“Disconnect to Reconnect”

What I learned from 16 days off social media

As many already know, I absolutely froth running little experiments on myself to learn, hopefully to grow a little , and also so I can share some of those experiences with you guys if I feel they may help out in any way at all. 

This blog of my most recent experience won’t land with everyone and that’s ok, but after many conversations with members in the gym, the social media battle is a doozy for many of us and finding peace and balance with its use and inclusion in life provides a constant struggle.

Knowing this, I figured taking a step back, then reflecting on taking a spell from socials over the Chrissy break might give those who do struggle a few insights and takeaways that are useful for if you ever find yourself at odds with social media and are curious as to what kind of impact taking a breather can have….

Lets dig in.

Why I Disconnected

1. First and foremost, I wanted to make the most out of my Christmas break and “slow down time” as much as I possibly could, particularly with Jenn and our 3 boys who are growing up at a rapid rate and already run rings around me with their endless BIG energies. With nightly front yard cricket in full swing, the gram had to go.
2. I needed to decompress from the content, comparison, and information overload that had consumed me through the final quarter of 2024. My head was feeling like an overheated search engine trying to process too many tabs which made it impossible to be fully present at any moment whatsoever. 
3. Social media is here to stay, obviously, everyone is on it as it has so many upsides, especially for businesses like mine. It allows for great connections to be made, powerful content to be created and values expressed, just like I am expressing to you right now ( how ironic hey ). I had clearly lost alignment with these positive aspects so a “cold turkey” breakaway was needed to be able to reconnect with a dose that is right for me and in a far more intentional and authentic manner.

The Experiment 

I gave myself two clear boundaries:

1. No Instagram or Facebook for at least two weeks. Not even a sneaky scroll on the toilet—100% cut off from the digital drip.
2. No “ But it’s for my business” excuses… this is the easiest out of all time for a biz owner!

I wanted to experience life again without the constant notifications, endless comparison, and the pull to post or consume. There was no “Taking a break, DM me if it’s urgent!”—I just quietly let a few close friends and colleagues know. And with that, poof, I went off the grid like a Wi-Fi router during a blackout.

The Experience 

Breaking the Habit

The first 2-3 days were hard. My fingers instinctively reached to open Instagram out of habit. It was wild how much my brain craved the mindless scroll and that juicy hit of dopamine.

By day four, subtle shifts began: I wasn’t carrying my phone with me everywhere ( including the toilet ), I felt more focused, there was less noise in my head, and I had a surprising amount of extra time.

By day five, the penny dropped. The addictive pull of the little black beast had subsided, and a big chunk of the habit was broken.

The Learnings

Throughout the 2 weeks, I had many thoughts drift in and out of my headspace, the most prevalent where these:

1. Information overload  / content consumption : We now live in a world of information overload, it’s crazy how much is readily available at our fingertips. My question is how much of it is actually valuable, how much is just another distraction? I’d been drowning in analysis paralysis, lost in the endless web of fitness content. I love learning and sharing my knowledge, but overconsumption had left my mind heavy and idle. When your cup overflows, clarity disappears.

2. What you don’t know won’t kill you ( FOMO ) : The first few days brought a terrible case of FOMO. What was happening at the gym? Who was doing what before Christmas? Would people think I was ghosting them? But by the end of the experiment, I realized: Not knowing is a good thing. Freeing yourself from other people’s lives allows you to fully live and be grateful for your own.

3. Comparison is the thief of Joy: I found myself constantly going down the rabbit hole of comparing how other gym owners ran their gyms, what “ideal” relationships should look like even comparing how other Dads would Dad. I was constantly working myself into a panic and thinking I needed to change / act on what I was seeing instantly because how I was showing up wasn’t good enough.  Taking a step back created space for gratitude and appreciation in all of the above areas. We all do life in our own unique and imperfect way, and that’s something to celebrate.

4. Its ok to be “bored”: At any hint of “boredom” or “spare” time whatsoever, the phone came out. Waiting at the docs, sitting at traffic lights, eating lunch…. What I learned is that these moments of solitude and quietness are priceless… It’s ok to be doing nothing and it’s not in fact boredom at all. It’s just being ok with being present with whatever simple thing it is we are doing – minus the excessive stimulation. 

The Benefits

1. Time : Time itself was obviously the same, but the quality of that time spent with my family, friends and in the moments was worth its weight in gold. Not feeling the pull of a “quick scroll” or the need to capture and show every single highlight allowed for freedom to just be and enjoy the quality time I was so deeply in search of. 

2. Self worth : Funnily enough, I feel even more confident in my abilities as a business owner and as a Dad and have a pep in my step and am eager to take action far more so then pre break. You have to back yourself in…. always.

3. Mental Clarity and energy: It’s amazing how clearly I am now able to think minus the clutter in my head from what I would usually see and watch.. A clear head equals better and more positive decision making in all aspects of business and life. The energy stocks, mentally and physically rise when you get out of your head.

4. Disconnect to reconnect : We are all craving deeper connections with others, with ourselves and what we do in life these days. Ironically, our ability to connect so easily often dilutes the quality of those connections. Throwing a circuit breaker in like this was powerful for me and could be the catalyst in creating the connections you are looking for too.

What’s next?

Well, that’s the golden question. How will I re-integrate Social Media back into everyday life but in a way that allows for the positive aspects to flourish, and keep the negative aspects mostly at bay?

4 days back on the grid and I am yet to feel any pull or desire to be on there. I have spent all of 20 minutes on Instagram in that time. I’m clearly not missing it…. Yet.

However, from a business standpoint I am definitely getting itchy feet as the ball has been dropped with online presence which right now is more than likely not ideal.

Regardless, I am excited for the challenge of a different kind that lay ahead and being able to approach it with a clear mind and clean slate when it comes to all things Social Media usage.

In conclusion, I’d like to add that this is purely my experience and what I gained from the experiment. It’s not a social media bashing at all, my relationship and habits toward social media at the time simply required change.

You may be completely at ease with the time you spend and what you view on social media and in the digital world right now. Which is A- OK. no beef from me at all, I am happy for you. But, if you constantly find yourself time poor,  overthinking life / second guessing yourself, or, just like me you may want to see what 2 weeks of life is like with a social media removed from it, this may be an experiment you want to run for yourself. If you do, I’d love to hear how it goes!

If you made it this far, thanks for reading and I truly hope you found some value in my shared experience.

Big Love

Chief