Social media truly has consumed our everyday lives, to the extent we might not even realize it. Say you’re traveling from A to B, you’re on a bus, train; how do you spend that hour? We can guarantee more often than not you will simply be sat surfing through twitter, Facebook, Instagram, among many apps. It seems that any time we have a spare moment, we turn to these apps. This isn’t to say social media is fully bad. At the end of the day, they are perfect for connecting with friends, staying up to date with pop culture and staying “woke”. The issue isn’t the apps themselves, it’s the amount of time we spend on them. Surely seeing the world, meeting a friend or doing something productive is better than staring blankly at a cellular device? Lucky for you, we have a few tips to share that can help you reduce your screen time. Have a gander.
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Keep Aware Of Time Spent On Social Media
Identifying the starting point is the first step in making any adjustments. Look at the stats on your phone if it records your screen time and quantify what they say. For example, if you spent two hours and thirty minutes on Monday on your phone, was the majority of that time be spent looking through Instagram during your lunch break or Snapchatting throughout the day? What could you have done instead with those two hours and 30 minutes that would have made you even happier or fulfilled?
Determine which applications you use the most, when and why you use them, and how you could break this habit. If you’re a goal-oriented person, you can set a screen or social media time goal depending on how much time you know you’re spending now. Cutting two hours and 30 minutes down to two hours by next week, for example, will be a more manageable initial step than aiming for 30 minutes of screen time. Baby steps are the key to building good habits, and recognizing where you’re at is essential to taking them.
Feel Free To Utilize The Mute (Or Unfollow) Button
Instagram installing a “mute” button was a fantastic idea. Now you can happily ignore annoying posts without doing the passive aggressive task of actually unfollowing someone. You’ve probably heard the phrase that “you’re the sum of the five individuals with whom you spend the most time”. Well, you’re also the sum of the five social media accounts you follow the most. Do yourself a favor and turn off or unfollow everyone on Instagram except a select accounts that provide you with inspiration, motivation, and enjoyment every time you look at their feed or stories. Not only will it enhance your confidence, but with fewer profiles and feeds to look through, you’ll automatically spend less time on social media.
Don’t Look At Social Media Before 10am
Many of us get up and instantly go through Facebook like it’s the morning newspaper, while others linger in bed longer than necessary to catch up on TikToks we missed while sleeping. Checking social media first thing in the morning not only sets the tone for your day by focusing on what other people are doing in their lives (rather than what you’re doing in your life), but it may also be a complete waste of time.
It is much better to wait until you’ve already started your day to check social media, whether that’s at a specified time (like 10 a.m.) or 60 minutes after you wake up. You can also set a general limit on how much time you spend on the phone. Try not to check your phone until you’ve prepared a cup of coffee, journaled your appreciation, and completed a 10-step skincare routine (not feasible, but it sounds good, doesn’t it?).
Turn Off Notifications
Do you really need to be notified every time a random account likes your photo or a Z-List celebrity updates their Instagram account? The answer is just a simple no. Notifications and alerts are designed to draw your attention away from whatever you’re doing and encourage you to pick up your phone. Give your phone a break and turn off social media notifications, so you get to choose when you want to check social media, rather than letting social media tell you when. Bonus tip: you can also turn off text message notifications, and it will be the most freeing feeling of your life, guaranteed.
No Phones At The Table
Keeping your kitchen table tech-free is a great way to create a phone-free zone in your house. It will ensure that you are totally present at all times throughout meals. Also, when you’re out with pals, try to persuade everyone to put their phones in the middle of the table, and have the first person who picks theirs up to cover the bill or order the next round of drinks. Sure, enforcing the restriction your parents established when you were 14 years old and received your first telephone may be inconvenient. However, you will honestly have better conversations, longer meals, and a lot more fun as a result, even despite a couple of grumbles and occasional moans! Spending less time on social media in general is just a pleasant side effect.
