There are a few key reasons why you may want to consider deactivating your social media or other online accounts. In the opening section, we’ll provide a high-level overview of the main benefits of taking a break from your accounts.
Take a Break from Endless Scrolling
Social media platforms are designed to keep you engaged and scrolling for as long as possible. The endless feed and constant notifications can become addictive and eat up a lot of your time. Deactivating your accounts can help break this habit and free up more time for other activities.
One study found that the average person spends over 2 hours per day on social media. That adds up to over 700 hours per year. Just imagine what else you could accomplish with an extra 700 hours! Deactivating your accounts forces you to take a step back and realize just how much of your time goes to mindless scrolling.
Reduce Stress and Anxiety
Seeing the carefully curated posts from family, friends, celebrities, and influencers can lead to negative social comparison. You end up feeling like your life doesn’t measure up. This kind of social media-induced stress and anxiety is increasingly common.
In one survey, 7 out of 10 teens said that Instagram made them feel worse about their body image and left them feeling inadequate. Deactivating your social media accounts takes away this source of stress and allows you to focus on yourself, not the lives of others.
Increase Productivity and Focus
Social media is designed to capture your attention. The constant pings, dings, and red notification counts keep you coming back. This can be incredibly distracting and reduces your ability to focus and stay productive.
A study by the University of Copenhagen found that even the presence of a smartphone, even if it’s not in use, can reduce your cognitive capacity. Silencing your online accounts helps minimize digital distractions, allowing you to be more present, attentive, and productive.
Take Control of Your Data and Privacy
Social networks accumulate huge amounts of data about you, your interests, and your online behaviors. While this enables them to serve targeted ads, it comes at the cost of your privacy. Deactivating your accounts prevents these companies from continuing to gather more and more of your personal data.
You may also have concerns about old posts and photos resurfacing out of context. Deactivating your accounts can give you peace of mind that you’re not at risk of past posts being held against you.
Reset Your Usage
A social media detox allows you to take a step back and reset your relationship with technology. Once you take a break for a while, you may find you can approach social media from a healthier place and with more balance. You’ll be less tempted to fall back into old habits like endless scrolling.
This reset period will make you more mindful of how and why you use social media. You can then set new guidelines for yourself moving forward.
How Long Should You Deactivate For?
There is no perfect deactivation timeframe. Many experts suggest taking a break for at least two weeks to see benefits. But you may need a longer period like a month or several months, depending on your goals.
Start with two weeks as a test run. If you feel you need more time, you can always extend your deactivation period. Check in with yourself periodically to determine if you’re ready to reactivate or if you want more time away.
Will Deactivating Delete My Account?
On most platforms, deactivating is not the same as deleting. Deactivating simply hides your profile and stops you from accessing the service. Your data is retained by the company.
To permanently delete your account, you must take additional steps beyond deactivation. Deletion erases it from existence. Deactivation is reversible, while deletion is permanent.
Can I Reactivate My Account?
Yes, on most platforms you can reverse your deactivation and reactivate your account whenever you like. There is usually an option to “Reactivate” your account through the settings menu or by logging back in.
Your profile, posts, friends or followers, messages, etc. will be restored as they were before you deactivated. It will be like you never left!
Will People Be Notified if I Deactivate?
On most platforms, your friends/followers will not receive any notification if you deactivate your account. Your profile will simply disappear from their feeds. However, some sites like Facebook do notify your Facebook Messenger contacts when you deactivate.
If you want to let people know you’ll be taking a social media sabbatical, post a quick message about it before deactivating your profile.
Can I Use Social Media in Moderation Instead?
Deactivating your accounts completely is the best way to enforce a true break. But moderation is also an option if you don’t want to fully deactivate.
Some ways to moderate usage include:
- Deleting apps from your smartphone
- Limiting yourself to 30 mins per day on each platform
- Only checking accounts from a desktop computer
- Turning off all notifications
- Unfollowing accounts that don’t spark joy
The key is being mindful of your usage and setting limits that work for you. But a full deactivation is often needed to reset ingrained habits.
What Should I Do with My Free Time?
Before deactivating your accounts, think about what you’d like to spend your newfound free time on and make a plan. Having activities or goals lined up will make it easier to follow through.
Here are some ideas for productive ways to fill your time:
- Read books
- Take up a new hobby
- Learn a new skill
- Exercise more
- Spend more time with family/friends
- Start a side business
- Clean and organize your space
- Volunteer in your community
Without a strategy, you may default back to mindless online surfing. So have a plan ready for all that free time you’ll gain!
How to Cope with FOMO
Fear of missing out, or FOMO, is a common worry that keeps people glued to social media. How will I stay in the loop if I’m not online?
Here are some tips to cope with FOMO when deactivating your accounts:
- Remember that people mostly post highlights, not everyday life. Social media distorts reality.
- If you’re concerned about events, ask friends to text or call you with details.
- Reflect on how much value social media truly provides, versus how much is just filler.
- Find new hobbies and activities to broaden your world beyond social media.
- Use your break as a fresh start to focus on your real-world connections and goals.
Should I Tell Friends I’m Taking a Break?
Letting close friends know you’re taking a social media sabbatical is wise. This avoids them thinking you’re ignoring them when you disappear from the feed.
Send them a text or email to give a heads up. Let them know it’s nothing personal and that you’ll still be in touch via phone calls, texting, or in person meetups.
Consider posting a farewell message explaining your reasons and when you’ll be back. That way acquaintances and wider social circles understand why you’re gone.
How Do I Prevent Relapse?
Like any habit change, staying off social media gets easier over time. But it’s normal to have moments of weakness, especially early on. Have a plan in place to prevent reactivation relapses.
- Remove apps from your smartphone and log out on computers to add friction.
- Find an accountability partner to check in with.
- Note triggers that make you crave social media and avoid them.
- Stay busy with activities, hobbies, and in-person socializing.
- If you relapse, get right back on track – don’t use it as an excuse to give up.
Will This Help My Mental Health?
Multiple studies show that taking extended breaks from social media improves mental health and wellbeing for most people. Even a short one-week break can make a difference.
Benefits include reduced anxiety and depression, improved mood and focus, higher self-esteem, more in-person socializing, and better sleep quality. Many users experience a huge sense of relief after quitting social platforms.
Conclusion
Deactivating your social media accounts provides an opportunity to take back control of your time, focus, and mental headspace. While it may seem daunting at first, most people find it to be a rejuvenating and healthy experience.
Approach a social media detox as you would any lifestyle change – arm yourself with information and support to set yourself up for success. Take it one day at a time, fill your time with real-world activities, and trust that you will adjust to life offline.
In our hyper-connected world, time away from social platforms allows you to reconnect with yourself. And that’s an invaluable gift not just to yourself, but to everyone in your life as well.