If you haven't noticed, society has turned a big huge corner into the technology age, ya'll. As if we weren't already almost there - the Coronavirus pandemic literally pushed us with full force into the era of virtual reality and social media. Lockdowns, shutdowns, and curfews have forced us to engage with one another from behind our screens. Before the pandemic, social media was already taking over the majority of the average millennial's free time. It's so easy to get lost scrolling through feeds, checking in on your favorite (or not so favorite) people, reading the never-ending comments section on controversial posts - you get the idea. Social media can be a really entertaining waste of time if we let it.

That was before. Now, social media can feel like our lifeline connection to the rest of the world. At times it seems like the best way to stay connected with friends and family, the easiest way to let people know what you are doing, the quickest way to get the news you want to see, and for many - a powerful way to start and grow a business in a time where unemployment is higher than ever.

As an extrovert and aspiring kingdom entrepreneur, wanting to connect and interact with my loved ones and understanding how to use social media to uplift my community has kept my eyes glued to the screen much more than I would like to admit. But if you know me - then you know this, Briana has never had an issue taking a break from social media. Ever. This is why in the midst of re-branding, at the start of the new year, and after making my cliché Instagram re-introduction post - I still effortlessly dropped off the face of social media for 2 whole weeks. No matter your reason for using social media, taking a break from it is good, and dare I say - healthy! Need more convincing? Here are 5 reasons why you should consider taking a break from social media.

1: BECAUSE YOU WANT TO, DAT-BERMIT.

If you have for any reason - or no reason at all - just wanted to delete all your apps and flush them down a virtual toilet, DO IT. Social media does not control you.  Even though if we are being honest, most of us can admit that sometimes it feels like it does. The constant need to check your phone for notifications and updates can easily go unnoticed - but it's probably there and you won't realize it until the app is deleted and you are frantically trying to remember your password to get back in. Constant input from thousands of influences can be stressful and draining. You are a human - not a computer. It's okay that you have data limits. We all do.  I hope this first reason rings loud and clear for aspiring influencers and entrepreneurs like me. You are not obligated to your social media following. The followers you really want will be there when you get back anyway. Your spiritual and mental well being is far more important!

2: TO RESET YOUR PRIORITIES.

When you wake up in the morning and the first thing you do is grab your phone and scroll, even if it's just for a few seconds - there is a good chance that you may need to reset your priorities. If every time you have a minute of idle time at work you pull out your phone and scroll --- then yeah… priorities might be an issue for you too. Find yourself scrolling while watching church online?? You guessed it! Your priorities might be out of whack.

How we spend our time is a big indicator of what's important to us. Hopefully, social media is not the most important thing in your life that it is the very first thing you do in the morning, or that you let it distract you from work, or even worse let it cause you to lose focus on spending time in fellowship with the Word of God. Taking a break from social media can give you the mental space you need to evaluate how you really should spend your time. It can help you establish healthy morning and evening routines that are not tainted by what everyone else is doing for their morning and evening routines. It can help you set appropriate boundaries for activities that deserve your undivided attention.  Taking a break from social media can help you put first things first - and keep them there.

3: TO GAIN CLARITY AND VISION FOR YOUR BRAND/BUSINESS.

This one is for my influencers and entrepreneurs out there. I am enjoying the process of building my personal brand, The Transparent Truth. But since I am new to this - constantly trying to come up with content sometimes leaves me lost in my own sauce and feeling overwhelmed. For me, It's a little nerve-wracking to take a break from the very thing you are trying to build. I definitely don't want to sew seeds of inconsistency in my brand. However, I am all about keeping it real - and for me sometimes a break is necessary. If creating begins to feel like a drag, then I know it's time for me to refocus and seek the Lord for a clear vision about where my brand is going.

Because my brand is faith-based, I cannot inspire others if my spiritual gas take is empty. This break that I am currently bouncing back from was exactly the fill-up I needed to take my brand to the next level.  During this break I prayed, fasted, and hired a marketing strategist (Zaniyyah E. Blue) to help me clarify my content creating process so that The Transparent Truth can live on and influence women for the Glory of God.

And just FYI all of my Instagram family did not unfollow me lol. I tested the waters for you and it turns out you'll be okay, sis. Go on ahead and take a break if you need it.

4: FASTING AND PRAYER.

If you're a believer reading this then you already know what's up. If you are not a believer then allow me to briefly explain. In the Christian faith, fasting and prayer are essential components that help one build a strong and satisfying relationship with our God. To fast means to sacrifice an essential need or desire and in turn to be fueled by the Holy Spirit. This “fueling” is achieved through prayer, reading and studying the Bible, and personal worship. Traditionally, the act of fasting requires one to give up food - an essential substance for all humans. However, fasting can also include sacrificing anything that draws your attention away from God, or anything that otherwise feels like a necessity. In 2021, technology itself can feel like an essential or necessary component of everyday life, let alone social media. Because of the amount of time we spend using technology, giving up any form of it often feels just as hard as giving up food - making it a great sacrifice to offer to our Lord to pursue a closer relationship with Him.

Helpful Hint: A social media fast is only effective when you are replacing that time spent scrolling with time spent in God's presence (praying, reading or studying the Bible, and worship).

5: CLEANSE YOUR CONSUMER PALATE.

Sometimes we need a break from social media because our feed and content suggestions have unknowingly become toxic. This doesn't mean that you are actually consuming toxic content on purpose - but if you have researched anything about the infamous social media "algorithms" then you know that social media is designed to keep you online as long as possible and send you down a maze of rabbit holes that seem impossible to escape from. The algorithm doesn't care about your mental health - it just wants you to keep your eyes on the screen. And before you know it you've gone from liking your sister's vacation post, to watching a reel about bathing suits, then a random IGTV twerking video pops up, and then you encounter a picture of your ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend on the beach.

Now you're upset because you wish you were on vacation, you're annoyingly aware of how awful your twerking skills are, and comparing yourself to the swimsuit model, the twerk-booty girl, and the new girlfriend. It's a mess. A nice healthy break can give you a reality check and the clarity of mind to be aware of content that triggers your emotions for the worst. You may come back with a bold attitude to go right to that Instagram discover page and tell the algorithm "I don't want to see posts like this," by deleting them completely. Taking some time to reflect on the type of content that puts you in a bad mood might be exactly what you need to experience more joy, peace, and positivity in your life.

With all that being said, I hope you feel liberated to take a break from social media as you see fit. I would love to hear which reason resonates with you the most. As always, if you have your own mind, leave a piece of it in the comments!