Social media can easily take up a big part of our day, from scrolling through Facebook to watching TikTok videos. From wasting time to social media taking a mental toll, it is good to take a step away every so often. How often do you find yourself mindlessly scrolling through posts, only to be surprised at just how much time has passed? Or realized that social media is having a negative effect?
Here are some tips to help reduce the impact of social media on your life.
Reduce / Turn Off Notifications
One of the things that can serve as a big distraction to our day are notifications, popping up as we go through our daily routine. Many notifications are things that are not time sensitive, but they add to fracturing our day. Ever go on your phone for one thing, only to find yourself endlessly scrolling an hour later?  Social media can wait until later!
Set a Timer / Limits
Use a time or app timer to reduce the amount of time that you spend on social media. You may find yourself surprised at how quickly 20 minutes goes by, and a timer can be helpful in limiting mindless scrolling.
Mute / Unfollow
Social media can have a negative effect on you, from toxic people to things that make you feel badly about yourself. The same as setting boundaries in your life, it helps to set boundaries on social media as well, so that you limit seeing things that are negative to your life. For example, mute or unfollow people that you don’t talk to, who are unhealthy influences.
Schedule specific times for social media
Come up with a time that you specifically enjoy social media. For example, during your lunch break or even in the bathtub. Find times to use social media as a treat, not just a habit.
Make phone-free times
Be aware of when not to use your device. For example, at a meal or when you are hanging out with others. At work, or when you need to be focusing on something.
Be aware of your use
Try to be conscious of when you are on your phone. Think about being present when you are around others. Set a good example for kids, so that you are not distracted by social media while you are around them.
Just the article I needed to read today. I can become so addicted to my phone I don’t accomplish much else. Thanks for all the tip!
This is a really helpful post , we all need a social media detox. Its so important to limit the phone usage.
I definitely need a social media detox. I’m on it too much, and it’s so incredibly negative!
Ah yes, I love these pointers. The problem will come in with strict enforcement of them. I believe in setting timers for myself and tasks I have to do on social media. Thanks for these.
I do this every so often and it’s great. I don’t even have to worry about phone notifications as I’ll turn off the phone. I need to do it more often!!
I could use a social media detox. The positives are only life highlights, and the negatives are just plain ugly.
I wish I could do a social media detox. The problem is that being a Virtual Assistant, the bulk of my work is on social media so… =(
Dumping social media is difficult. I try to stay away from it, but I do need it for work.
I love to just leave my phone in another room and out of reach. Sometimes it’s annoying though because my work requires double authentication to sign in and it uses my phone number to verify my identity so sometimes I have to keep it nearby!
It’s nice to take a break from social media sometimes. it’s refreshing to leave and then pleasant to come back because it breaks that habit of aimlessly scolling.
Phone-free times are so important. I never look at my phone when I am eating dinner with someone. To me, it is rude. If we can’t talk, we shouldn’t be out with each other.
Thank you for such practical tips! I do most of what you listed, but i find myself lost in my phone often than not! Haha
I had muted most people pn Insta but it had affected my reach badly. But I believe we just need to turn off the notifications and a little bit will power is enough!
I am blessed by reading this post and we are literally wasting time on social media by scrolling up and down. You really helped so many people who are wasting their valuable time on social media
I really need to take a full social media detox for a few days over the festive season, I can definitely feel the negative effects of it. I am so guilty when it comes to getting distracted. I go on my phone to do one thing and then realise a few hours have passed and I’ve been sucked down the Facebook rabbit hole. I have set limits for myself recently and it has helped, and I have also turned off a lot of notifications for apps and that has helped immensely. We already have screen-free time at dinner but I think I need to implement more screen-free times for the whole family
WE need to use social media carefully before it starts consuming us.
We can use reminders for each apps and the time we spent on each!