It’s no secret I enjoy the odd insta story, a Facebook scroll at quiet intervals of the day, a quick pic of my lunch if it is looking particularly instaworthy.

Nevertheless, I did not consider myself an addict, I mean other people use their phone more than me. Right?

Recently I had noticed I read books considerably less than I used to, once an avid reader I had now swapped losing myself in a piece of literature for losing my sanity in a whirlpool of instastories – which was I gaining more from? Who’s to say? 

One sunny Sunday sitting in the park with a book (that I wasn’t reading) I was of course snapping and ‘grammin’, nothing particularly interesting – Blue skies, some sun, a blanket, some ducks swimming, and then I just thought to myself who cares?

I instinctively decided to try out a social media ban at that moment, and in hindsight I also thought I would document my findings – there is no exact science here just how a twenty-something girl found the experience. If some of it resonates with you perhaps you could give it a try.

Day 1: Tapping the screen on my phone during a call for no reason, some kind of a compulsive twitch?  I had gotten into the very bad habit of scrolling Instagram and Facebook during phonecalls, and subsequently sounding very absent minded to the person on the other end of the phone, an extremely anti-social habit. The fact that I kept moving my fingers on a black screen during the call shows the levels of addiction involved in social media, similar to a smoker trying to quit but needs to hold something in their hand.  

Day 2: I woke up and instinctively grabbed my phone – wait…nothing to scroll! I put my phone down and opened the blinds and just had a cup of tea in the glow of the sun.  This gave me an extra 10 mins to my morning as I hadn’t realized the delay I cause myself by lying in bed scrolling to start my day. At work, in between tasks or if I see a notification pop up I’m usually eager to see what it is, which more often than not results in losing my train of thought in my actual work. I genuinely felt much more focused and instead read the news or caught up on world affairs during my coffee – very grown up! 

Day 3: Find myself checking LinkedIN much more often since it was the only kind of ‘social media’ I didn’t remove; old habits die hard! At social events in the evenings, BBQs or after work drinks I have to make a conscious effort to remind myself there is no point photographing or videoing anything – just be present and enjoy the company you are physically with. 

Day 4: Keeping in touch with people is much harder without a social media presence, like many a millennial friendship group, communication is based around social media, you snapchatted me your breakfast, you tagged me in that hilarious meme which is like ‘SO US’. I can see on Instagram you are out tonight – I ping off a quick DM ‘You look great’ etc, etc. this is all normal and it’s actually made people so much more connected than ever before but it’s also made conversations so much more superficial than before, if you want to have a really good TALK then snapchat, Instagram or Facebook are not the way to do it –  you only really scratch the glossy surface of someone’s life.

The way we communicate with our friends is changing rapidly like never before but sometimes you wonder if I am ‘off the grid’ who is going to talk to me? 

Day 5: Had dinner and drinks last night whilst leaving my phone in my bag the entire evening, which normally wouldn’t happen because I would be busy ‘boomerang-ing’ my cocktail. Starting to feel more ‘free’ if that is the correct word, not living my life in a gold-fish bowl, albeit that bowl was entirely self-constructed.  Also just not feeling pangs of envy at people’s holiday photos while you are stuck in the office or simply the sheer relief of just not knowing what anyone is doing – out of sight, out of mind. 

Day 6: Starting to miss having a quick browse on Instagram when I am waiting for something or when commuting, I also realized that I usually consumed a lot of my news / world events updates via FB instead of actually sourcing my own news, again a slippery slope since we all know our Facebook accounts, at best, act as echo-chambers to reinforce our own views and at worst provide fake news altogether. 

Day 7: It’s the weekend, I’m in Amsterdam – am I seriously not going to post a pic of the pretty bike laden canals or the windmills I crossed on the way here?! Not even one boomerang of myself biking around …. MUST RESIST … It’s very difficult!!!!

However, of course the most challenging time to not use social media is when you are travelling or doing something uber cool – you want the world to see that you are having a great time (naturally), I’m still taking pictures but saving them for latergram.

THE GREAT RETURN and lessons learnt? 

I ONE HUNDRED percent recommend taking some time out of social media entirely, it does wonders for the soul.  I have to say I was much more present with others and used my time so much more productively and finished an entire book in just one week which has not happened in many years, it felt good just leaving my phone in my bag and not giving it a second thought.

It also felt pretty damn great not to constantly be the target of marketing which is what social media has ultimately become, like many others I am being influenced every time I log on, there’s a reason why the concept of influencers is fast becoming a billion-dollar industry – I don’t care to admit the amount of times I have bought something because of this over wielding influence. 

Admittedly, I have now resumed my use of Instagram. Social media is wonderful but I think we are all aware of its double-edged sword qualities and its steadfast grip on young people in particular. Deactivating your entire social media presence may seem drastic but try it just for a week, it really is a mental vacation a spa retreat for the brain if you will.