How (and why) to take a break from social media

While it was fun for a while, you’ve had it with Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Your feed has turned into a constant flow of political diatribes, endless selfies from friends who love themselves way too much and colleagues who wax groundless conspiracy theories about current events.

Or maybe you’re simply sick of the phoniness of it all, with your friends faking the high life when you know it’s all a façade.

As USA TODAY reported last year, a study in 14 countries found that comparing yourself to others on Facebook is more likely to leave you feeling depressed than when you do so offline.

Regardless of the reason, you might need a break. If it’s time for a social media “timeout,” consider the following suggestions on pulling it off.

GO COLD TURKEY OR LIMIT YOUR ACCESS?

The first thing to decide is whether you should completely unplug from social media or simply want it under control. You’ll need to figure out if you should rip the Band-Aid off and fully abstain, or merely cut it back to, say, 30 minutes a day.

Or maybe you uninstall social media on your smartphone — to resist the temptation of opening your favorite app on the one device you always have with you — but instead you schedule a few minutes of screen time on a personal computer, perhaps after dinner. It’s not a one-size-fits-all scenario, but ask yourself what kind of a break you need. Maybe don’t officially delete your account(s) just yet, as you might regret such a drastic move later.

POST A MESSAGE TO YOUR FRIENDS OR FOLLOWERS

OK, so you’ve decided to cut social media out of your life instead of scaling it back. Even if it’s temporary, there’s a right way and wrong way to do it. To avoid worrying friends and family, publicly post something to the effect of “Hey, I’m taking a bit of a break from social media” and remind your friends they can reach you in many other ways. If you simply disappear unannounced, especially if you’ve posted quite a bit, it might worry your online friends and family.

As to your “goodbye” note, try to avoid phrases such as “You’ll never see me here again!” You’ll look foolish if you do rejoin.

SURROUND YOURSELF WITH (OFFLINE) PEOPLE

If you’ve decided to take a break from social media, the last thing you want to see when out with friends at a restaurant or club is everyone on their devices. It’s like trying to quit smoking in a room full of smokers. In other words, spend some time with people who authentically enjoy the physical company of others.

Enjoy the break. If you decided to take one, you needed it.