The artificial world of likes and followers is, for the most part, a very very bad thing: Machiavellianism, screen addiction, unchecked social comparison, and mindlessness are a few examples of the consequences that arise from unconscious social media use. With that being said, I still make the conscious (and to be completely transparent with you, sometimes painful) choice to use Facebook and Instagram. The socialz aren’t going away anytime soon and the ridiculous amount of oversimplified and borderline dangerous broscience out there will continue to cause harm in the industry that I love – an industry that’s supposed to be about helping the world become healthier and stronger.
No Scott, the fact that you track your macros doesn’t mean it’s okay to have all your carbohydrate intake come from processed sugar… even if you got that information from Broseph McTikTok.
No Britney, the booty band that you bought off of that genetically gifted (and unreasonably hot) fitness influencer won’t lift your bum. It will lift her bank account though.
No Chad, barbell back squats are NOT a panacea for improving athletic performance. You see Hafthor get pieced up in his most recent boxing fight? Yeah, that’s what I mean.
Sorry. I digress.
Being active on social media is important to me because somebody has to put quality information out there that isn’t a pseudo-ad for protein powder or dick pills. But there’s a price to be paid for all that screen time, and I certainly felt it in the last few months. Anxiety, depression, emotional constipation, procrastination, and an inability to be present were at an all-time high in mid-January of this year. So I decided to take a break. Five days off from social media, away from my adult pacifiers. And fuck me, what a joyous time it was!
I woke up each morning feeling refreshed rather than overwhelmed. I floated through the day, taking my time to do each task with care, rather than rushing through the Artificial Social Comparison Rat Race created by my media-influenced mind. I spent my evenings sharing hugs and laughs with my favourite people. I was eating, breathing, and moving with a level of mindfulness and clarity that I hadn’t experienced in a long, long time.
If all that sounds appealing to you, great! Because it just so happens that I’M LOOKING FOR 5 HUNGRY AND MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALS TO JOIN MY STOPBEINGADIPSHIT PROGRAM. SPOTS ARE LIMITED AND YOU ONLY HAVE 27 MINUTES LEFT TO REGISTER. IF YOU’RE SICK OF BEING A FAT, LAZY, UGLY, WEAK, BROKE, AND WORTHLESS LOSER SIGN UP NOW.
Just kidding. Like I said, there are many things that I despise about the internet, and it’s therapeutic for me to paint a caricature of the manipulative dickhead marketer.
Seriously though, I highly encourage you to take a break from social media – a social media fast, if you will. Setting a few days aside to go cold turkey on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or whatever else your internet drug of choice is will significantly reduce any mental dis-ease that you might currently be suffering from. But as with any health habit, there’s an effective way and a lazy way to do it. Have a look at the list of tips below to make your social media fast as effective as possible.
Guidelines for an Effective Social Media Fast:
- Replace your social media time with activities that will help reacquaint you with you. So if you spend your mornings scrolling through the ADHD feeds, then maybe go outside for a walk instead. If you habitually check the socials before bed, then maybe spend that time journalling, foam rolling, stretching, or meditating (i.e. lay there and breathe without freaking out about whether you’re doing it properly or not).
- When the urge to open the app comes over you, don’t open the app. But at the same time, don’t resist the discomfort. That discomfort is actually the trigger behind your mindless Insta use. So go ahead and feel it. Is it a tightness or constriction that you can localize to a certain part of your body? Or is it a thought or emotion that’s running as incessant background noise in your mind? I mean it when I call social media an adult pacifier – it’s the thing we do to not feel the things that we need to feel, or to not think the thoughts that we don’t want to think. Feel the feels. Think the thoughts. Don’t resist and see what happens.
- At some point throughout your fast, break out the journal and dig into why you have a social media account in the first place. If it’s for business purposes, brainstorm whether there are better ways to market your services or get your name out there. If it’s to stay in touch with friends, think about whether you value those internet interactions over phone calls or in-person hangouts. If it’s to gain followers, ask yourself what kind of void you’re filling by giving internet strangers the power to boost your self-esteem through a double click red heart. There are no wrong answers, you’re simply trying to gain some clarity on the motivations behind your habits and behaviours. You’re the captain of the social media ship, not the other way around.
I hope this was a helpful read for you and if you decide to block time off from the socials, then I wish you all the relaxation and clarity. Also, I’m sorry if I got a little too candid on my feelings about my own social media use. To be clear, I only despise some aspects of it. And as a matter of fact, YOU, dear internet friend, are the reason that I try to be so consistent on social media in the first place. So thanks for being open-minded, intelligent, and patient enough to read through this blog post instead of scrolling to see what kind of lipstick Kylie Jenner’s going to come out with next. I really, truly appreciate it.
And of course, if you’re ready to take ownership for your own health and performance, reach out and we’ll see if we can come up with a game plan to get you looking, feeling, and performing at your best!
Pat Koo
BKin, CSCS