Social media detox

A strange blog post you might be thinking, given my career choice as a freelance digital marketer! It’s fair to say I spend an awful lot of time looking at screens, if I’m not staring into my MacBook I’m scrolling on my phone replying to emails (or looking at dog accounts on Instagram). I’ll be the first to admit that even I feel overwhelmed by digital sometimes, being plugged in non-stop can have detrimental effects on your mental health and I’ve certainly felt this lately. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely LOVE what I do and I couldn’t imagine working a job that doesn’t involve digital but on busy weeks where I’m working from 8am until 11.30pm, I start to burnout.

You may have noticed my Instagram has been quieter than usual of late, I’ve gone from posting 5-6 times a week, to 1 post a week. At first, this wasn’t a conscious decision but as I reflect on the past couple of months I can see how it’s happened. My freelance workload has been increasing which I am so grateful for, but something had to give. Maintaining my clients on top of my personal work can sometimes be tricky, so I’ve put the gram on the backburner whilst I get through this busy period. It would be foolish for me to try and do everything; client work, Instagram, blog, Pinterest, writing work, the list is never-ending. I’ve learnt that spreading myself too thinly is never a good idea, and I’ve enjoyed stepping back and relieving the pressure I put on myself.

Here are a few other ways I’m detoxing from digital that you might want to consider too…

Heading away for 5 nights digital-free

It might sound a little bit dramatic but both Charlie and I were feeling the stress from our jobs so I decided to book our favourite Ibizahotel, Ibizazen for 5 nights to get away from it all and rejuvenate. We both work for ourselves so taking time off is tricky but we both felt that a relaxing break is just what we need. I’m going to limit my phone use and probably just turn it on to post a pic or two but that’s all. I’m looking forward to lazy afternoons by the pool, leisurely strolls into the town and a few cocktails.

Taking regular walks around a nature reserve

When I’m feeling stressed and anxious, I find one of the best remedies for me personally is to surround myself with nature and get outside. We have a beautiful nature reserve just 5 minutes down the road from us, and I’ve been making the effort to go for a stroll around here at least twice a week. I always feel much better for it afterward, plus it’s great exercise too. There’ just something about walking around areas of natural beauty that make me realise it’s a big world out there and my problems actually aren’t all the problematic in the grand scheme of things.

Heading away on spa break

My friend Adele and I are both major spa lovers. We love nothing more than a girly day out spent enjoying massages, gossiping in the hot tub, and chilling out. I need a spa day so we’ve already got our next one lined up at the gorgeous Champneys in Henlow and I can’t wait to unwind. The use of phones there is discouraged which I personally find great as it completely eliminates the temptation to scroll. It’s the perfect setting to let your mind rest and unplug from your inbox.

Phone free hours

I’m so guilty of bugging Charlie to start a new Netflix series and then finding myself scrolling Twitter halfway into an episode. I think technology and social media have shortened my attention span, and it’s given me a really bad habit of mindlessly scrolling. I recently downloaded one of those apps that records the time spent on your phone and I was horrified with the results! I’ve gone from around 5 hours a day to 1 and a half hours which I’m quite impressed with. Unless I’m working on-the-go there really isn’t a need for me to sit on my phone, especially in the evenings so I’m putting it aside and concentrating on the next episode of Stranger Things.

Have you ever considered a digital detox? Do you spend too much time on your phone?