My Social Media Break Experience: Lessons Learnt

The social media has done a whole lot of good to the world of communication today. It's amazing how we can easily access our loved ones from far and near, right on our devices. We get to share stories and memes with one another, highlights of events and happenings and making long distance friends a part of world. 

Many people have accessed great and advantageous relationships right on this platforms, just at the click of buttons and screens. Others have had the opportunity to share their works and have impact on a larger audience compared to their immediate environment. A few others like me literally earn a living on the social media. I work as a graphic designer and digital creator. At the start of 2022, I was earning just N10,000 monthly from this, but before the end of the same year I grew to earning six figures monthly leveraging on social media. 

I could go on and on discussing the benefits of social media, but you know everything has advantages and disadvantages. As good the social media world is, there are side effects to its excessive or inappropriate usage. So close to the end of the same year that grew my online business, I got so overwhelmed mentally as a result of some other factors. Yet, I was still as consistent on social media, though it wasn't helping me. 

A faithful day I had a chat with one of my sisters who is a very good friend, Olatoye Bukunmi. She made me realise that nothing should stop me from taking a social media break if I needed to. I've taken social media breaks in the past, but then I wasn't earning on the platform. It took me a bit of time to process the communication I had with her, and finally close to the end of November, I decided to take a break. 

I resumed fully back online in the second week of January. How was my experience during the BREAK? Relief! A huge one. I had so much time for myself. I had good rests, good sleeps, I took strolls, watched movies, had a family hangout with my parents and siblings, hung out with friends from different circles and a few other stuffs. But what made these experiences unique was that I wasn't doing it for the media, I did them for me and for the ones in my immediate circle. 

Now to the lessons I picked...

1. Take a social media break and you will return to meet everyone where you left them.

Yes, these people aren't going anywhere. Your friends and family will still be having a nice time on these platforms. Those who love you might notice your absence, but it doesn't take them off the platforms. So take a break whenever you need to, and when you're ready to return, you kick on again. 

2.  FOMO is real. 

You know what FOMO means? Fear of Missing OUT! The social media break crossed my birthday last December. I was so anxious of knowing what friends were posting about me, I was asking myself, "How will they wish me and I won't be available to respond?" But I held my peace, I knew I wasn't ready to resume as at that time.  

Not only that, countless times my siblings would tell me the latest online gists, and they would expect me to flow, only to remember that their dear brother has deleted Instagram and Facebook. 

3. Your Personal Well-being is Important.

Your physical, mental and spiritual health are very important. Inappropriate use of social media can dampen any of these aspects of your well-being. Social media isn't a cure for an overwhelming feeling, what you need is rest, good rest. Social media isn't a cure for depression, what you need is counselling, someone to talk to, a friend, a family member, or even a therapist as the case maybe. Social media isn't a cure for loneliness, what you need is a right circle of friends, like-minded ones with a heart of love. Following back to back the pages of the most spiritual people won't cure your spiritual lukewarmness if you don't separate time to be spent alone with God. 

4.  What is meant for you will reach you, whether online or offline.

And this is the biggest one for me, I was afraid of taking a break because I might lose potential clients. Well, I did lose about three potential clients in December. But, of what benefit is it if I gained them at the expense of my wellness? Just believe that what is meant for you will stay, no matter where you are. 

The funny thing as well was someone hacked my Facebook account a week into the break so he could extort money from me, but realised I wasn't moved by it. One of these fraudulent guys on the internet, he didn't know I was on a social media break already. He later released the account himself in the first week of January when he got tired I believe. 

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So why document this? Why share it publicly? There could be someone out there who also needs a social media break, but is being held back. I hope this gives that person the needed push. Please take a break if you need to, your overall wellness is important. 

Thanks for reading! 

Oluwadurotimi Okediji.