Why You Should take a Social Media Detox this Holiday

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Have you ever felt a pang of jealousy, financial stress, or less than adequate in your home, family, or career? Social media may be to blame. Improve the quality of your life with this blog post, and making the simple decision to take a break from social media.

Recently, Sara and I were presenting to a group of parents on minimalism. We encouraged every one of them to take a social media detox. Why?

Because it proves to stop the constant comparison game we feel on social media every day. Without constant comparison you might not need to purchase as many items this year, say “yes” to obligations that don’t bring you joy, or continually distract yourself from the people you love. In past years, the holidays were not plastered daily with beautiful family photos, breathtaking sunsets in exotic locations, or all the Pinterest worthy holiday excursions for children.

Financial Stress over the Holidays

A Healthline study reported that most people are stressed over the holidays (Mills). It’s no surprise that the biggest culprit is found in our finances. It feels like any extra cash slips through our fingers starting as early as Halloween and continuing with each new gift, opportunity to host, large meal, travel cost, or novelty. If we know overspending is causing us stress, why do we do it?

Social Comparison

One reason might be that we are constantly comparing our lives to other people. Ever been scrolling and then feel a quick pang of jealousy? This jealousy, comparison, or even coined F.O.M.O is only one app away from making you actually less happy. It was actually found that “while real-world social networks were positively associated with overall well-being, the use of Facebook was negatively associated with overall well-being” (Christakis).  

Social comparison is when “individuals determine their own… personal worth based on how they stack up against others” (Social Comparison Theory). Of course, this happens more frequently when on social media. In other words, you see enough perfectly decorated homes, breathtaking landscapes in exotic places, or expensive items you don’t spend money on, and you may begin to feel less than adequate.

Consequently, we no longer compare our lives to the neighbors across the street. Instead, we constantly compare our lives to everyone on social media including celebrities, famous athletes, homemakers, working moms, stay at home moms, couples without children, body builders, and millionaires. These are completely unrealistic comparisons. We can get a snapshot inside a perfectly organized home, feel inadequate, and impulse buy something online in the next 5 minutes!

What Can We Do?

Jenny Odell provides a solution in her book How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. She explains that you can “stand apart.” Standing apart means observing your habits, observing others’ habits, and ultimately making the best choices for your own happiness and well-being. For her it meant spending more time in nature, and taking breaks from her cell phone.  

I first began to “observe” my habits a few years back with the tumultuous political campaigns happening in our country. I realized I couldn’t change people’s opinions, and I most definitely could not do this via social media.

A pawn to the latest headline, a ball of stress with each new Tweet, and suffering from a lingering anxiety when thinking of our planet’s health, I had become exactly what the media wanted: addicted. At this point, I knew I needed a break.

Psst! You can read more about my findings after I took my first social media detox here, and how I changed my news media habits here.

Take a Social Media Detox this Holiday

To solve this, I took a social media detox and the benefits were almost immediate. As a result, Literally Simple has decided to “stand apart” as well and take social media detoxes at least twice a year. We have chosen this strategically to “reset” the constant stream of information, social comparison, and angst from interacting on social media or news media.

As a result, our holiday social media detox starts next week. In the blogging world, this is perhaps the most lucrative time of year where you can push the most Amazon products, “experiences,” and in general “stuff” people might click on or buy.  We decided that it’s also the most important time to check out of social media, and we’re encouraging all our readers to do the same.

A Call to Action: A Holiday Social Media Detox

What if you stopped constantly comparing your life to others? What if you could simply be happy with the people you love? We dream of this for everyone, and we truly believe with the practice of gratitude, minimalism habits, and a focus on your intentions for the holidays you can  be a much happier and healthier person this year by taking a break from social media.

Now it’s time to make a simple choice. Delete the app, turn off the notifications, or log out, and be present with your family this time of year. Your children, friends, and extended family will all thank you for the time and attention you’ve invested in them.

Final Thoughts on a Holiday Social Media Detox

Above all, when you have no one else to compare your life to, your happiness levels will soar. Your simple decision may just be the best gift you give yourself this year.

Wishing you a holiday filled with peace, love, and generosity!

Join the Discussion

What has been your experience with a social media detox? We’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Author

Maria Halcumb is a teacher, reading specialist, and mother. You can find her reading books, being in nature, minimizing her life, and spending time with family and friends in the great PNW. If you want to learn more about Maria, check out the About page.

Sources

Christakis, Holly B. ShakyaNicholas A. “A New, More Rigorous Study Confirms: The More You Use Facebook, the Worse You Feel.” Harvard Business Review, 21 Aug. 2017, https://hbr.org/2017/04/a-new-more-rigorous-study-confirms-the-more-you-use-facebook-the-worse-you-feel.

Mills, David. “What Stresses us Most at the Holidays.” Healthline, 30, Nov. 2015, https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-stresses-us-most-at-the-holidays-113015#4

“Social Comparison Theory.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/social-comparison-theory.