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Social media… it’s a gift and a curse.

On one hand, it’s a great tool to keep us connected to our friends, family, newsworthy events and even our favorite celebrities. Yet, on the other, it’s also become a cesspool of people so desperate for likes and validation that they’ll do anything to get it and to stay relevant with their followers.

So, it should come as no surprise that researchers have concluded that negative social media usage can actually have an effect on mental health as it has become common to compare your life and all of your mistakes to someone else’s highlight reel full of pics of endless travel, great friends, an amazing love life and a bomb career. Sometimes, a break is needed to regain focus and take control of your own life.

Clinical psychologist Dr. Josh Klapow, PhD, recently explained to Bustle.com why it’s so important to detox from Facebook, Instagram or Twitter every once in a while.

He explained, “using social media to the extent that it dominates your activities daily is not good,” and if you find yourself scrolling for the majority of your day, it might be time for a change.  In following Dr. Klapow’s advice, I recently pushed pause on my social media usage in an attempt to spend more time focusing on my own goals and living in the moment, which and I’ll say it did wonders for my sanity.

Want to join me in this social media fast? Here are some benefits I found were my good for my soul:

  • It helps you feel good about yourself and your accomplishments

 Eliminating social media also eliminates the constant need to have a front-row seat to what everyone else is doing. Without all of those distractions, you’re able to solely focus on you. Those things you’ve accomplished that once felt small compared to your followers will now feel big because, without social media, the only person you’re comparing yourself to is you. A break from the social space will allow you to realize that you and your accomplishments are enough!

I'm ready to create my masterpiece

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  • It can help enhance your creative side

Social media can be extremely thought-consuming. There’s an endless amount of information that’s constantly filtering into our minds that eventually starts to influence our perception and can even alter our actions. Without taking a break from this constant stimulation, it becomes harder for us to tap into our inner creativity—the part that makes us truly unique.

As creatives, we create best when our minds have time to wander without any external influences, and with social media continuously in our faces, it becomes easy to forget our own thoughts and take on the ideas of those that we’re influenced by the most. Take a break and let your creativity soar!

  • It allows you to reprioritize

If you find yourself scrolling through social media when you first wake up, throughout the day and before you go to bed, it might be safe to say that your priorities may need some adjusting. Instead, using that time to meditate, read, write, exercise or doing something else productive (without doing it for the ‘gram) will allow you to prioritize your daily activities and find something good for your future self. Just think of how much more work you will get done!

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  • Opportunity to spend more face-to-time with people you love

Detoxing from social media also forces you to keep up with your friends in family in real-time – not only by checking their social accounts. Stepping away from the ‘gram will give you more time to call, text or coordinate a meetup and build stronger relationships with your loved ones. Yes, social media is good for you keeping you connected with folks that are far but use this time away to strengthen the relationships that are right in front of your face.

  • You’ll learn to be in the moment and actually experience life

Walking away for a bit will actually let you live in the moment, rather than trying to capture the best content to post to your social channels. How many times have you missed out on enjoying an important moment with your friends or family because you were too busy trying to capture the moment to share with your followers? Eliminating social media from your life for a bit will allow you to learn how to live in the moment and create valuable memories that you’ll love more, because you’re actually living it rather than watching it.

BEAUTIES: Have you taken a break from social media before? 

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Take A Break! The Benefits of Fasting from Social Media  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com