Spend less time on social media, more time on things that matter
The internet is a noisy and often exhausting place. And not surprisingly, many people are beginning to miss the analog days of the past, when internet usage was just a small sliver of our day – or even week! There’s a growing body of people who are thinking along these lines. People who are embracing a slow approach to life, practicing digital decluttering, and deleting their Facebook accounts. It’s encouraging and eye opening to hear from people like this, who remind us we don’t need to be glued to our phones. But for most of us, the days before social media and smartphones are a distant memory. Today, it’s hard to imagine what life would be like without these constant interruptions and compulsions. Many large-scale surveys have concluded that the average person spends between three and six hours a day looking at their phones. Social media has many benefits and downsides as well. Research suggests that excessive time spent on social media has a direct impact on our mental and physical health.
The information is out there and we all know it, but how do we break a pervasive habit?
Social media is specifically designed to trigger the reward mechanism in our brain, making it very easy to form some degree of dependence. That’s why we sometimes feel a strong urge to pick up the phone and check our socials, the same way a smoker craves tobacco. Spend some time identifying what triggers the urge to reach for your phone. That will help you figure out how to satisfy the underlying need without resorting to scrolling.
Many of us automatically pick up our phones as a distraction from feelings we don’t want to feel. But instead of giving in to that urge, take a moment to check in with your mind and body. Instead of giving in to that urge, take a moment to check in with your mind and body. Take a few deep breaths and notice if you’re feeling stressed or upset. What usually makes you feel better when these feelings come up? This is the perfect moment to use a self-soothing technique.
Try making plans to see or call someone you miss. We spend many hours a day looking at our phones, but it sometimes seems like such a huge effort to arrange to meet someone for coffee. If you want to take a more therapeutic approach, write a letter to someone who’s a little farther away, like an elderly relative or a friend who’s relocated. Letter writing has so many benefits for our brains and mental health, and can bring so much joy to the recipient.
If you’re always watching musicians and dancers on TikTok, then maybe you should consider going to a live show or taking a dance/music class yourself. If you’re obsessed with games, try to take it offline by planning a board game night with friends, or even going to an actual arcade. Naturally, you can also just look to your other interests and goals. If you’ve been meaning to read more, practice drawing, or start gardening, try one of those in your downtime instead of turning to your phone.
Rewarding yourself for carrying out the replacement activity instead of using social media is essential. For example, you might reward yourself with a 10-minute break to do whatever you want after getting through an hour of work without checking your phone. But the best reward will be the feeling of freedom when you aren’t so anxiously attached to social media and can gain back all those misspent hours in your daily life.
Reference: How to spend less time on social media and more time enjoying life (msn.com)
