Real Talk 12th November 2015 by Victoria Stokes

4 Serious Signs You Need To Take A Break From Social Media

Dear social media, it's not me it's you: these four signs mean you need to take your life offline, STAT.

instagram food

1. You feel anxious without your phone

Smartphone separation anxiety is a very real thing, (it’s proper name is nomophobia, FYI) and it’s linked to a feeling off disconnectedness when you’re away from your SM accounts. It’s the inability to connect, communicate and access information online that can lead to feelings of panic. Reckon you might be addicted? This quiz will help you figure it out.

2. It’s stopping you from getting stuff done

We love to procrastinate as much of the next gal, but with an average of 28% of our day spent social networking it’s a wonder we get anything done at all. Wanna know if you’re spending waaaay too much time on your social media accounts? The Moment app will help you track your usage, and pinpoint exactly how much time you’re spending on each account.

3. It’s harming your self esteem

From braggy Facebook statuses to flawless Instagram selfies, if you spend a whole lotta time glued to social media it can be easy to think everyone else’s life is a helluva lot more glossy and awesome than yours is. One study revealed that Facebook increases dissatisfaction with your life, while another paper entitled They Are Happier And Having Better Lives Than I am: The Impact Of Using Facebook On Perceptions Of Other People’s Lives revealed that social media can lead to intense feelings of jealousy. Constantly feeling green-eyed while scrolling through your feed? Ditching it for good might just be the thing, as some of our readers found out when they went Facebook-free. 

4. You post about moments rather than savouring them

Grabbing lunch with a mate and already formulating the tweet you’re gonna write, or the elaborate foodie shot you’re gonna post to Insta? When STELLAR staffer Laura went smartphone-free, and in turn logged off from all her social media accounts, one of the biggest changes she noticed was that she was living more in the moment. Without the pressure of Tweeting, Instagramming or Facebooking about what she was up to, she was more actively enjoying whatever she was doing.

Among the other changes she noticed? She felt considerably less stressed, a lot happier and had a stack load more free time. Go figure.

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