Benefits of habit “Disconnect from social media”
✓ May improve quality of life
✓ Helps recharge after work
✓ May help sleep better
✓ Will help getting away from unwanted social interactions
✓ May improve interpersonal communication
First step:
Do it for 1 hour per day
Progress:
1. Start substituting your social media use with reading or other form of entertainment. Do this for 1 hours everyday for a week
2. Next week prolong a break for 2 hours
3. Keep adding, until you disconnect from social media completely or you are happy about results
Helpful tips to make it a habit:
✓ Same time is key. To put down a habit and substitute it with other activity, best way is to do it on the same time. We recommend starting putting down social media between 3 and 5pm.
✓ Trigger your brain. Your phone, where your social media is, can help you remember to take that analog break. Even this app has a reminder to ring when social media-free time has come.
✓ Make it a challenge. Use the app to openly challenge your friends to develop same habit OR make your own goal public with consequences in case of failure. Make up your own consequences, something that you wouldn’t want to do no matter what.
✓ Reward yourself. In short term, after every time you consciously chose this habit, pat yourself on the back and tell yourself how awesome you just did. In long term, whether you’ve chosen a different activity or just have more free time, use it for all the things you wanted. Your new analog habit can benefit you by letting you have the time for things you always wanted!
✓ Find a routine. Think of your daily routine and chose a habit you already have that disconnecting from social media can follow naturally. For example, if you have a regular lunch time, starting with the first bite and for some time after that, stop yourself from using social media. Be in the moment, enjoy the food that’s in front of you.
Tips for beginners:
✓ Cold turkey. If you feel willing and able, you can uninstall all social media apps from your phone and never go on them again. Just make sure you plan appropriate substitutes for your entertainment seeking brain.
✓ Reduce the number. If you are on many social networks, first try to reduce the usage to just 1 or 2. It can already be a great improvement.
✓ People can be an issue. Often certain people online keeps us too engaged whether you want to or not. You can start your disconnect from eliminating undesired people from your social network. It may be easier to disconnect completely.
