The Fanatics' Guide to Quitting Social Media in a Week

Let me guess, you’re here because you’ve had some pretty huge realisations recently and are looking for quitting social media.

That’s primarily why you’re not on Facebook, Instagram, X, Snapchat, or any such site you’ve found yourself deep in the clutches of. You’re not there, scrolling through your home feed or your friends’ posts or what’s trending right now. You’re here, on a blog. Good job. This is the Social Media Fanatics’ (or the “Social” Animal’s) Guide to Quitting Social Media.

There’s no way around it. All these social apps have taken over a huge part of our life. There are some of us who probably do realise the amount of unhealthy obsession people have with these channels and sites, and these are the ones who stay away.

The other part of the population, though, the ones who are absolutely crazily fanatic about social media are the ones who need to see the truth.

I don’t know what the truth is for you. But just think about it again, are you really living a life in reality as genuine and happy as the one you’re living online?

Here are the steps to quitting social media in a week.

In a week, yes.

It is possible. Let’s get on with this 13 Step-Fanatics’ Guide to Quitting the popularity-driven, massively-consumed mess that is known as social media.

a.k.a. how to be a social media monk.

#1 Never say your opinion out loud. Never, ever do that.

This one’s pretty generic. But it’s important. It’s a crucial step that is constantly deciding your tomorrow in your social media journey. So, never ever say your opinion out loud. If you do have to, though, if someone’s asking you, just say what they want to hear, okay?

Your opinion doesn’t matter when you’re among millions of other people. Let me tell you how many:

Facebook: 2.9 billion monthly active users

Instagram: 2 billion monthly active users

X: 556 million monthly active users

#2 If you see advice you don’t agree with, don’t go out in the comment box…

…and dash out a few curses and such.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on what to do when you come across a person of the opposite…ideology.

Notice who posted it. Look at their follower count. If they’ve got more followers than you, just slide off quietly because they’re probably more influential. If you’re at the advantage, got more followers and all, unleash the demon.

You need to tread carefully when you’re in enemy territory, okay? And in case of social media, everywhere is an enemy territory. It seems that all the people in the whole world are out of get you.

People on social media are mean out of no reasons, say things without thinking, i.e. are hugely impulsive. So it’s best not to talk to them unless it’s absolutely necessary. That is why, before initiating a conversation, check their bio to get an idea of how influential they are.

Quitting social media — Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels

#3 Don’t like or comment on controversial posts. Scroll past.

…like you didn’t even see them. Let your social media platform know that you don’t wanna see this stuff. If you’re looking to quit social media, then quitting interacting with the controversial posts is the first step. The controversial posts are the ones that lead you to the ultimate hell of social media which is where the real devils reside.

They’re the peak times at some platforms, it’s best to avoid them.

One of the ultimate benefits of quitting social media is that they play with your health if you’re using the platforms late at night or very early in the morning. Are you one of those people who pick up their phones and open up Instagram or Facebook first thing in the morning?

The best way to avoid sabotaging with our health and sleep is to never use social media in the peak hours. After 8 p.m. Saturday? Pinterest rocks. Try to avoid it if you are serious about quitting social media. Monday to Friday? Avoid Instagram like the plague from 10 to 2 in the afternoon.

Some people also use Instagram at work. Or while commuting. It seems like it. Which brings us to our next point.

Your boss will not let you get away with it.

Seriously, think as if your boss is standing over your head from morning to evening, arms crossed, eyes narrowed and scrutinizing your every move. He’s telling you to quit social media too. (I have this image of bosses. I don’t have an experience yet what real life bosses look like, but I think I’m pretty much close).

So don’t ever click, or even drift your thumb near, to any social media app on your phone. This is one of the other benefits of quitting social media. You get to keep your job. Yay!

Pinterest is not social media. It’s a search engine. But it’s amazing, a classic example of people using the media part, and not the social. Tumblr is another. I’m obsessed with the amazing web-weaving on Tumblr that soothes the soul.

So the best way to start quitting social media is to minimize your interactions with other fellow fanatics (i.e. social animals). Quit DMs, chats, commenting, liking, following, pretty much everything that social media is for. First quit the social part, then the media.

#7 FOMO sucks. Let it. Ignorance is a bliss.

I know, but I love FOMO. So relaxing, everyone around you is running around after these mindless pieces of information they don’t care about, just to stay on trend and up to date, to follow what’s hot right now, and you’re at the other side, detached from all the materialism.

Hey Google, show a GIF of a wise-looking, saint-like…saint here. This is some valuable advice.

Sorry, but I hate to break it to you that you haven’t provided me with any clear instructions.

Here’s something else. Yo!

This one’s crazy. Owls are wise animals.

But why would you follow literally anyone on SM until they’ve given you some loads money or some equally worthy advice? I mean, I’d gladly follow people who have some pretty amazing advice or content to offer, I’d probably only think about following my friends (kidding, I have to) but if you’re looking for quitting social media you have to keep your following and followers count to the barest minimum. So that not many people grieve when you delete your account, you know.

#9 Follow me and I’ll follow back. That’s…

That’s a rule for children. And for people who can’t create content appealing enough to gain, like, actual followers.

This is such a crappy rule. I’m sure you’ve come across such accounts too, who demand for you to follow and they’ll follow back. This seems like a fake way to generate followers.

Never pay heed to this advice and never write these words on your account. At all.

It’s common knowledge that humans beings are social animals, by default. We built civilizations, we live in societies, we communicate and think all the time. But chances are that if you’re looking to quit social media, you’ve probably gotten a glimpse, at least, of the truth that goes beyond this assumption.

And you want to be a human for once. You want to listen to yourself, drown out the voices of the outside world. It’s perfectly reasonable. And that is why quitting social media is a nice first step.

#11 Don’t try asking in the help centre for something you’re stuck on.

They start caring only after you’ve lost the motivation to resolve the issue.

If in your last days on social media, you’ve got some issue with your account or content, don’t ever, ever try to ask in the help centre for it. They’re only going to take action after a week has passed and you’ve conveniently deleted your account.

No use trying. (This was my personal experience after which I realised it was no use sending emails to the help centre of…okay, I probably shouldn’t say their name).

Check the boring notifications, not your friends’ texts, not at all and quickly close the app as soon as you see yourself getting distracted.

10 minutes. Nothing more. Check all the stupid, useless, updates that do nothing but fill your inbox, and then exit the app quickly. But do remember that after a week, you’ll even have to reduce these small mindless interactions because you’ll become a complete social media monk.

Nothing more to say, I’m probably cynical. But spending time on social is a waste, really. Unfortunately, it’ll be a long time before most of the people realise this. Don’t you worry. Stay ahead of them by quitting social media today.

Good luck.

Let Me Tell You What to Do Now

This post was written only for public welfare, no other motive, and I totally don’t want to just write unique content for my site so that I can start earning money finally.

Now that you’ve properly learnt how to quit social media, you realise how much help this blog has been and you want everyone to know about it, so do share it on all your social accounts, and of course, do make sure to follow me on my social accounts —> Pinterest & Instagram (Look, I’m not even active on the others).

If you liked this post, also check my post Let Me Hack Your To-Do List and Give You Something Better.