Join a Millennial mum and her fam on a social media detox adventure. See how they unplug for a week, finding deeper connections and loads of joy in the moment.
By Anneka Rose
I’m usually pretty good at juggling social media and real life. You know, keeping the phone away during family time, not scrolling during meals or gatherings, and staying focused at work.
But then, I stumbled upon a post by an influencer that hit me right in the feels. She vanished from the app for four months, feeling utterly burnt out and overwhelmed, and decided to go offline for a month. Ended up extending it to four.
Suddenly, the idea of a social media detox sounded tempting. With a lively four-year-old and six-month-old, just getting back to work and finding our new rhythm, life felt like a whirlwind. So, it felt like the perfect time to unplug for a week. I roped in my husband, and on that fateful Monday night, we both bid farewell to our social media apps.
The first day was a bit of an eye-opener. I caught myself reaching for my phone way more than I’d like to admit. Waiting for coffee? Phone. Booting up the laptop? Phone. Nursing the baby? Yep, you guessed it—phone. By noon, I’d probably made a good 15 to 20 grabs for it, which was definitely a wake-up call.
But by day three, things started to shift. I replaced the phone habit with other meaningful stuff, mostly falling into three categories: bonding with my kids, connecting with hubby, and, wait for it… connecting with moi. Each night, hubby and I would have a heart-to-heart about how we were feeling, and it seemed like the stress levels were dropping by the day.
Here’s what we discovered after a week without the scroll.
“ALL THOSE MOMENTS WE’D USUALLY SPEND MINDLESSLY SCROLLING COULD BE SPENT ON SELF-CARE INSTEAD.”
We were way less stressed
From day one, it was like a weight lifted off our shoulders. By bedtime, hubby noticed he wasn’t as snappy or short-tempered with the kids – a big deal, considering he’s on full-time dad duty. Even I didn’t crash on the couch like usual, feeling drained from the day. We had energy to spare for chats, tidying up, prepping meals, sneaking in a date night, or actually watching a show without dozing off.
Think about it: all those moments we’d usually spend mindlessly scrolling could be spent on self-care instead. Like those quiet mornings waiting for the coffee to brew – I swapped the phone for a bit of light yoga and stretching. That 15 minutes of zen? Absolutely refreshing. It’s the little acts of self-love that add up to a much calmer mama by lights-out.
We appreciated each other more
Without our noses buried in screens, we actually noticed each other. Noticed when hubby lent a hand with chores or when I rocked a new hairstyle. We’d fallen into this routine of zoning out on our phones, even when the other was right there beside us. But with the distractions gone, I saw hubby in a new light – tackling the housework, playing with the kids, being an all-round superhero dad. And I made sure to show my appreciation, too … more thank-yous, more hugs, more love filling up our home.
Our sleep? Oh, it was glorious
No more tossing and turning. We fell asleep quicker, slept deeper, and snoozed longer. Even the kids seemed to nod off more easily, probably because we were fully present with them all day, no screens stealing our attention.
Friendships got a boost, too
I missed my pals something fierce without the Insta updates to keep me in the loop. But reaching out via text or call? It was a game-changer. Real, detailed updates about their lives made me feel more connected than ever. And the best part? It didn’t take away from family time or my own self-care routine. A quick chat on the commute, a few texts post-bedtime – this kind of connection was exactly what I needed.
The kiddos? Absolutely beaming
Without social media to distract me while nursing, I soaked up every moment with my little one. The giggles, the snuggles, the tiny details; I didn’t want to miss a thing. And watching my older one play? Pure joy. It hit us that we’d often reach for our phones when she seemed occupied, but now, we were fully engaged. And the result? Less crying, more laughter, and a tantrum-free week. Who knew?
We were quicker to respond to our kids’ needs, too. No more distractions, no more missed moments. We spent quality time together as a family, and let me tell you, my heart felt full every single day. Makes you wonder how many precious moments we might’ve missed in the past, glued to our screens instead of soaking up the magic right in front of us.
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