Social media: Most everyone's guilty pleasure! These platforms are a fun way to connect with the people we love. Whether we are sharing a funny video, announcing our good news, posting vacation pictures, or looking to pass the time, these websites usually leave us entertained.

However, is there such a thing as too much social media? Can these virtual connections get in the way of real ones? To answer these questions, I decided to swear off social media for one week and document any changes I noticed. Here are the perks of ditching social media...

1. Being more present

A natural — and, maybe, obvious — result of logging off is the phenomenon of tuning in more closely to your surroundings. You will be way more engaged in conversation and respond with more thought. You'll notice details in a setting and how great the sun feels. The world is way cooler than your screen.

2. Getting more checks on that to-do list

An easy way to be more productive? Sign me up!

3. Feeling less negative

No matter how many cute puppies and delicious recipes fill your timeline, it seems that something negative always slides its way in. There are nasty comments written by people with even nastier attitudes shining through your computer screen.

But you can't get sucked into the negative if you never see it in the first place... Am I right?

4. Jumping back into other fun activities

Suddenly, there's more time to read, go to the gym, be with family, and do homework... Amazing!

5. Less time spent on your cell phone

Don't worry about scrambling to find a charger because your phone is only on one percent. Less social apps equal a longer battery life.

Though these were my personal results, I would encourage everyone to give this a try. The perks far outweigh the feeling of disconnect that follows. They also outweigh the feeling of having to tell all your friends why you can't like their latest Instagram post.

Despite the tone that this article may be taking, remember that there is nothing wrong with logging onto Facebook to see what your friends are up to or getting a quick news update on Twitter... Just limit the time spent. Make it an occasional activity and not a priority. After all, how you leave your mark on the real world is more important than the mark you leave online.

Log off every now and then!