a lot of people take some time off social media is because of the time spent on platforms which can just drain away a lot of hours in the day.
00:00:41:39 - 00:01:04:40
Speaker 1
I know sometimes you pick up your phone and then it's like, boom, 3 hours have disappeared. So since being on technology and social media have become our careers now, we have had to implement a few things to make sure we're keeping ourselves safe and our mental health safe, too. So before getting to that breaking point, something that I really liked to do is turning off all of my social media notifications so that I'm taking back that control.
00:01:04:41 - 00:01:12:18
Speaker 1
And I choose when I want to go on to the platform, when I want to look at my notifications. It doesn't pull me in just by pinging on my phone.
00:01:12:33 - 00:01:29:35
Speaker 2
If it's online hate or bullying that's happening, then I would definitely suggest putting some filters on your comments section to make sure that certain words don't show up or people can get blocked if they say certain things and obviously don't feel scared to report. People who are being annoying online.
00:01:29:39 - 00:01:46:08
Speaker 1
Now, if you're at the point where it's already too much and you need to get off, here are a couple more tips that will get you through your time away from the social media. Something I really recommend is self-check ins throughout the time that you're off social media. So I know a couple of people who have decided to take time away from social media.
00:01:46:16 - 00:02:00:28
Speaker 1
They've actually set a date and time in which they check in with themselves to reevaluate what's going on, how they're feeling, and whether or not it's time for them to come back onto social media. So you can do this by setting a time and a date with yourself. So, for example, maybe you have three days off and check in with yourself.
00:02:00:36 - 00:02:12:47
Speaker 1
Maybe three days is enough, and then you'll give yourself another seven days and recheck in with yourself. It's completely in your hands. You have the control to be checking in with yourself and reevaluating what you do and don't want to do with your social media platforms.
00:02:12:48 - 00:02:33:37
Speaker 2
I don't know if this is the psychologist in me coming out, but I feel like if you're going to take time off social media, then you should be asking yourself why and getting really deep into what's going on. Why are you needing time away from your phone? Because you could take that time off and then when you come back, you kind of relapse in a way and you feel bad again.
00:02:33:49 - 00:02:53:03
Speaker 2
So if you get to the core of what's going on, it will just help you for next time. A good way to do this would be journaling. If you see a psychologist currently, then you could definitely talk to them about it and work through it with them over different sessions. But even speaking to a friend sometimes can help because you're just saying it and you're like, Oh, I never knew I felt that way.
00:02:53:06 - 00:03:14:06
Speaker 1
So I personally had to implement a lot of this at the start of the year Taz and I had such a high in January we gained over 100,000 followers, as you guys know. So week in two weeks less then and it was such a high for me and sometimes it has an I like to describe social media as a little bit of a slot machine where you come off of that high and then you have a massive low.
00:03:14:06 - 00:03:35:35
Speaker 1
And unfortunately that's what happened to me after we had that high, we had a deep low and I felt it so personally that I really had to take a break from social media. But I implemented a lot of this myself and felt so much better. However, it did take me a month to fully get through it. Of course, there are still days where I see our social media and I'm like, Oh, I want to do better.
00:03:35:39 - 00:03:39:03
Speaker 1
But I've learned from it and I've learned from it, and I'll continue to do so as well.
00:03:39:04 - 00:03:54:12
Speaker 2
Whatever it is you're going through at the moment with social media, we hope that every time you come to Team TANDA, whether it's on the app or a live stream, that it makes you feel good. That's what we always want to do. So take as much time as you need and we'll always be here for you when you're ready to come back.
00:03:54:16 - 00:03:57:04
Speaker 1
Have a great week, team. We'll talk soon. Bye.The internet is a wonderful place, but depending on what is coming up on your screen, sometimes it can get intense and overwhelming.
We know the feeling, and have personally been challenged with balancing social media with our mental health. It is not easy!!
It’s good to identify what about “social media” is specifically causing you stress.
The points below are common for a lot of people.
Comparison
Hate and bullying
Wasting time
Tragic world events
Break ups and dating
Talk to a psychologist, friend or family member about it to help you work through the core issue. Otherwise, if you avoid the real problem, it will just come back once you re-login to socials… even after a long break.
If you are not at breaking point yet and are still trying to figure out the delicate balance of online and offline life, try these things:
1. Turn off notifications
You can do this for everything or certain apps. It helps to take back control and allows you to choose when you want to go on a certain platform.
2. Monitor your screen time & set limits
most phones and computers these days allow you to set limits on how long you spend on certain app categories. Adjust to something that works for you and keep track of it over time.
3. Turn on comment filters
If you are getting a lot of hate online, do everything in your power to protect yourself. TikTok allows you to block certain words on your livestreams, content, etc. Block and report anyone who writes nasty comments, Instagram allows you to block all future accounts the person makes as well so if they are creating troll accounts, they won't be able to comment on your content! Yay!
At the end of the day, do what is best for you and if that means deleting a few apps, then so be it!
We hope when you engage with our content or chat with anyone in TeamTANDA, it feels like your safe space on the internet and leaves you with nothing but positive feelings. We will always be here for you once you return to social media so take all the time you need!
Comment with your social media tips or personal stories below, we’d love to hear!