Should you unplug from the election?

If this election is causing you anxiety, this might be the week to take a break from social media.

It’s fairly undisputed that politics feel more divisive than any time in history. Growing up, politics were considered too taboo to discuss. And while I am certainly glad that’s not the case anymore — discussion is the foundation for growth — we’ve quickly devolved into a world of grandstanding, angry rhetoric, and misinformation.

Election day is tomorrow. This isn’t news to you, you cannot open your phone without hearing about politics. The train we’ve been riding on for the past several months is finally approaching its final destination, but instead of slowing down, we’re hitting a fever pitch. 

It’s impossible to scroll your social media feed without getting opinions, predictions, and sensationalized headlines. The only news is political news, even entertainment articles find a way to tie in the election. You can barely check the weather without getting served a political ad.

But here’s the thing — at this point, you have one job: to vote. Reading the political coverage, scrolling political memes, engaging in political discourse (ps: reading the comments section is still engaging)…none of this will change the outlook of the election. 

Instead, it can lead to anxiety, restlessness, and stress. Even positive content about the candidate I am rooting for causes me internal turmoil. There’s nothing else I can do to control the outcome of this race.

When we lose the feeling of control, our ability to properly regulate our emotions degrades. We are searching for a balm, some relief, an answer to our questions, but the fact is, we won’t have one for some time. We won’t know the results of the election right away. It can take days.

Once you’ve cast your ballot, the results of the election are out of your hands. No matter how many times you refresh your feed, it won’t change who our future president is. Checking your news app every five minutes will not result in the answer you’re looking for any faster. 

During the last election, I remember how glued to my phone I was, how anxious I was. Looking back, that week was a black hole of frenetic energy. I don’t want to lose that time again this year. 

There’s a better way. 

Practical tips to stay above the fray during election week

• Take a social media break.

  • Delete the apps for one week. They will be a deluge of political memes, “hot takes,” unfounded predictions, and countless amounts of anxiety-inducing content. This break needs to be inclusive of all social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter/X, TikTok, Reddit, Threads, etc.

• Take a step back from group texts.

  • Mute or remove yourself from group texts who are likely to bring up the election. Here’s a sample text if you’re leaving the text: “Hey friends, I’m going to leave this text until the election is over. I need to keep my head in the sand until the results are final or the frenetic energy will be the end of me. See you in a week!” 

• Delete the news apps and turn off the news stations.

  • You know how the election goes, finding out state-by-state who won, doesn’t help you determine who will be the final winner. It’s stressful.  

• Learn the news by word of mouth:

  • Choose a trusted friend or family member to call or text you when the election is called. 

Important note:

If you’re used to spending a good amount of time on social media or consuming the news, before you start your break, you need to be prepared with something else to fill your time.

Have a novel or your Kindle handy, finally tackle that Fall project list you’ve been meaning to do, take this as an opportunity to start a new hobby or workout routine. When you’re taking something out of your routine, you must replace it with something. 

What to do instead of scrolling

The next President of the United States will be determined in the coming days, that is a fact we cannot change. Once your ballot has been cast, the end result is out of your control.

What you can control is how you’ll spend the time in between the vote and the result. Give your body and mind a break. You deserve it. 

---

Hi reader. In the coming weeks, I’m launching a new reader Q&A series. If you have a question about digital minimalism or starting your own journey to break free from the internet, shoot me a message at the link below.