Hy there!
You’re probably wondering why I disappeared for a whole month but when you find out the reason behind it, you will be very curious.
I decided to quit social media for a whole month.
I know you’re probably wondering how I was able to do and most importantly why I decided to do it. Don’t worry because I am about to answer all of those questions.
Why I decided to quit social media for a month
Table of Contents
I was tired. I was deeply saddened by all the tragedies happening all around the world. So many things have occurred since the beginning of this year. Most of them were bad. I noticed that all of these things were affecting my mental health so I knew it was time for me to quit. I needed my peace of mind back.
Another reason was that I miss the feeling of being free. That freedom from technology. I wanted to spend less time on my phone and more time socializing, making fun memories and appreciating nature.
How I was able to do it
I decided to do this during the month of Ramadan which happened to be from 24th April- 24th May. In case you don’t know what Ramadan is, it’s when all Muslims around the world abstain from eating from sunrise to sunset.
For the Muslims, it is the best month ever and during the last 10 days of the month, a special day comes which comes with a special night which is better than 1000 years. The night when all your wishes will come true, all your sins will be forgiven and thousands of people are freed from hellfire.
the reason why I chose this time to quit social media was that I realized it will be the perfect time to get closer to God. I wanted to devote as much time as I could to learn more about my religion, worship God, and just be very prayerful.
So one the first day, I deleted my twitter, Instagram, and Facebook because those were the apps I was addicted to the most.
How I felt being away for a whole month
At first, it was really difficult. There were times when I felt like downloading them again but I had to fight that urge.
I missed scrolling through my feeds for hours. I would unknowingly carry my phone to check if I had any new messages but reality will slap me on my face.
Slowly, my screen time reduced. I went from spending an average of 7hrs a day on my phone to an average of 2hrs. Checking my phone all time stopped and started focusing on other more important things.
During this period, I noticed the following:
I became very productive
One thing I finally noticed was that social media consumes a lot of my time daily so when I got rid of them, I noticed that I started using that time to write, revise my college notes, and take good care of myself.
I became happier
Believe it or not, social media makes us depressed sometimes. We find ourselves wishing we had what others had and being sad from all the tragedies that are happening around the world.
Ever since I left for a month, I became happier. My peace of mind was back and I got to realize that I don’t need to compare myself with anyone because I was more than enough. I fell in love with myself more.
I became bolder
If you know me, you will know that I am an extremely shy person. I don’t talk to you unless you talk to me in public. I’m more social online than in public. Ever since I deleted my apps, I didn’t have anyone to talk to online so I had no option but to talk to those around me. Slowly, I started opening up and now I can express my feelings and talk about things that matter to me. I think I finally found my voice.
Staying away for a whole month might seem impossible but I was able to do it. It caused more good than harm and I will do it again.
If you have never done such a thing before, I will highly recommend it, especially when you want to be more productive. One day or day one, you decide.
At the end of Ramadan, I decided to download them all back again so that I will be able to wish my family and friends a happy eid Mubarak.
I have always thought I had a lot of catching up to do but at the end of the day, I realized one simple truth. I didn’t miss a thing.
Thank you soo much for reading. I know you have a few more minutes to spare so why don’t you check out some of my awesome readers’ favorite posts:
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Thanks for reading!
To be very honest that sounds so nice. I tried to do to that literally 2 days, but failed miserably ?. I would even like to completely delete the apps for awhile, but then I feel like if I leave for a long time the little audience I have managed to get on social media will just vanish, so what do I do ?
Hey I totally get how to feel but you should know that your mental health comes first. Even if you disappear for a while and come back, I’m sure your audience will understand that sometimes we all need a little break.
Here is what I suggest:
-Start somewhere. Delete one app at a time starting with your most addicted one.
-Figure out where your audience mostly hang outa and focus on that. Majority of mine are found on Pinterest so I deleted the rest but kept Pinterest that way, I still have some of my audience and I am not addicted to it like instagram and Twitter so it’s easy to stay away.
I hope this helps!
Really glad this went went well for you. Spending too much time on my phone is something I struggle Witt and know I need to cut back on! I’m going to give this a go!
You should try and do it. you will surely enjoy it, trust me. thanks for reading.
Great post! This was an interesting read and I’m glad it helped you! I’m considering doing this for a week in the future.
Thank you! You should totally try it out. You will enjoy it ?
This was a joy to read! I decided to give up Instagram for 6 weeks. I’m only a couple of weeks in, and already I’m seeing the benefits, and I’m actually reluctant to ever use it again… I’ve also been reading a short book called ‘How To Break Up With Your Phone’, which has certainly opened my eyes to the negative effects of social media! (That’s not a plug, I have nothing to do with the book, haha! But very useful if you’re considering ditching social media too). I hope your post inspires more people to do the same. Maybe we will all be at peace if we do!
Thank you for this! Having a social media detox is very important for the mental health and I believe more people should jump on this trend. I will surely look for the book you mentioned and check it out. I need to really start spending less time on my phone. Thank you for reading and dropping a great comment. Have a great day