The social detox we tried and the effects on our finances

I couldn’t say we enjoyed our first white Christmas and our major snowbank debacle up North. But later on that.

This past December, I decided to take a social media cleanse. I logged out of Facebook and Instagram for two weeks and deleted the App from my phone to ensure I would not crave to just do a quick check… And it was amazing.

Now, before you go all monster out and think this is some kind of millennial trend or something — don’t worry! You don’t have to go on a full-fledged detox from all social media channels. But if scrolling is taking over your mood and life, consider a social media cleanse. It’s one of many ways you can break free of online platforms for a certain period. Some folks log out for a day, while others escape for a week or month to detox from their internet habits.

This past December, I decided to take a social media cleanse. I logged out of Facebook and Instagram for two weeks and deleted the App from phone to ensure I would not crave to just do a quick check… And it was amazing.

Now, before you go all monster out and think this is some kind of millennial trend or something — don’t worry! You don’t have to go on a full-fledged detox from all social media channels. But if scrolling is taking over your mood and life, consider a social media cleanse. It’s one of many ways you can break free of online platforms for a certain period. Some folks log out for a day, while others escape for a week or month to detox from their internet habits.

But why do we need a break from selfies and cute dog videos?

When it comes to social media addiction, it’s often a feature rather than a bug. Scrolling through endless feeds can leave us feeling more on edge than entertained (and definitely more imperfect than informed). A cleanse can help clear your head, dial down anxiety, and get better sleep — all while making room in your life for something way more fun than scrolling endlessly through the same old feeds!

One does frequently see online ads.

The evolution of advertising is remarkable. These days, if you mention a specific product while carrying your mobile device, you will begin to see digital advertisements for that goods appear in your Instagram and Facebook feeds.

In addition, marketers will continue to show you the same ad if they see that you are interested in it and are following through by visiting the sales page. More exposure increases the likelihood that a consumer will make a purchase.

A decrease in spending urges

These days, almost everyone uses the Internet to do at least some of their shopping. Seventy-six percent of consumers, according to the data, have made a purchase based on seeing it advertised on social media. And many of them weren’t even shopping when they hopped on social media.

However, they were suddenly struck with desire for a certain item, leading them to make a hasty purchase. Spending more time on social media increases your vulnerability to impulse purchases.

Alleviates FOMO (FOMO)

Fear of missing out (FOMO) is more pervasive than ever in today’s age of constant social media updates. It’s easy to feel left behind when it seems like everyone you follow on Instagram has the latest and greatest product.

You can avoid feeling left out of the shopping loop if you limit your exposure to stories about other people’s purchases.

Increases in earnings are possible.

What about the possibility that your time spent on social media has prevented you from expanding your business, being promoted at work, or otherwise boosting your income? You can better focus on other things in life if you log off social media at a reasonable hour. This could mean extra time for some folks to work and earn money.

I realised I have a healthy relationship with social media!

Not many people can say that comfortably. During my time, I began a book on Christmas Eve, and on the 4th of January 2023, I was complete. Wahoo! What a start to a New Year. I spent most of my time caught up in conversations and board games, even those adult ones, but the most significant change was the amount of space I had available to think. To think clearly is one thing, but to think while being caught up in what others are doing or doom scrolling is just not healthy. I spent days reflecting on my year ahead and recapped the year that was about to pass us. The moments in my business, my health, my relationships, the choices I have been making and some that became unhealthy habits that I did not recognize until now.

Driving up North was insanely dangerous, but we made it. However, we had to leave our car on the side of the road for all four days as it landed in a snowbank. Some kind neighbours eventually got us out. While it was worrying, we had to be positive as we spent an amazing time with family and friends, playing games, crawling through heaps of snow, shovelling way too much snow, eating smores and having real conversations.

Stepping away can help you focus on the other priorities in your life and realize what matters. You might be reminded of other hobbies you love and adjust your budget to make more room for those and less for shopping. Oh, those Boxing day sales!

I kept the full two weeks and rejoined on New Year’s Day. If you are interested in attempting this, then this is where you can begin.

• First, I would like you to calculate how much time you spend on social media.

Knowing how much time you spend (or waste) on these sites is helpful before attempting a detox.

• Second, Reduce the Number of Accounts You Follow

If the statistics glaring back at you are too high, you should cut back on some of the frivolity that social media may bring into your life.

• Third step, uninstall any unnecessary apps from your mobile device (No Need to Delete the Accounts)

This prevents you from being tempted to check your Twitter feed every eight seconds to see whether your favourite athlete has retweeted a joke or if you’ve gotten any new Likes.

• Fourth, find ways to occupy your Mind and Fingers.

Having something more meaningful to do with your time is the best approach to spending less time scrolling and more time living.

I do not doubt that you will share my opinion. This is not to suggest that you should completely cut yourself off from all forms of social media. Although these services might add enjoyment and convenience to your life, they shouldn’t become an obsession.