Stepping Away From the Noise: How to Do A Social Media Detox

As a filmmaker and photographer, taking a break from social media is, frankly, a scary notion.

I’ve spent years building a personal brand online. I’d be lying if I said I never got anything from it. Social media connected me with people all over the world. It opened doors to large corporations. It helped secure sponsorships for many of the trips and projects I’ve worked on. There is real value there, and I don’t deny that.

But here’s the hard truth.

I’ve been reading Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Domínguez, and one idea hit me like a brick: the exchange of life energy for money. When I really sat with that idea, I realized how incredibly diminishing the return on social media has become for me. The amount of time, attention, and creative energy it demands compared to what it gives back no longer makes sense.

On top of that, I deeply dislike the idea that my creativity is ultimately being used to line the pockets of billionaires who own these platforms.

When “Influencer” Became a Liability

Here’s a real-world example.

When I first started working with Harley-Davidson, I came in as a filmmaker and photographer. I pitched a project that started around $90,000 and eventually peaked at $170,000. It was a legitimate production, structured like a film project, with real scope and vision. Here is a link if you want to see it

After that pitch, things slowly started going downhill.

As I became labeled an “influencer,” the budgets began to reflect that status. Content creators typically don’t receive large budgets, especially when they’re new to the space. To grow into something with legitimate production funding would have taken years, and the model required me to be the product. I had to be front and center at all times.

That kind of work is not easily scalable. It doesn’t create systems. It doesn’t create something that can exist without my constant presence. In effect, my time and attention became the commodity, rather than a business, formula, or framework that could operate independently across different niches.

From a business perspective, that realization was a breaking point.

Choosing a Different Path

Over the next few months, I’m going to experiment with building and attracting business without relying on social media, and I’ll be documenting that process here. If you’re curious, I encourage you to follow along.

On a personal level, the decision feels even more important.

Using social media as entertainment had a clear negative impact on my mental health. My focus suffered. My anxiety increased. I constantly compared myself to others. Keeping up with the Joneses became a background hum in my brain. I’ve written about this before, but it’s worth repeating: the way these platforms are designed does not serve our well-being.

I’m stepping away to reset my baseline and retrain my brain. I don’t want content curated to hijack my attention. I want to be intentional about what I allow into my head.

How I’m Taking a Break

If you’re considering a social media detox, here’s what I’m doing:

1. Set a defined time frame.
   I committed to a full month with zero use of Instagram and Facebook.

2. Turn off email notifications.
   Go into your account settings and disable all platform-related emails. This matters more than you think.

3. Delete the apps from your phone.
   I didn’t delete my accounts, but I removed the apps entirely. While I was at it, I also deleted X and Threads.

4. Be intentional about what stays.
   I’m keeping LinkedIn and YouTube for professional use, but I’m very aware of how easily those can turn into doomscrolling.

5. Replace the habit, not just the app.
   This part is critical. You need to put something in the exact place where those apps lived on your phone. That moment when you pick up your phone is usually just time you’re trying to burn. If there’s nothing there, your brain will look for the old shortcut.

   Putting an app like Kindle in that spot forces a different outcome. Instead of scrolling, you read. Even five minutes here and there adds up quickly. A few pages while standing in line, a chapter before bed, ten minutes instead of doomscrolling, it compounds fast. You’re not eliminating the habit of checking your phone; you’re redirecting it toward something healthier.

   I also do Duolingo every day. That little owl is a real bastard, but he wants me to learn Spanish and, honestly, so do I.

Build New Inputs

Once the apps are gone, you need new habits or the vacuum will pull you right back.

I use a habit tracker called HabitKit. Our daily goals include:

• 30 minutes of reading

• A walk

• Gym or run

• No sugar or sweets

The most important one is reading. Forcing myself to read 30 minutes a day has already improved my focus and mental clarity in a noticeable way.

Phase two, which I’m entering now, is finding local events, workshops, and in-person networking opportunities. Real community. Real conversations.

Slow the World Down on Purpose

One small practice I’ve started bringing back is writing postcards.

Just like taking photos on film, writing a postcard forces you to slow down for a moment, especially when you’re traveling. First you have to find one. Then you sit down and actually write it. You need an address. If you’re overseas, you have to hunt down stamps and a post office. It’s inefficient by modern standards and that’s exactly why it matters.

Tip: if you’re traveling internationally, the front desk at most hotels can send postcards for you. They usually have stamps or know exactly how to handle it.

You wouldn’t believe how much a postcard can mean to someone. In a world of instant messages and disappearing stories, a handwritten note that traveled across countries feels almost magical. It becomes a physical artifact of time, place, and intention.

And honestly, it might just add a fun little side quest to your travels.

An Extra Step: No TV

One more extreme measure I’m taking this month is a complete break from TV. No streaming. No background noise. Books will be my primary input.

Relearning Real Connection

One last thing.

If connection matters to you, pursue it directly. Call your friends. Text them randomly. How many of us are terrible at actually picking up the phone? You could genuinely brighten someone’s day by reaching out.

This break isn’t about disappearing. It’s about choosing depth over noise, intention over addiction, and life energy spent on things that actually matter.

I’ll see you here.