disconnecting from social media Archives -

This is What Happens When You Disconnect from Social Media

Everyone seems to like to talk about their goals and dreams during the first part of a new year. Then, about the first week in February, all those goals seem to fly out the window. The goals of working out and losing weight are forgotten. Gym memberships go unused and giant tubs of ice cream make their way into the shopping carts once again. What about balance? How is it possible to have balance year round when work eats up all your time and energy?

Is Balance Even Possible?

On the topic of social media, is it really possible to unplug? And I’m not asking just because I have the answers–it’s as much an issue for me as for anyone else. But here are some things that have helped me. Maybe they’ll help you, too.

Buy a State Park Pass

The State of California has an annual pass to all the parks. You might not think you need one, but trust me, you do! (Or maybe the pass for your own state parks, if that exists.) You can’t always easily walk into any park. Sometimes, parks have miles of roads past the entrance, and a pass allows you to really explore a park’s interior without first walking in (at least that’s how it works in California).

Henry Cowell Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains

Addicted to Social Media?

Last year, I bought a park pass and it seriously changed my life. And, if you’re addicted to social media, you can always use the excuse that you need pictures so you can post them to your Instagram later. My personal Instagram is full of images from these forays into parks, by the way. Henry Cowell Park, above, is a personal favorite.

Blackmail Yourself

You could also blackmail yourself into disconnecting from social media, as Reyna Gobel explains in her article: How to blackmail yourself into achieving your goals.

Or Not

Or, you could just get outside, breathe in the fresh air, enjoy the sunshine (or the fog, where I live), with the promise that you’ll feel like a new person when you get back. Isn’t that enough?

How Do You Disconnect from Social Media?

Leave me a comment if you’re not too busy hiking in the park!