We’re in the midst of the digital age. Drawn to every notification (even when it’s a promo text from Domino’s) like a bull to a muleta, it seems like we’re pre-programmed to spend our evenings scrolling on the Instagram Explore page, take a carefully crafted picture of our food before we tuck into a meal and not be fully satisfied with your IG story content until the person you really wanted to watch has seen it.
And we’re all just as guilty.
From every filtered selfie to Facebook check-in to let everyone know just how much of a fun time we’re having, we all have an online persona we feel we have to live up to. Which means it’s harder than ever to sit back, put down the phone and really think about who your authentic self is vs. your social media self. You might be dialling yourself up on social media to overcompensate for your insecurities. Or maybe you dilute your true self because you don’t want to lose followers or stray from “the norm.”
And while Mental Health Awareness Week is seemingly becoming just another day in the marketing calendar, there’s still huge value in its message. This World Mental Health Day 2019, we’re saying take some time for YOU. It's a reminder for us to press pause and take some time away from the world wide web - which is so important in a world where it’s easy to sit and scroll through the apps on your morning commute, get lost in the likes and realise you’ve just missed your stop.
Whether that’s swapping tapping through IG stories for a podcast one morning, reading a book instead of the dissertation that is the group chat or just switching on Do Not Disturb and actually watching that documentary on Netflix you’ve had on your list for months. And if you’re in need of a little inspiration, here are some of our recommendations…
Mentally Yours
Mentally Yours is a podcast hosted by the Metro.co.uk’s Ellen Scott and Yvette Price. Each week, they have a mystery guest to have an honest chat about mental health. Guests have included Love Island’s Jamie Jewitt, blogger Emily-Jane Clark and MBE boxer, Audley Harrison. It’s definitely one to add to your to-listen list.
How To Break Up With Your Phone, Catherine Price
Catherine Price is a nonfiction writer and journalist, known for her work on mindfulness, health and wellbeing from vitamins to travel bucket lists. Her book, How To Break Up With Your Phone offers readers a hands-on plan to break up and then make up with your phone.
Or just try something new
Whether that’s a new recipe, gym class or art exhibition, an hour or two of social media free time can really help your productivity. And whether you decide to later post your endeavours on your channels is entirely up to you.