Taking a Break from Social Media on Vacation

Social media has quickly become a staple of modern-day culture. Wherever you go, it seems people are always on their phones, checking Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and so much more. While social media is a great way to check in with friends, share important memories, and catch up on the latest news, it can sometimes be a little overwhelming. Everyone needs a break from social media sometimes, and especially on vacations. Here are some reasons why you should consider a social media break on your next vacation:

Safety: When we say “safety,” we’re not just talking about walking into a pole or running into traffic because you were glued to your phone (although that’s also something to watch out for!). In this case, we mean the safety of your house, apartment, etc. while you are away on vacation. Letting strangers on the Internet know your exact whereabouts, when you’re leaving, and when you’re coming back is dangerous because it could invite potential thieves. Consider waiting until after your trip to post all of your photos and stories.

Enriching your experience. While you will naturally want to take many photos on your trip, it is important to resist the impulse to naturally post them, and then check your feed for a minute or two while you’re there. When you’re home, you’ll have all the time in the world to catch up on Facebook, or even when you’re unwinding in your hotel room for the night. Too often has it been documented of people at historic monuments, beautiful islands, and on other trips just staring at their phone the entire trip instead of actually paying attention to what was around them. Try taking the photo, and then just putting the phone away!

Time: The more time you spend on social media, the less time you have on your actual vacation. Why spend the money and vacation days to take a trip if you’ll spend all of it on your phone on the beach? Too often the little red numbers on our screen can quickly divert our attention from the more important things we were doing, and we can get sucked in. The more time you waste checking each new Twitter mention, the less time you have on vacation. Turn your social media notifications off, and leave the emergency ones to your close ones. Your memories will thank you!

When you choose to go without social media, a whole new world appears in front of you. Sure, going on Twitter and Facebook and connecting with your friends and reading the news can be great, but vacations are meant to get away from these things and unwind. Instead of scrolling through Instagram on the beach, try talking to some of the locals and playing some volleyball. Instead of uploading your cliff diving pictures to Facebook, just sit back and enjoy the view. Social media won’t be going away, and it can wait until you get back.

Travel Makers MD