Want to really connect? Hang up on social media and take a break

As a mental health advocate, I encourage self-care, the practice of caring for yourself to improve your health — mental and physical. I’ve recommended many techniques, one being taking a break from your phone and social media. It helps clear your mind and prevents you from comparing yourself to others. It also helps you turn inward and focus on yourself. Plus, you have more free time.

According to Reviews.org, in a study of U.S. adults more than half of the group (56.9%) said they were addicted to their cellphone. The study revealed that those in the study check their phones 144 times per day. Eighty-nine percent of Americans say they check their phones within the first 10 minutes of waking up. Fun fact — 75% use their phone on the toilet, and 47% of people feel a sense of panic when their phone battery goes below 20%. I can relate. I always have my phone on me no matter what I’m doing. It’s safe to say I’m addicted as well.

While I’ve pushed taking breaks from phones/social media for so long, I’ve never done it myself.

Until now.

I took three days off social media and used my phone only to make calls. At first I felt I had lost an appendage. I missed Facebook, Instagram and playing FreeCell when I was bored. I didn’t check my work email from my phone (only my computer) and hardly checked my personal account.

I did have more free time and gained more quality time with my kids (when they weren’t on their iPads) and husband. One of the biggest perks was that I wasn’t spending any money. I didn’t realize how much time (hours) I spent scrolling through clothes, jewelry and shoes. It never occurred that I did most of my shopping when clicking Facebook ads from my favorite stores. That’s how they get you.

I also noticed I had less anxiety. I never realized how much being bombarded by the news was bothering me, and I didn’t have a chance to compare myself to others, which is a big problem I have.

But I still missed my phone. By the third day I had let my son use it to play Roblox for the better part of the day, so I didn’t have it near me. I missed calls and texts, but it was kind of nice. Sorry to anyone who reached out!

In my free time I used new self-care practices: I colored in an adult coloring book, I decluttered my closet and was more mindful in anything I did. I also read a book, took long baths and did paint-by-number art.

On the fourth day I managed to get my phone back from my son, and I was happy to have it. I didn’t want to resume doom scrolling and shopping, so I made new rules. I wouldn’t click on Facebook ads, I turned off the email notifications, and I wouldn’t look at the phone for more than 15 minutes at a time. It really cuts into my Free Cell time.

Overall, I would still recommend taking a break occasionally and making rules for phone use. It’s amazing how letting go of something so “important” is. I didn’t expect to be less anxious and feel so free. From now on, I’ll take more breaks to focus on other things and be more mindful of my actions.

It doesn’t hurt that I’ll save a couple of hundred dollars.

Tips for Taking a Break

1. Focus on your goals and why you need a break.

2. Get more social. I noticed that I wanted to hang out with friends in person because I wasn’t getting the experience on social media. It motivated me to reach out more.

3. Hide the social media apps or delete them.

4. Don’t charge your phone near your bed.

5. Turn off email notifications (if possible).

6. Turn on Do Not Disturb feature.

7. Choose one or two days, maybe the weekend, to take breaks each week

8. Schedule set times to check calls, emails or texts.

9. Fill up your free time doing things you love.

10. Make your phone harder to unlock and put it on silent.

For more than 20 years, Heather Loeb has experienced major depression, anxiety and a personality disorder, while also battling the stigma of mental health. She is the creator of Unruly Neurons (www.unrulyneurons.com), a blog dedicated to normalizing depression and a member of state Rep. Todd Hunter’s Suicide Prevention Taskforce.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Want to really connect? turn off that phone and take a break