I quit social media two months ago and it changed my life. Here are 5 steps you can take to do the same.

I quit social media in November 2024 after realizing how much time I was losing to daily doom-scrolling.

This wasn’t the first time I’d considered deleting Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.

Over the past five years, the idea of a social media detox crossed my mind many times, but I was worried about missing out or losing touch with friends.

Then, one day, after complaining about my phone battery constantly dying, a friend suggested I check which apps were running in the background. That night, I did just that.

Looking at my phone’s usage statistics, I discovered the real problem: I was simply using my phone too much, especially social media apps.

I was spending a shocking three hours every day on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok combined.

Three hours a day is 21 hours a week!

That means I was spending about 3.5 days each month passively consuming content. I was stunned! That was far too much time watching other people’s lives and being bombarded with news and advertisements.

My social media usage in a week in 2024

Social Media Addiction:

When I hear the word “addiction,” I usually think of alcohol or other substances, never scrolling.

Social media addiction is subtle. Many don’t realize they’re addicted, despite studies showing a significant percentage of people struggle with it.

210 million people worldwide suffer from social media addiction.

Scrolling on your phone might seem like a fun hobby or a relaxing way to unwind, but when done excessively, it can become toxic and addictive.

How Do You Know If You Have a Social Media Addiction?

Because social media platforms are so integrated into our lives, it can be hard to tell who is addicted and who isn’t.

Some signs of social media addiction include:

• Using it for more than four hours a day.
• It interferes with your daily activities.
• You feel anxiety, depression, irritability, or fear when you’re not using it.

Some people spend a lot of time on these apps because their job depends on them, or it’s part of their education.

Everyone has different reasons for using social media, and some have been more successful than others at setting healthy boundaries.

If you’re struggling with this, please consider seeking help from a mental health professional.

Social Media Detox

Whenever you feel like you’re using your phone too much, it’s always a good idea to take a break.

Discovering how much time I was wasting on social media, and how drained I felt afterward, led me to a social media detox.

I initially decided on a one-month break. The amount of extra time I suddenly had was remarkable, but even more surprising was how much lighter I felt just five days after deleting the apps. I experienced a sense of calm I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Now, two months later, the benefits are even clearer:

• I have fewer negative thoughts.
• I have more time for activities I enjoy.
• I feel more satisfied with my life.
• I’ve stopped constantly comparing myself to others.
• I’m connecting with family and friends more intentionally.

I’ve realized I don’t need social media for my personal life. I still use Pinterest for blog promotion and YouTube for educational videos, but I’ve deleted all social media apps from my phone. If I need to access those platforms, I use my laptop, which creates a barrier that discourages impulsive use. This is a strategy I recommend, and I’ll explain why later.

I successfully broke my social media addiction, and I’m excited to share five steps you can take to do the same this year.

Five Steps To Quit Social Media

If you are reading this article, it is because you recognize an issue, and you want to change it. Having that intention is the best place to start, and I encourage you to continue this path.

In the following paragraphs, you will find a simple five-step guide on how to quit social media. I followed the same steps two months ago, and they helped me quit social media for good.

1. Ask yourself these questions:

Cliché as it may sound, self-reflection is crucial for lasting change. Ask yourself these questions to understand your current situation and the reasons behind your behavior.

Set aside ten minutes to thoughtfully write down your answers:

• Why do I use social media? (Entertainment, education, connection, work?) Knowing your motivations allows you to find healthier replacements or set limits.
• Why do I want to quit social media? (Feeling overwhelmed, drained, or like you’re wasting time?) Identifying your “why” fuels your commitment to change.
• What’s stopping me from quitting? (Fear of missing out, losing contact with friends?) Addressing these concerns is essential.
• How much time do I spend on social media daily? (Check your phone’s screen time settings.)
• What would I do with the extra time? (Walks, socializing, learning new skills?) Visualizing the possibilities can be highly motivating.

How to check your phone’s screen time:

Android Users:	iPhone Users:
1. Open Settings. 2. Select Digital Wellbeing & parental controls. 3. Click Dashboard. 4. Check the time under Screen time.	1. Open Settings. 2. Select Screen Time. 3. Check time under Screen time summary

2. Track your usage and your emotions:

We often underestimate our screen time. What we think will be “five minutes of scrolling” can easily turn into an hour.

These apps are designed to keep you engaged, and they are becoming increasingly sophisticated at doing so.

A helpful way to become more aware of your time consumption is by using a screen time widget.

Place a screen time widget on your phone’s home screen. This allows you to easily see which apps you use and the duration of your usage.

You can also use the short guide mentioned earlier to check your screen time in your phone’s settings.

Now, let’s consider tracking your emotions related to your phone use.

Keep a journal:

• After using your phone, take a moment to reflect on how you feel.
• Note the date, the app you used, and a detailed description of your emotions.
• Record the content you viewed, including the topics and people involved.

Do this for a week and then review your journal entries. Look for recurring emotional patterns. In other words, identify any emotions that appear repeatedly.

Reflect on these patterns and determine which apps or content are affecting you the most.

You can also work backward: when you feel negative and can’t pinpoint why, journal about what you were doing beforehand.

You’ll likely find connections to social media, news, or other media consumption. Our subconscious absorbs everything, so it’s important to be mindful of what we consume at every moment.

3. Make your phone look less appealing:

Our brain is designed to look for novelty and can get distracted easily.

Monotonous tasks can be mentally tiring, and the colorful distractions on our phones offer a welcome break.

This is why while working when you take your phone to check the time can become an hour of endless scrolling.

The good news is that you can combat this by adjusting some features in your devices:

• Switch your phone to grayscale: This simple change can make your phone less visually stimulating and, therefore, less appealing.
• Hide non-essential apps from your home screen: Reducing the visibility of these apps can help minimize the temptation to open them.
• Put social media apps in a folder with a password: Adding this extra step can make you think twice before opening them.
• Delete the apps entirely and use the web versions instead: This can add another layer of friction, making it less convenient to engage with these platforms.

The goal is to create some resistance to the habit of picking up your phone. By making it less convenient to access distracting apps, you can lessen the impulse for instant gratification and regain focus.

4. Prepare for setbacks:

Breaking a habit can be tough. It’s easy to fall back into familiar routines because they offer instant gratification—that good feeling we get right away.

That’s why it’s so important to take small, manageable steps and reflect on each one.

Here are some ideas to make this process easier:

• Delete one app at a time: When building new habits or breaking old ones, it’s best to proceed gradually. Don’t rush and delete all the apps at once, as this can create a stronger desire to use them. Start by identifying the app you use the least and delete it. Over time, you’ll likely notice you don’t miss it much, and you’ll discover other great ways to spend that extra time.
• Talk with family and friends about it: Let your closest family members, friends, and clients (if you use social media for work) know that you’re planning to take a break from these apps. Share other ways you plan to connect with them.
• Use the timer on your phone: If taking a break from social media apps is difficult, set a timer to close your apps after a certain amount of time. When I began this process, I limited my app usage to one hour per day. This might sound like a lot to some, but it was a significant change for me, considering I was using social media for three hours every day. Choose a time limit you’re comfortable with and gradually reduce it.

5. Reinforce your new habit:

You stick to your habits because of the immediate rewards they give you.

Think about your daily coffee. You probably drink it every morning because it helps you wake up and feel more energetic. These are the immediate rewards you get from your coffee.

Consider social media. Most people experience feelings of satisfaction, relaxation, and happiness while using it.

You can use this understanding of immediate rewards to help you stick to a new habit: avoiding social media.

Here are some things you can do:

• Give yourself a treat after every week you successfully avoid social media.
• Find enjoyable activities to fill the extra time you now have.
• Look for ways to connect more with your friends and family in person.

Also, take some time to journal and reflect on how you feel after a week without social media.

Conclusion

Social media when used excessively can become toxic and even addictive. Quitting it has been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

It’s one thing to want to change, but quite another to actually do it. When faced with the possibility of deleting your social media apps, you might start to question whether it’s the right move. You may worry about missing out, losing touch with the world, or, worst of all, losing contact with your friends.

Whatever is holding you back from deleting those apps, please know there’s a better way. In this post, I’ll share five steps you can take to successfully quit social media and positively change your life.