#offlinelife2025

I didn’t think I was addicted. Sure, I scrolled Twitter during breakfast, checked Instagram before bed, and doom-scrolled Tumblr anytime I felt bored.

But it wasn’t a problem… until I realized I hadn’t gone a full day without social media in over six years.

So, in June 2025, I challenged myself to go completely off-grid: no Instagram, no Twitter, no Gettr, no Tumblr, no TikTok for 30 days.

Here’s what happened — the good, the bad, and the surprisingly beautiful.

Week 1: Withdrawal Hits Hard

Within the first 48 hours:

I instinctively grabbed my phone every 5 minutes

I felt FOMO watching friends post their travels and brunch photos

My brain felt… empty

It was uncomfortable. Like missing a limb.

But by Day 4, something shifted. I started noticing things I hadn’t in ages — how my morning coffee actually tasted, the way birds sounded outside my window.

Week 2: Rediscovering Boredom (And Loving It)

Without constant dopamine hits, I had to confront boredom head-on.

Instead of scrolling, I:

Took evening walks

Actually finished a novel

Wrote in a journal

Started sketching again

I remembered what unfiltered, unshared life felt like.

Week 3: Mental Clarity and Sleep Like I Haven’t Had in Years

My anxiety dropped noticeably. I wasn’t comparing my life to strangers’ highlight reels. I wasn’t doom-scrolling war headlines before bed.

For the first time in years, I:

Fell asleep without phone anxiety

Woke up less irritable

Felt focused in conversations

It was like rebooting my brain.

Week 4: Rebuilding a Healthier Digital Relationship

By the final week, I didn’t miss social media. I missed people — real, in-person connections.

I reached out to friends to meet for coffee. I called my grandma. I wrote actual letters.

It felt personal. Intimate. Human.

Final Thought

I’m not quitting social media forever, but I am using it differently.

Now, I:

Log in with intention, not boredom

Mute or unfollow accounts that trigger anxiety

Take weekends offline

Leave my phone in another room before bed