Behind the Blog: Taking Social Media Breaks

Posted May 19, 2026 by Prairie Wife -

The idea of taking social media breaks will likely send most small business/brand owners into a panic attack.

I know that MY immediate thought when I think about taking a break from my socials is “I can’t,” and then as I think more, it turns into a buzzing swarm of thoughts that all begin with “I can’t…”

I can’t stop posting; I’ll lose my following.
I can’t post less, the social media “gods” will punish me!
I can’t stay off social media, my readers will notice.
If I stop posting regularly, I’ll lose all the momentum I have.
I can’t skip responding to comments; it will make “them” mad!

I won’t lie to you, taking social media breaks CAN negatively impact what you’ve built. After all, the entire system rewards you for the more time you spend using it. Whether that’s posting, responding to comments, or scrolling and consuming content from other creators. You will see positive growth when you do all of those things; when you don’t, your account will go quiet, and you may see a noticeable decrease in views.

I can see you shaking your head right now and telling me, “This is not helping me want to take a break!”

But I promise the emotional and mental payoff from taking a social media break outweighs any drawbacks.

First, let’s talk about why you may feel a need to take a break from social media. Then I’ll also offer practical solutions that may help you.

Can’t Focus: We’ve all been there. You’re trying to complete a project, get something turned in before a deadline, or simply trying to check some things off your to-do list…and you keep getting distracted by social media. You hop on to make your afternoon post, and then suddenly it’s 30 minutes later!

Solution: Turn off notifications on your social media apps (I have always done this), leave your phone in a different room or in your car, and take off your watch or any other device that distracts you. Set a timer for an hour and get to work. I find that when I have a big project, using this strategy for a few days in a row (or even multiple times a day) helps ensure I will meet my deadline and produce quality work I’m proud of.

Burnout: You’ve been posting daily, and despite seeing growth, you find yourself constantly on the hunt for new ideas. What once was fun feels like a chore, and you dread creating content. You’re uninspired, and at times you have a physical reaction (eye roll, grimace, tense shoulders) to the very idea of picking up your phone to post yet again.

Solution: Schedule some of your content to post automatically for 1-3 days. Then delete all your social media apps from your phone for that period. Force yourself to do a social media fast. The first day will be hard, the second a bit easier, and on the last day, I bet you’ll have a few fresh new ideas and be excited to post again! If you find yourself STILL feeling overwhelmed and uninspired, take an extra day off and use it to read articles or watch videos on content creation to inspire you. Don’t forget to go back to your scheduled posts and respond to any comments.

Internet Trolls Attacked: It happens to everyone with a solid online presence. You post something and then BOOM, the internet trolls attack! They fill your comments and DMs with negativity, and you find yourself in a constant fight-or-flight mode for days, trying to defend your honor or delete the hate (or a bit of both).

Solution: Sorry to say, it’s not okay to take your break in the middle of the crisis. You need to weather the storm and get to the end. But once it’s done, absolutely schedule some evergreen content (old content that was successful and can be shared again and again) that won’t stir the pot and take a 1-3 day break. When you get back online, you’ll be a bit more cautious and thoughtful about what you post, and that’s okay. Any creator who has had any kind of success has had to go through this a few times! Don’t forget to go back to your scheduled posts and respond to any comments.

Vacation: Whether it’s a family vacation, a solo trip, a trip with friends, or a special time away with your partner, it’s not really a vacation if you’re distracted by work. And that IS what managing your social media presence is, it’s work. I understand that you want to share real-time pics from your trip with your followers, and I absolutely encourage you to create content from your vacation. But make sure you use this time to take a break from social media and work.

Solution: You can schedule your content to post ahead of time, but I find that when I’m online to post my vacation pics, it’s incredibly easy to get caught in the trap of “just let me respond to a few comments,” and then suddenly I realize I just wasted 45  minutes of my vacation working! If you have more than one employee, assign someone to handle social media duties during your vacation (and the first few days back, if you can). Make sure you add them as an editor or admin on your account so that replies and posts appear to come from your brand, not from them personally. If you’re like me and you are the only employee, find someone you can hire as your social media manager during this time. I pay mine a daily wage to monitor comments, respond in a way that aligns with our brand mission, and respond to messages. I still schedule the daily content for my time away ahead of time, but then I am completely hands-off the rest of the time. This was incredibly valuable when I had my recent surgery; it allowed me to truly rest and heal without worrying!

Addiction: For the intent of this post, I am referring to an addiction to social media. You’re seeing that your posting and time spent on social media apps are taking away from what really matters…and the people around you are noticing. It’s easy to get caught up in the online world, especially when it’s literally our job. But when you can tell it’s beginning to impact your mental and physical health in a negative way, and your real-world relationships are suffering, you HAVE to make a change.

Solution: Take one day off a week for 6-8 weeks. I’ve done this several times, and I’m always amazed at how having this weekly reset can really help me find my balance. When doing this, I usually pick Sunday because it’s a slow day for interaction, and my family is generally with me the whole day, so I get the most bang for my buck. I schedule content ahead of time for that day, and then stay off my social apps for a full 24 hours. On Monday, it only takes a few moments to catch back up, and I have yet to have anyone notice I’m taking these breaks. If you find it impossible to take even one day off, try 4 hours. If this is unmanageable, it may be time to seek professional help.

Over the years, I’ve noticed definite dips in my social media engagement when I take a break.

But I find that all it takes is a few days of regular posting for the numbers to return to normal.

And, the mental and emotional benefits far outweigh any of the “negatives”.

Another important thing I want to say, DO NOT ANNOUNCE YOU ARE TAKING A BREAK!

Chances are, most people won’t even notice you’re gone. Drawing attention to it will keep people from checking your page, and leave you open to scammers who now know your page won’t be closely monitored!

Categories: Behind the Blog, This and That

Tags: , behind the blog, brand advice, managing social media, monitoring social media, small business owners, social media