10 benefits of unplugging from Social Media? I could state a hundred! 

It’s been 4 years since the day I got trolled by 237 odd netizens on a popular social media platform for casually mentioning my choice of lean proteins.

A group with counter opinions took offense and expressed the same in a slurry of unintelligible exclamations that my grey cells interpreted as deadly abuses as the thin line between facts and opinions vapourised into thin air, the chicken in me decided to chicken out of the platform until my rattled nerves didn’t rattle anymore.  

And I can tell you with all certainty I couldn’t have been happier. 

Social Media is a Boon – Why Unplug? 

Before discussing the 10 benefits of unplugging from social media, let’s understand why it is necessary.

Social media has been a boon in many ways. And, every time, it is not about influencers making millions flashing their rare ends, flatulence, or ASMR videos. It’s a gateway to connect, inform, gain awareness, learn, contribute, grow, and promote businesses/start-ups, personal branding, showcasing talents, and so much more. 

In short, it’s powerful, relevant, and necessary. With great power comes great responsibilities, a fact that we, the ordinary, choose to stay oblivious to. 

Social media is as addictive as nicotine or recreational drugs. As per 2023 statistics

• 58.5% of the world population is active on social media, with over 200 million certified as addicted. 
• 1 in every 3 divorces is owed to social media disagreements. 
• Fear of missing out (FOMO) is the primary cause of anxiety and stress in the younger population in their 20s and 30s. 
• 55% of drivers check social media while driving. Accidents ahoy! 
• Nearly 41% of young adults have reported sleep disturbances and poor academic performances because of constant scrolling
• Almost every young adult develops a poor self-image if they don’t get adequate likes/comments on their posts
• 7 out of 10 teens are prone to developing suicidal tendencies by spending about 5 hours on social media daily.

Since 62% of the information you see on social media platforms is fake, 75% of people airbrush their lifestyles before posting. Over 55% of Insta Influencers are held accountable for fraud.

It is unnecessary for 77% of young adults to portray a fake persona on these platforms and risk their mental health to the level of suicide for trying and failing to live up to unrealistic standards. 

10 Benefits of Unplugging from Social Media

Bye-Bye Negativity

Envy, jealousy, competition, rumors, FOMO, digesting opinions as facts, cyberbullying, poor self-image, and living with a constant feeling of deficit… unplugging from social media gives you freedom from this concoction of negative emotions. Suddenly you feel lighter, happier, and contented with the life you have. 

Early to Bed, Early to Rise

Social media addiction is a certified cause of anxiety. Anxiety is a certified cause of sleep deprivation. Blame it on insomnia or poor REM cycles, and these are some of the effects of exposing your ophthalmic system to blue light every night.

Sleep deprivation is a certified cause of drowsy mornings, under-eye dark circles, irritability, loss of focus, brain fog, low productivity, extreme stress, and anxiety. Could you track the vicious circle there? 

Among the 10 benefits of unplugging from social media, high-quality sleep is perhaps the most important. In a few hand-counted days, you will see yourself.

• going to bed earlier, 
• Waking up when the air is still fresh, 
• finding more time for yourself, 
• Kickstarting productive routines, 
• Feel stronger and more energetic.
• Experience improved brain functioning with better decision-making, excellent retention of memories, quick solution-finding, and so much more.

Real People, Real Connections

You know influencers; you know the history of Kardashian’s rear end; you know pea has proteins; you know Amber Heard. 

But do you know your neighbor’s next door? Do you know how many invitations to the community ladies’ charity event you’ve missed where you could have contributed towards real causes? Do you know there was an old abandoned hound crying for food at your doorstep while you were busy defending bralettes as formal wear in the comment section?

Unplugging from social media opens your eyes to reality, ‘As It Is.’ You get to know real people, you get to contribute time and resources to real causes, and you are most likely to find greater purpose and contentment in life. 

Discover your Talents

You have Talents! Yes, You Do! Unplugging awakens the potential of the right hemisphere of your brain. It could be anything, painting, singing, playing musical instruments, pottery, writing, learning languages, landscaping, or interior/fashion designing; unplugging from social media sets you off to explore your creative frequencies in a thousand ways.

Millions are making side incomes out of it too! An hour a day to start with, and you’re sure to see the magic unfolding before your eyes. 

Exploring and discovering your creative side and honing your talents in the same gives depth and dimension to your persona. It makes you more attractive to people around you, whether in the virtual world or the real. 

IQ Grows; Not Your Waist Line

On average, incessant, mindless scrolling and responding to unnecessary posts can reduce your IQ by 10 points. Needless to say, it feeds your waistline, too, given that all the action you possibly do on social media is on the comment section, which invariably makes you anxious, angry, and, sadly, sedentary. 

Unplugging in the midst of this virtual chaos can be therapeutic. With more time to read, think, work out, connect with real people, gain real information, and focus on genuine causes, your IQ is restored.  

You Learn To Be Authentic

Of the 10 benefits of unplugging from social media, re-learning to be authentic contributes directly towards your character development. The effects are evident as you

• become 100% content and confident in your own skin
• don’t fake your income, social life, looks, or lifestyle to level up to unrealistic virtual standards 
• you don’t judge others on parameters you don’t wish to be judged yourself
• you love to present yourself just as you, and you wouldn’t have it any other way

Added bonus, Your Sigma personality starts to gain dominance!

Contribute Meaningfully to Genuine Causes

Civil Rights Movement, Satyagraha, Quit India Movement, Women’s Right to Vote, Chipko Movement… one thing that’s common among these historical movements that actually changed the shape of the world is that they happened before the age of social media. 

Do we require any more proof that real causes that need real solutions can be addressed without cluttered virtual platforms? 

Sponsor meals to orphanages; sponsor education for an underprivileged child; feed shelter animals and participate in their adoption drives; plant trees; collect and donate used clothes/blankets/shoes. Unplugging from social media will open your eyes to contributing meaningfully to genuine causes that will tangibly aid in filling societal deficits from the grass root level.

Discover Productivity

How often do you check your notifications while at work? And, how often do you feel anxious when you’re not in a position to check these texts? While your eyes are glued to the worksheet, your mind is busy wondering what you’re missing out on. 

The result? Zero focus; erroneous projects; delayed target achievements; poor appraisals; worst comes to worst, your boss gives you the bird, and now you’re jobless and free to check notifications all day long. 

Unplugging is your only remedy to this chain of unfortunate circumstances. When you learn to unplug

• your focus increases, 
• you become mindful at work
• your critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills improve, 
• productivity, thus, becomes your middle name 

Go ahead, and give it a shot; it works!

Save Relationships

With average screen times crossing 6 hours, how much quality time do you think you’re actually devoting to real people around you? Social media is one of the leading reasons why partners, spouses, children, parents, friends, and even pets, for that matter, feel neglected and eventually break away from the family. 

Tensions, squabbles, trust issues, and relationship anxiety are the Horace and Jasper of social media that we often welcome into our lives with arms wide open. 

Unplugging can help you rekindle fading love and lost connections, literally therapeutically. Only a couple of unplugged hours is enough to reconnect with people that actually matter and cherish their presence in your life.

Learn to Use Social Media like How It’s Meant to Be Used

Social media is a powerful platform to share knowledge, raise awareness, empower, spread positivity, share meaningful events, promote businesses, and many more.

It is, however, not a place to project your insecurities, bully others, brainwash people to adopt unrealistic standards of life, project fake self-image, clickbait, or catfish. 

Unplugging can help you focus on using social media the way it is meant to be used rather than subscribing to the distortions normalized these days.

Eventually, people will start trusting and responding to your posts more, which is sure to work in your favor in terms of popularity and exposure. 

Dwell in Serenity Absolutely Stress-Free

You’re competing with no one but yourself. You don’t judge and are equally immune to judgments. You’re happy in your own skin, income, home, relationships, and way of life. 

You’ve got nothing to prove to no one. You are content with what you have; you’re not worried about missing out; you’re completely devoted to self-development. Could life get any better than this?

Absolute freedom from stress and dwelling weightlessly in inner peace are the most cherished among the 10 benefits of unplugging from social media. 

Guide to Social Media Detox

Now that we know the 10 benefits of unplugging from social media, it’s time to learn ‘how’ to initiate this positive change. Doing away with addictions in a day is a little too much to ask. Be kind to yourself. Take one small step at a time.

Here’s a concise route map to detox without disconnecting, something I personally followed for roughly a fortnight before I started feeling the difference.

Stop Scrolling

Consciously stop scrolling for 2 hours, at least. Pick up a book and read instead. If that doesn’t interest you, take a walk in a park, feed the ducks, or paint or write, I mean, literally ‘write,’ not type, do anything that does not involve a screen in front of your face.

Delete Unnecessary Apps

If you delete an app or two, you won’t miss out on anything. In fact, there isn’t much you could possibly miss out on. Choose 1 platform or 2 and take a long, long break from the rest. You don’t have to delete your account. Just disappear for a while.

Unfollow Toxic Influencers

People that give you body image issues, people that preach, those that make you question your reality, unfollow them. They are the primary source of unnecessary stress. 

Workout And Meditate

40 minutes a day for 5 days a week, workout without your phone in your pocket. You couldn’t possibly check notifications if your arms are busy lifting.  

Stop Posting Randomly

Post when it’s relevant; post when it’s authentic; post when you know it will benefit someone seeing it. Don’t feel rushed to display your achievements when you see others announcing their victories and triumphs grandiloquently.

No Response Day

Announce 2 days in a week as no-response days. In these two days, do not like or comment on any posts. Don’t share anything, either. Do not respond to texts unless it is critical/urgent. 

Real Possibilities Lie Beyond the Screen

So, what do you know, I can paint! I mean, how hidden were my talents that it took me all these years to finally find them?

I can sing, I can grow vegetables (indoor gardening), and yes, my legs can handle 2 Kilometers of cycling too. Just when things were getting good, it got even better! Now I’m a founding member of the Grey Goose biker’s guild, a venture of my own initiative, and a volunteer at the local animal shelter.

Have you tried unplugging before? Have you experienced any of these 10 benefits of unplugging from social media? Have you experienced anything beyond these 10 benefits listed here? Do let us know. We are always keen to learn  

Also read: How To Cheer Yourself Up When Feeling Down

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