If you aren’t on social media these days, you aren’t actually living in the twenty-first century. Social media has a significant presence in everything from companies to personal and professional relationships—and with it, a seductive temptation to spend even more time utilizing its capabilities.
While it continues to provide venues for us to interact with friends and family, it has evolved into an online version of the Vegas strip, with advertising, videos, and links urging us to pay attention to the next big thing.
According to a recent Forbes article, having a strong social media strategy is important for both businesses and consumers. [1] We make a lot of purchase decisions based on the material we find on social media.
Similarly, when it comes to new trends, ideas, fashion, and, sadly, politics, we prefer to “follow the flock.” While the positive side of social media is that it has given us greater freedom to express ourselves, the negative side is that we may quickly lose our sense of uniqueness. [2]
It’s a dangerous path to pursue, and one that requires time and effort to recognize and correct. As a result, the phrase “social media addiction” has gained traction in the health and wellness sector as one of the leading causes of mental health problems. [3]
Social Media Addiction and How It Affects Health
We all know it isn’t true, but this mindset and desire to display a flawless existence online for all to see is fueling despair, anxiety, and poor self-esteem.
Similarly, it’s making us lose our sense of authenticity and reality since “real world” issues don’t make for pretty social media postings. Instead, we seek refuge in the beauty that only serves to mask our misery, loss, or loneliness.
We’ve stepped out of our actual world because we’ve meticulously built our online one. This form of escapism is known as social media addiction. [4]
So, how do you reclaim control of your life by limiting your time spent on social media (and therefore avoiding social media addiction)? Here are some guidelines to follow.
Since the inception of websites like Facebook, the way we utilize social media has evolved dramatically. Initially, Facebook’s platform served as a basic means of interacting with friends and family while also allowing users to post cheesy photographs and status updates to their “wall.”
With the advent of a more picture-oriented site like Instagram, however, we increased the ante. This is where the thorny issue first arose, and we’re still dealing with it now.
Take a peek at a few of today’s most popular Instagram accounts. Millions of people are sure to notice a trend of well-groomed photographs and layouts. This has become an “Instagram objective,” reinforcing the notion that good images equal success.
1. Think About Why You’d Like to Be on Social Media
Everything we undertake in life is motivated by a single question: why do you want to do it? What does it have in store for you? The same may be said about using social media.
It may seem odd to ask this question while considering a Facebook or Instagram account, but if you want to genuinely manage your social media (rather than having it control you), asking this question might be eye-opening.
Do you simply want to remain in contact with pals, or do you want to advertise your company? By getting to the heart of why you’re online, you’ll be able to properly track your time on social media and eliminate anything else.
2. Be Meticulous About Who You Follow and what you post and share
Your most valuable asset is your ability to attract attention. Reread what you just read. Everything you “like” or “click” becomes a thread in the tapestry of information that returns to you on social media newsfeeds.
You want to make an information spread that is tailored to you, your requirements, and your schedule. So many times, we follow individuals impulsively who may not be serving our best interests.
Give yourself permission to clear up your contacts every now and then! It’s fine to have a disagreement with someone.
Unfollow anybody you don’t connect with instead of falling into a rabbit hole of social media thread disputes. It benefits your mental health and aids in the recovery from social media addiction.
Similarly, be cautious about what you disclose. Do you spread false information yourself? Someone who follows you may be considering cleaning up their contact list in the same way that you are. Make it a point to share and post things that are meaningful to you as well as helpful to others.
3. Curb the Time You Spend Online
If you have a to-do list but have spent the previous three hours browsing through your newsfeed, it’s time to quit the app or turn off the computer. If you really want to kick your social media addiction, set a timer on your phone.
You’ll find that as you start detaching from being online so much, you’ll notice that you have a lot more time! This time has always existed; you were simply misusing it.
It’s not that you don’t have enough time; it’s simply that you waste too much of it browsing through social media instead of getting things done.
4. Change Your Notification Settings
If the pings from your alerts are keeping you from being productive, there are options to turn them off in your settings. You may also erase the applications from your phone and gadgets and resolve to check your social media alerts on your computer.
You may return to your job without succumbing to the temptation of checking your messages in this manner.
5. Not Everything Has to Be Posted and Shared
When it comes to posting on social media, we frequently feel like we’re suffering from “FOMO.” Will the globe continue to evolve if you don’t post anything about the Super Bowl? Yes, of course.
We have no social responsibility to keep our followers up to date on every single thing that occurs in our lives. We must make these decisions thoughtfully and in accordance with our desires.
Consider the last concert you attended (in the pre-COVID era): did you instantly share clips from the show to social media or shoot and upload a picture of you and your friends?
These are everyday occurrences that we don’t even consider, which gets me to my final argument…
6. It’s Okay to Put Your Phone Down and Enjoy Life
In fact, this one simple idea might be the key to breaking your social media addiction! Life’s precious moments are one in a million, like seeing a shooting star or catching your favorite person’s grin. These are such fleeting events, and they never repeat themselves in your lifetime.
Don’t rush to your phone to record the occasion. Instead, use your eyes and emotions to capture it. Allow it to become a fond memory. Enjoy the moment you’re so eager to share with others and make it a priority to share it with yourself instead.
Final Thoughts
When left uncontrolled, social media addiction may lead to despair, a lack of self-worth, and a lack of genuineness. We are moving further away from being ourselves if we “follow the flock” in our quest for the perfect online existence.
This has a cascade of effects that can snowball over time, leading to even more difficult challenges in our life.
We can take control of social media before it takes control of us if we eventually understand how to utilize it, to what degree, and with what aim.