25 Things to Do During A Social Media Detox

When’s the last time you took a social media detox?

In 2019 I stepped away from social media for a little over three months. I’ll be honest with you, I didn’t miss it all during that time period. I stayed connected with family and friends through face-to-face visits, phone calls and text messages. Most importantly, I reconnected with myself and my loved ones – the ones in my four walls, as my Daddy always stresses.

What to do during a social media detox

1. Journal
2. Write “just because” letters to family and friends
3. Paint kindness rocks
4. Re-read a book that impacted your life
5. Go for a walk
6. Take a personal or professional development course
7. Declutter
8. Start a home project you’ve been procrastinating on
9. Complete a puzzle
10. Listen to your favorite music station
11. Start a garden or help in a community one
12. Volunteer
13. Spend time with a loved one
14. Go to the library
15. Write a book
16. Have a coffee (or ice cream) date
17. Complete a crossword puzzle
18. Have a meme war via group text message
19. Get crafty. (I created this tote with my Cricut Explore Air2 during my social media break – affiliate link)
20. Bake treats for others. (My neighbor loves when I take a detox. It means she’ll most likely get banana bread)
21. Meditate
22. Color (like in my adult coloring book, You Are Worth Celebrating!)
23. Listen to podcasts
24. Be a tourist in your city
25. Create a goal or vision board

Coming out of a social media detox can be hard as you may want to find a better balance moving forward. It helps to replace the empty scroll time with something intentional, like delaying the scrolling with reading a few pages of a book first, or going for a short walk to help build a new response.

Set small, clear boundaries, such as only checking apps at specific times rather than impulsively throughout the day. One practical shift is switching to a SIM-only deal, where you can control your usage better and even switch to a basic phone with limited or no app access during work hours or evenings, so your attention stays where you want it.

A great thing to get into the habit of is noticing how your focus and mood improve, and use that as motivation to keep those healthier habits in place.

---