The Comparison Cure: How to be less ‘them’ and more you

by Lucy Sheridan

People are often surprised that I advise against a digital detox rather than recommend it. That is, taking extended periods of time offline and away from social media in order to reset and, if you will forgive the language, ‘go cold turkey’. I just don’t believe that extremes work in this scenario. Yes, you should not feel dependent on your device, no, it should not monopolise your time and attention. That said, to achieve calm, reduce our stress and increase connection in the real world, the solution lies in changed behaviour and a different approach to social media, not just interrupted use. Hitting the metaphorical red emergency buzzer could be more of a shock to the system than your current habits and anyway, do you really want to rely on sudden non-participation as a tactic to rebalance your online life? No, me either. Tweaks, refinements and awareness – always, always awareness – can be the difference that makes all the difference. These will ultimately transform our online habits and experiences for the better and to the benefit of everyone around us. For many of us, social media is booby-trapped with comparison triggers and yet we feel lost when we try to work out where to start curtailing those negative aspects.