I’d like to give a high-five to anyone who has successfully tried a social media detox, and I’ll give a thumbs-up to anyone seriously thinking of doing it.

The six-month break from social media was worth it. It all started last year in September 2020, and yes, you are right, on the verge of the COVID-19 pandemic and disaster where everyone is stuck at home and going on the internet is the only means of entertainment and socialization. I deactivated my accounts on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. The only thing I left open was Facebook Messenger, as it is the fastest means of communication to my family at home and friends worldwide. I also kept WhatsApp and Line for work purposes.

The first few days of not watching and reading feeds and timelines from these apps were so strange. It was so odd that I almost gave up on the first three days. 1 week later, there is still that annoying itch from your mind wondering what posts, news, and trends you have missed and, of course, being stuck at home, the challenge is not to kill yourself with boredom.

But things happen naturally when you have gotten over that little devil in your head. I can clearly remember the days when I wake up, the first thing I do is pause, look around my room, down and what the weather looks like. Think about what I shall do that day and what’s nice to cook. Get up, drink, and check my phone for emails, messages, or calls. And that’s about it; that 15-20 minute relationship with my phone was very well established. I was able to finish five books that I had for almost 2 years and was just patiently waiting for me to pick them up on that shelf. I raided my closet and realized that I had so many clothes that I could never wear anymore, so I gave them to the cleaning ladies of my building. I had so much trash and old documents gathering dust and consuming space.

Apart from all the things I said that I did while cutting myself from social media, I think the most crucial take and lesson is that I have never spent so much time with myself, listening to my thoughts and evaluating my plans, career, and goals in life. It benefited almost every aspect of yourself with that silence, no buzzing of news, negativity, and toxicity. The time and moment I have spent talking to family and friends is the best take of all, and I realized that this is how it feels years ago when there was no social media and when communication was not cheap and not readily accessible.

Six months have passed, and I am happy and proud that I was able to take on that challenge and test my self-control and patience. Again, I’m giving a high-five to everyone who had this experience and another big thumbs-up to anyone who wants to try. Give it a go, and let me know how it goes.