Can you live without social media for a week? What about a month?
Aadityaa Gupta
Computer Science and Management graduate passionate about sustainability and technology, podcast host at Sparks of Curiosity, and Tech Services Graduate at Vision Australia
Do you think you can live without social media for a week? What about a month? ??
Last week, I decided to give this a try, and here is what I found.
The Rules
I allowed myself to send and receive messages on these platforms, as I didn’t want to completely isolate myself from the world.
The Goal
My main objective was to stop the mindless consumption of content that was slowly taking over my life. I had started to notice that much of what I consumed didn’t genuinely interest me. Instead, it served as a distraction and provided fleeting dopamine hits.
I wanted to reclaim my time and attention. By stepping away from the endless barrage of social media stimuli, I aimed to:
The Experience
Day 1
On the very first day, I had to amend one of the rules. Many of the communities I’m part of on Facebook are vital for staying connected and finding interesting events. Realizing this, I adjusted my rule to allow myself to check Facebook once a day. This way, I could stay updated without succumbing to endless scrolling.
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Day 2
By the second day, I broke another rule: YouTube. One of my favorite creators uploaded a rare video, and I couldn’t resist watching it. Given how infrequent their uploads are, I decided it was okay to make this exception.
The Rest of the Week
For the remainder of the week, I stuck to my rules. My biggest achievement? Not spending a single minute scrolling on Instagram. There were moments when my fingers instinctively opened the app, but I managed to resist the urge every time.
The most challenging moments were during idle times, like while commuting or in the washroom. Without the option to scroll, I was forced to sit with my thoughts. After a few days though, I began feeling more comfortable not doing anything, which gave me the time to think about stuff that was going on in my life, and decide on the goals I wanted to focus on in the future.
I also became more aware of my surroundings. For instance, I discovered a stunning room in the State Library of Victoria, complete with breathtaking architecture and an incredible view from the upper floors. Despite walking past this building countless times, I had never taken the time to explore it. Additionally, since I wasn’t glued to my screen, I overheard fascinating conversations on the train and even received a compliment from a stranger that made my day.
The Takeaway
Although I didn’t perfectly adhere to all the rules, this experiment was a success. It reminded me that while the digital world is an integral part of modern life, it’s possible to create boundaries that allow us to be more present in the physical world.
Now, as the new year begins, I encourage anyone who has made it this far to give this experiment a go. Be more present in your surroundings, strike up a conversation with a stranger, or maybe, just sit still for a while and watch the city go by. Instead of constantly looking down at your phone, take a moment to acknowledge the existence of the person next to you, and perhaps even give them a genuine compliment! It might just make their day :)