Celebrate Yourself By Getting Off Social Media

Nowadays, life can sometimes feel like a two-foot length scroll of to-do’s and projects.

We’re always on the move: we get our food to go, keep our music and TV shows on On Demand, and we require an endless amount of communication tools at our fingertips. At all times.

Couple this with the millennial generation’s desire to succeed—early—at all costs and our natural inclination to compare ourselves to other people, it’s no wonder we’re burned out, frustrated and question our life’s path.

According to the Pew Research Center, the average millennial spends 18 hours per day using any type of digital media. Relatedly, a report by Science Daily points to social media as a culprit for an uptick in depression amongst adults 19 to 32. So while we’re also more globally connected than previous generations, our desire for engagement also gives way to negative thoughts and feelings of jealousy, competitiveness and a drive to succeed over others.

Amidst the false reality social media creates, it’s super important to unplug in an effort to preserve self. Below are a few easy practices you can implement in those thirty minutes before bedtime, when you’d feel most tempted to post one last snap, tweet or ‘gram for the day.

Choose a short activity you did as a child, before social media became a thing. Scribble in a coloring book (they make them for adults too, now!). Try your hand at some simple arts-and-craft projects. Give a call—and not send a text—to a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with.
Write down three (or more!) things you like about yourself. Why? What are some positive attributes others have spoken of you?
Pick out your outfit for the next day, making sure to incorporate your favorite color somehow. Do it while listening (and dancing!) to your favorite song or artist.
Write a letter to yourself. What achievements are you most proud of (Remember: there is no achievement to big or too small!)? What goals do you hope to meet in the coming day? Week? Month? After writing your note, stick it somewhere prominent, referring to it often. Feel free to add something new to your note before you go to sleep each night.