Are you getting tired of your addiction to screens and devices?

Man throwing a television out of his apartment window.

Planning a media-free weekend is the perfect way to unwind from the pressures of modern life. This will help bring more peace and calm into your life while protecting you from information overload.

Benefits Of A Media Free Weekend

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash Photo by Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash

Being media-free does a body and mind good! You can:

  • alleviate the stress associated with social media such as keeping up with others

  • cope better with FOMO (fear of missing out)

  • have more time for friends and family

  • have more time to sleep!

  • engage in less doomscrolling to benefit your mental health

What Media Should I Disconnect From?

Animated cartoon GIF of a girl reading a book and holding one hand up to keep flying social media app icons away.

To have a true media-free weekend, you should disconnect from all forms of media. That means avoiding:

  • News — TV, newspapers, news apps, magazines, podcasts

  • Social Media — Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, Twitter, Pinterest, Reddit, and all the rest

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How Do I Plan a Media Free Weekend?

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Figuring out how you'll spend your weekend now, will save you time later.

  1. Pick your weekend in advance (this helps you mentally prepare)

  2. Decide on the activities that will fill your time instead

  3. Let friends and family know about your media free plans (ask for their support)

  4. Use apps on your phone to limit screen time during the weekend

  5. Turn off your social media notifications

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Read a Byte to get tips on how to practice digital mindfulness.

⚡Time for a knowledge check!

Anna is concerned that all the media she's been consuming lately is causing her stress. She wants to spend the weekend in a more relaxed state.

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Quiz

What should Anna do?

What Should I Do Instead?

Woman riding her bike in the park (past colorful trees) with her dog in the bike basket.

Now, here comes the fun part — figuring out how you're gonna fill all of that time!

  • Read a book

  • Take long walks

  • Listen to music

  • Volunteer

  • Go out to dinner

  • Try a new recipe

  • Your favorite hobby

  • Visit a museum

  • Spend time with family or friends

  • Clean the house

  • Get ahead in your schoolwork

  • Bike ride

  • Anything that you want to do, but never have time to do

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Visit this link to get more ideas on how to make the most of your media-free weekend.

Take Action

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Ready to plan your media free weekend? Then do the following:

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