How to Control a Social Media Addiction
If you could travel back in time to explain our society's growing dependence on technology, you may see some shocked and confused faces! Technology devices and social media apps have become a larger part of our everyday lives with lightning speed. But unfortunately, your social media engagement might be taking up too much of your day and curbing your productivity. Please don't fret, this is a common problem for many of us, but luckily there are a few simple hacks you can implement to control your usage. So read on to get your attention span and to-do list back on track!
Just Say No to Notifications
We all know that familiar and comforting social media notification sound. At first, this can be a reminder that we are engaged and seen in an online community, but this can become quite a distraction from your life, work, and creative flow over time. If you are having troubles balancing the world wide web and reality, try turning off all sound and visual notifications on your cell phone. You may get to these comments and shares later, but they aren't going anywhere. Plus, it will seem much more significant when your notifications accumulate all at once! Your to-do list will be delighted to be a priority.
A Social Media Screen Time Tracker Can Be Your New Best Friend
Is it practical to use an app to help keep other apps in line? Yes. Social media tracking is a relatively new genre of apps that can clock your social media screen time and offer some serotonin-raising motivation as you progress. Don't go the whole hog at first if you can help it. Instead, start with a responsible goal like getting to one hour of social media a day per week and then decrease until you reach your ultimate goal from there.
Make Social Media a Reward
What would happen if you had a slice of your favorite pie every day of your life? Well, it might lose its mystique. However, if you learn to rewire your social media habits as an activity that feels more like a treat, the novelty will remain fresh, and your productivity time will increase. So be sure to select a particular time a day that you set aside for social media engagement so you can look forward to the release, but remember, wrap it up before it spills into other areas of your day.
Find a New Non-Tech Hobby
Believe it or not, some activities happen outside of our virtual reality! The main reason social media becomes highly addictive for many people is that it stimulates our pleasure center in the brain. Physically and mentally based activities have a similar effect on our mood and overall energy. For instance, biking, rock climbing, chess, puzzle-solving, and many more non-technology-based activities can have just as powerful an effect on your brain without the eventual headache. The more you expose yourself to these activities, the more people you will also get to meet. So, get on out there—you can't be catfished!
There is no need to purge your daily calendar and quit social media cold turkey. With these simple steps, you will find that your dependence on your phone will decrease while your productivity increases. Enjoy your newfound freedom—what will you accomplish today?
