In these pandemic times, the virtual world has taken over our lives for both better and worse. Everything we could need is at our fingertips, yet that is not necessarily everything we want, and many people are beginning to feel overwhelmed by life online. 

First, I must state that I am incredibly lucky and privileged to work and learn online; although COVID-19 has changed my life considerably, it hasn’t been necessarily bad as I still have a roof over my head and food at my table. But, life staring at a screen is incredibly exhausting and began taking a toll on my mental well-being. So, I want to share some of the things I have been doing to stay as sane as possible when facing online life. 

Lazy Sundays

One of my favourite YouTubers/bloggers is Kalyn Nicholson; she is the queen of everything cosy and aesthetic. One term she has coined is GYST(ing), and I love it. GYST stands for Get Your Shit Together, and I dedicate Sundays to precisely this. I think of Sundays as a time to recover from the week just gone by and prepare for the week to come. I can explain more about this in another blog post, but we will focus on social media for now.

The short version is I don’t use social media on Sundays. This obviously changes depending on what I am doing; there is no hard or fast rule; I just actively avoid social media on a Sunday. After a week online, it is nice to just face the world in front of you without a screen. Now I might choose to update my Blog insta or post on my society page, but the general rule is I stay off my personal accounts. This just gives me space to be myself without comparing my day to someone else’s. 

I usually stay logged into my Facebook Messenger account as that is my primary way to talk to my family, but I avoid Facebook like the plague. Because it is only one day a week, it feels manageable; I am not doing some massive cleanse (which I have done in the past); instead, it is a weekly detox to focus on other things in life. 

Now What?

Not being on social media doesn’t mean you have to be bored; there are lots of things that I get up to keep me entertained.

Reading 

Something as simple as reading a book is a great way to practice self-care. Brew yourself a cup of something cosy and be transported to a world that doesn’t contain Coronavirus!

TV

I didn’t tell you to ban all screens! If reading isn’t your thing, why not catch up on your favourite TV shows you may have missed during the week. I managed to binge-watch a season of Line of Duty in one day (are you proud?!). Obviously, looking at a screen for hours is precisely what we are trying to avoid, but if TV is what makes you happy, go for it. 

Walking

Weather permitting, walking is one of the best things you can do instead of being on social media, listen to a podcast or nature as you go. Walking and having a change of scenery really does do you a world of good.

But I like social media.

Then don’t detox! Forget this entire blog post. But just ask yourself am I using social media, or is social media using me? When I was obsessing so much over my Instagram account, I got to the point when I forgot to enjoy it. I constantly checked who had seen my stories and how many likes I had on a post (which had to match the theme) that I lost all pleasure in posting. Also, you don’t have to cut out ALL forms of social media. For example, you might still find me on Snapchat, not that I use it very often. You decide what is best for you and what you will benefit some time away from.

At the end of the day, I can only share my experiences and what has helped me, but if you fancy joining me for a social (media) free Sunday, I look forward to our adventure together. If you want me to write about anything, remember you can always comment below or drop me a message on Facebook, Instagram, or if it’s Sunday, send me an email! I look forward to chatting with you again soon.