I took the decision two days before the new year broke to temporarily deactivate my Facebook and Instagram accounts; a digital detox is what health and wellness gurus call it.
In a world so hyperconnected, such detachment is always met with suspicion, the same way we view people who choose not to have accounts for themselves. We have gotten accustomed to immediacy and connection to such an extent that it is hard to realise life in any other way. Perhaps it was the over exposure to news coupled with a new lockdown, but I left 2020 feeling absolutely, mentally drained and worn out. As Guyanese would say “ah tek on everything”. I tried desperately at the end of the year to create patterns of normalcy, but this wasn’t sufficient.
I realised I needed to create a space for myself with less negativity as one I inhabited was so filled with intentional chaos. Social-media is one such force and though I tried to regulate and control what I’m exposed to, it has been exhausting to constantly monitor everything. My sleep patterns were interrupted, and I felt myself unable to feel grounded in the present.