“I just had a month without any screens, no iPhone, television, computer, cinema or even music. » The announcement on Instagram by Léna Mahfouf, known under the pseudonym Léna Situations, surprised her community. It's indeed difficult to imagine the content creator, followed by 4.7 million people on Instagram, 2.87 million on YouTube, and 3.4 million on TikTok, taking a digital break.
In a 46-minute video posted on YouTube, Léna tells how, in four steps, she went from 7 hours of screen time a day to… zero. His only link to technology: an emergency flip phone. “No scrolling, no drama, no likes, just a return to the real world, at least my world before receiving my first screens and forgetting my life without digital distraction. It was surprising, full of boredom, inspiration and beautiful surprises. »
A hypocritical initiative?
When those who make their living from social networks advocate total disconnection… obviously, it provokes a reaction. Since the announcement of her new video “1 month without a screen”, posted online Monday evening, Léna Situations has received a wave of skeptical comments, criticizing her project as difficult to access for a person outside the world of influence.
“You're going to have to stop with your bourgeois fantasies, like 'disconnect from the world with your phone, you can do so many things ????'. It’s annoying and it looks down on the rest of the “populace” who stay connected to consume YOUR content,” writes internet user @just__jonah in the comments of his Instagram ad. Or: “I stop and criticize the activity that made me a multimillionaire ????” from @frozennpl.
Criticisms that Léna does not brush aside. In her video, she admits that this kind of project is a luxury that few people can afford, especially when you're not your own boss. During her challenge, she had to make exceptions to continue working and manage her professional obligations. His goal? Improve your concentration, optimize your time and take a step back from social networks that were doing you more harm than good.
A message for young people addicted to screens
“I'm not going to tell you that I'm going to completely leave the screens because that would be totally hypocritical, given that it's my job. And beyond that, it’s something that brings me joy when I manage it well,” she explains in her video.
If social media becomes a source of unhappiness, she explains, you have to cut it off to better refocus. She thus pushes her community to reduce and control their screen time to anchor themselves more in the present. A message that touched some of his subscribers, some having never considered this type of approach before his video.
As @Nuucie testifies in a comment under his video:
“All I want to do is cry. Your video made me sob from A to Z. I know I'm suffering my life. I can't go a day without watching YouTube, Netflix, Snap and my emails every 5 minutes. I immerse myself in other people's lives to feel like I'm living and take a break from my own. I feel like I can't spend 24 hours a day in my own life. It's excruciatingly shocking, I know. You are my green light to step back. Thank you Lena. »
One testimony among others which illustrates the impact of the influencer on her community, mainly aged 16 to 30. An age group where many spend more than six hours a day in front of interactive screens, according to a 2022 Ipsos/Macif barometer.
