The past decade has been a wild one for social media. It’s hard to believe that Instagram wasn’t even around 10 years ago – especially when you consider how big of a role the platform now plays in our day to day lives.

There’s no denying that social media has given us some pretty good things in that time. From the youth climate movement to the emergence of the body positivity community, platforms like Instagram have given us the spaces to connect with other people, build friendships and make change.

On the other hand, however, there’s also a lot of negatives which come with our reliance on these digital platforms. Google “social media problems” and you’ll see exactly what I mean. From increased rates of anxiety and depression to a reduced attention span and poor-quality sleep, the prevalence of social media in our society has been linked to a whole library of problems. As we move into the next decade, this issue is playing on many of our minds – is it time to quit?

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m not quite ready to go cold turkey on social media just yet (even if it is Christmas). So, what’s the answer?

According to life coach Rebecca Lockwood, a social media detox – or break, in simpler terms – could be the answer to our problems, especially over the festive period.

Digital detox: why you should take a social media break this Christmas