5 Steps to a Successful Social Media Fast

If you’re reading this, you probably have some sort of understanding of the negative affects that social media has on our mental health. Our goal in this article isn’t to tell you about those, but if you’re interested in reading more about that, check out this article from Forbes.

Chances are, you’ve landed on this page with some sort of interest in taking a break from social media. So here are some very practical tips and resources to help ensure a successful fast.

Understand WHY

I’ve wrestled with my weight for quite some time, and often, I will get on a bit of a health kick and completely change my diet. When that happens, I lose a bit of weight, look a bit better, and feel a bit healthier. This perception leads to me acting against what I know is true. Even though I am relatively healthier, that doesn’t mean I am healthy.

When I start to feel the weight and pressure of social media and the anxiety and depression that causes, I quickly delete the apps on my phone and declare that I am taking a break. The problem with that is, much like my dieting, as soon as that perceived weight has lifted a bit, I think it’s okay to hop back in. Immediately, I get caught back up in a vicious cycle.

We shouldn’t base our social media fast purely on feelings. We shouldn’t be fasting just to “feel” better. We SHOULD be fasting to BE better. We SHOULD be fasting from social media in order to focus on deepening our relationship with God, our friends, family, church, and community.  We fast because we understand that there is something so much greater than what we are giving up.

“Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?” And Jesus said to them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. (Matthew 9:14–15 ESV)”

Jesus’ explanation to the disciples sums the whole purpose of Social Media Fasting so well. The disciples weren’t fasting because they were with their “bridegroom.” The time for fasting came when they were deprived from Him. When they needed to reconnect and focus back on Him. 

For us who claim to be Christians, we have to realize that we often replace prayer and communion with God, with likes and retweets. A social media fast is a great way to give up, give back, and return to a joy that only Christ can offer. 

Set a Goal

There’s a reason devotionals, bible studies, and sermon series have a set length. There’s a goal to reach and something to be achieved. The first step in keeping ourselves accountable is to set a timeframe. Your social media fast doesn’t have to look like or last as long as mine. Maybe it might last longer.

The best way to set a goal is to find some point in your calendar, and have that be the moment you allow yourself to return to social media. You can take a one week break, a two week break, or maybe even a whole month. Whatever you choose, try to stick to it.

Get Someone to Keep You Accountable

We often confuse abandoning social media for abandoning the world. It’s quite the opposite. Rather than focusing on the masses, focus in on your personal relationships and allow those to flourish. 

Prepare Yourself and Your Friends

Here’s a very practical problem: if you’re not on social media, how can people get ahold of you? Believe it or not, our phones served a purpose before Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook. Feel free to give your contact information to your friends and family and let them know that’s how they can get ahold of you.

You don’t have to view this fast as shutting yourself out from the world. You’re taking this time to eliminate distractions and focus on what/who is most important in your life.

Also, if you feel like you need to make an announcement for your break on your Insta stories, Snap stories, or just a general post, you can click the buttons below to save an announcement post that you are more than welcome to use!

Constantly Remind Yourself of the WHY

You may have noticed that the WHY section was the longest. There are two reasons for that: 1: I’m getting sleepy and my brain is running out of gas. 2: The WHY is the most important.

We often forget our purpose and the purpose of our actions. Everything we do should be to serve our purpose of loving God and loving others. Hopefully, taking a break from social media can help remind you that YOU ARE LOVED. 

During this time, surround yourself with people who care about you and want to see you experience Christ’s love to the fullest. Take time and dig into the scripture. Trust me, if you’re no longer on social media, you have some time that you didn’t have before to receive God’s word. 

As a bonus practical resource, feel free to click the button below to save a background image for your lock screen on your phone. I hope and pray that it reminds you of the love that God has given us, the blessing that YOU are to someone in this world, and that you have the ability to share that light in the darkness.

YOU CAN DO THIS.
Godspeed.