This past year I finally did something I’d been wanting to do for a long time — I took a break from blogging and social media.
Taking a sabbatical from social media has been transformative. I feel more intentional, less distracted, and better able to focus on the things I truly love.
I’ve still worked a bit, but far less than usual. Because I posted and interacted far less, I received many messages and emails asking what was going on.
“Is everything okay?”
“Did you stop enjoying travel?”
“Is the business struggling?”
Most people assumed something bad had happened simply because I wasn’t posting as often. The truth is my break wasn’t a dramatic, planned sabbatical — it started small and stuck. I’ve been busy with other priorities and I’ve been enjoying living in the moment more.
In this article I’ll explain what happened, why I went on a hiatus, why people assumed something was wrong, and how the break has affected my life and business.
So, what happened?
It began with posting less on Instagram. For years I published daily, then one week I didn’t post — and that one-week pause extended into months. Over the past year I’ve posted on Instagram roughly 3–4 times a month, and it felt freeing.
That reduced presence spread across other platforms: I stopped checking Twitter frequently, Pinterest largely became something I outsource and schedule, and Facebook became something I hardly used. I also relaxed my publishing schedule on the blog. Instead of publishing three times a week as I used to, I only write when I’m genuinely interested in a topic.
I limited interviews, paused launching new courses and focused on the two I already have, and skipped conferences and meetups. I also changed how I publish income reports so I feel less pressure. As I wrote in an older post, I wanted income reports to focus more on actions and accomplishments rather than creating monthly pressure to hit specific numbers.
After years of 100+-hour weeks running the blog, slowing down felt necessary. I wasn’t burned out or unhappy with the blog — I still love it — but I needed to be more mindful about how I spent my time online. I didn’t want my days dominated by a laptop and endless social media browsing.
What else caused the change?
Over the past two to three years I dealt with consistently high blood pressure. I tried many natural approaches and stayed active, so it was hard to accept that chronic overworking and constant digital distraction were major contributors.
Family emergencies and other non-work priorities also required my attention. Taking a social media break has been refreshing and allowed me to focus on those important life areas. Now I feel more ready than ever to return to my work — and I’ve missed it.
Am I enjoying life?
Absolutely. Life has been very good. Right now we’re enjoying living on a sailboat, and we loved van-dwelling this past summer. Slowing down allowed me to be present, travel more intentionally, and grow in ways I hadn’t expected.
Am I still making a good income during this semi-sabbatical?
Yes. Years of consistent effort built a stable foundation, so even with reduced hours my income remains strong. The break hasn’t jeopardized the business.
Below are practical changes I implemented to be more present and reclaim time in my life.
I’m trying to stop rushing through everything.
Rushing was one of my worst habits. I’m naturally impatient and often multitasked my way through tasks instead of savoring them. I decided to slow down and truly live in the moment—enjoying small processes and experiences rather than chasing constant productivity.
Practical steps I took:
- Stop multitasking and savor individual processes.
- Pause and fully enjoy a good song — close my eyes and be present.
- Try not to bring my laptop to bed.
- Pause for sunsets and sunrises instead of rushing past them.
- Reduce distractions and enjoy silence when it’s available.
- Stretch and practice yoga more often.
When it’s nice outside, I enjoy it.
I now plan my day around the outdoor adventure first, work second. Instead of waking up and immediately working until a task is done, I’ll go for a hike, snorkel, or sail and handle work later. I created a business with a flexible schedule so I’m finally making use of that freedom.
I’m more mindful of the time I spend on social media.
Even during the break I had times when I still scrolled a lot. To reduce that, I removed apps from my phone — no Twitter or Pinterest on my phone, no Snapchat, and much less time on Instagram and Facebook. Deleting apps helped tremendously. If you want a social media break, try deleting the apps first.
I unsubscribed from a lot of emails.
My inbox used to receive hundreds of messages daily, many of them promotional or junk. Instead of mass-deleting, I’ve been unsubscribing from newsletters I don’t read and keeping only the essential subscriptions. This has made my inbox feel less overwhelming and reduced wasted time.
I check email less often.
I had an addiction to refreshing my inbox throughout the day. Constantly checking email wastes time and fragments focus. Now I set aside specific times to check email, turn off notifications, and try to limit checks to a few times per day or even once daily when possible. It’s hard at first but it boosts productivity and helps me stay present.
I watch a lot less TV.
I go through phases with TV; lately I haven’t watched since late summer. Between reducing TV and social media, I feel much better. Cutting TV freed up hours for work, travel, and meaningful experiences — especially when we gave up Netflix while living in the RV and used that time to explore and build the blog.
I’m outsourcing more work.
Outsourcing repetitive tasks has been crucial to taking time off and stepping away from social media without the blog suffering. I now delegate items such as scheduling social posts, updating pins, moderating Facebook groups, approving group requests, and replying to some emails. I still answer reader emails myself.
My team is small — an editor, a virtual assistant, a Pinterest assistant, and a tech person — all part-time. If you’re low on time, consider hiring help for tasks that don’t require your direct involvement. Outsourcing can give you space to focus on higher-priority goals or simply to live more in the moment.
Before outsourcing, ask yourself:
- Will outsourcing help me earn more or better use my time?
- Is the task better handled by an expert?
- Will outsourcing free me to focus on my goals?
I’m spending less time dwelling on negative thoughts.
Social media can be great for staying connected while traveling, but it can also foster negative comparisons, envy, and low self-esteem. People tend to share highlight reels — not the stress, finances, or struggles behind those moments. Research links heavy social media use to increased depression and lower self-esteem for many users.
Taking a social media break helped me avoid unnecessary comparisons and negative thinking. It gave me space to focus on what I love about myself and how I want to grow.
Are you mindful of how you spend your time? How much time do you spend on social media each day? Have you ever taken a break from it?