Social media. One of the greatest advancements in technology. Built to connect us with friends, family, and interesting people around the world, but disconnecting us from ourselves daily. Popular apps and networks like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook have taken over our daily lives, and it’s time we take them back.

If you’re like me, then an intended five-minute scroll through your Instagram feed leads to an hour of watching cat videos, makeup tutorials, and endless stories of someone’s life you have no interest in.

While I’m not suggesting you disconnect from social media forever, I do believe there are great benefits to removing yourself from the addicting and intoxicating environments that social media can create.   

There are many benefits to taking social media breaks, here are a few of my favorites.

Reclaim your time

It’s no secret that humans are spending more time on social networking apps than ever before. The average person is said to spend over two hours a day on a social media site or app. Yes, over 120 minutes are spent on social media daily. While it seems impossible, it’s actually very easy to end up in the social media rabbit hole and spend valuable time on the apps.

We’re constantly complaining about the lack of time in a day to get things done, but we waste hours on social media. Imagine what your productivity would look like if you didn’t have a feed to scroll through. What would you do with an extra two hours a day?

Gain clarity

It’s difficult to understand what it is that you want when you’re constantly bombarded with advertisements, stories, and highlight reels on social media. As if comparing ourselves to strangers on Instagram wasn’t bad enough, we’re now creating goals and values based on what we see others doing and creating on social media.

Disconnecting from social networking sites can help you spend more time with yourself and understand more of what it is that you want without distractions or unwanted input.

Create a plan

Being international when using social media can define your relationship with the sites. Whether you want to be more disciplined with the amount of time you spend on the app, be more engaged while you’re on the app, or simply want to have a plan for your posting schedule, a social media break can help you create it.

Not only will you have more time and clarity from your break, but you’ll also be more effective while you’re on the site. Social media is a big part of our lives now, and it’s not going anywhere, so instead of fighting it, it’s time to take charge of it.