Lots of us have an intense love/hate relationship with social media. There’s quite a bit to learn and great content to devour – but man, you possibly can scroll through a solid 45 minutes in what appears like the blink of a watch. How can we help ourselves reap the advantages of social media (even laughing) without wasting an excessive amount of time at the cost of our lives?
Listed below are some strategies that could make your social media time more purposeful in order that it becomes more of a love/love relationship – and leave room for other parts of your life.
Spend as much time on social media as you’ll schedule for it in your calendar
Everyone knows that social media could be all-consuming. It will devour many hours of our day if we let it, and perhaps it already is for you. Let’s be more conscious about it.
Ask yourself: How much time do I spend on social media every day, and would I block that much time on my calendar?
It forces you not only to see how much time you spend on social media, but in addition to have a look at it in relation to all the pieces you must do along with your time.
For the full effect, be certain you make time in your calendar for other fun parts of your life, including calling friends, reading books, watching your favorite TV show, going for walks, or anything that lifts your boat. When you possibly can see in a more visual way the stuff you’re giving up on that hour-long social scroll every night, it makes switching a bit easier.
That does not imply you’ve to offer up cold turkey. It simply means that you simply have gotten more conscious about how often and for a way long you scroll.
If it’s 20 minutes thrice per week, you is likely to be wonderful with that and even consider putting 20 minutes of social media time in your calendar. If it’s two hours each night – well, the idea of blocking time for that in your calendar is likely to be a little bit of a wake-up call.
what’s good for you, but asking yourself this query and being specific about what you must make room for in your calendar can provide help to be more purposeful with the scroll and understand what you possibly can surrender with a purpose to achieve this.
Temporarily remove apps
Are there times once you don’t need to make use of social media in any respect? For instance, I exploit social media at work, so I prefer to stay away from it on the weekends once I’m with family and friends. You’ll be able to be the other way around – select what’s best for you.
During those periods when you must opt out completely, consider deleting the app. (Just be certain you recognize where your password is.)
Deleting the app not only helps your brain really make a call, it also prevents your thumbs from guiding you to Instagram and 10 minutes before you even know it! Plus, it’s super easy to load up a backup of your apps once you’re able to dive in again.
One final little tip: Schedule reminders in your calendar for once you will delete the app to assist Future You. For instance, as I discussed, I often delete Instagram (and work email) on Friday afternoons, so I even have an alert on my calendar that goes off at 5pm on Fridays to remind me to achieve this.
Recognize that social media is taking you out of the emotional driver’s seat
A couple of months ago I had 10 minutes to kill before I needed to jump on Zoom to run a workshop. Without pondering, I turned on Instagram and commenced scrolling. Inside a minute I used to be furious about some political thing I saw. I quickly closed it and needed to work very hard to get back into the mood I desired to be in to offer a fantastic workshop. Since then, I do not allow myself to make use of social media for no less than an hour before I even have to be “at work” – or once I’m feeling more emotionally frayed than normal.
Recognize the power social media has in dictating what you’re thinking that and the way you’re feeling. Be very aware once you let Pandora’s Box into your life.
Similarly, in the event you experience negative feelings increase inside you from people in your channel, unfollow or mute them. When you keep walking away from other people’s posts feeling offended or inferior to yourself, stop gifting away that power and risking those feelings each time you open the app.
As an alternative, arrange your feed in a spot that makes you laugh, think, and gets you excited to go to – make it a spot that may provide help to get back to the good life.
Notice why you utilize it
A friend of mine once said, “I noticed I reach for Instagram once I’m overwhelmed,” and it was like a light-weight bulb moment. It’s an easy statement, but realizing that we regularly find yourself on social media after we feel like work or life is a bit an excessive amount of at the moment is powerful.
Now, each time I find myself reaching for social media once I ought to be working, I ask myself, “Are you feeling a bit overwhelmed? What about? What could you do as a substitute that may actually help?”
Your reasons for turning to social media can vary from situation to situation, whether it’s since you’re overwhelmed, bored, or have to laugh. Concentrate on your various reasons and consider whether you must reach out to social media in response to those feelings. If that’s the case, great – just be certain the app meets those desires. If not, take into consideration what you desire to to do as a substitute.
Explaining why you utilize social media can provide help to be more constructive, which is able to make you more positive about your experiences.
Social media is a spot we regularly go to to modify off our brains and be mindless – but they often do nothing else. Take into consideration when and the way you must use it, enjoy it, after which return to your life off social media.
about the writer
Kelly Nolan is a lawyer turned management strategist. It helps deal with realistic time management for working women and offers an 8-week time management program for working women called The Vibrant Method™.