We live in a social media-obsessed world. We often hear about the downsides of always being attached to our devices. Social media can make us feel more alienated than connected and can have power over our thoughts and emotions. I personally have a serious case of FOMO from social media, but being in college and living in the 21st century, it is almost impossible to avoid social media. Sure, Ed Sheeran did it but every day; Collegiettes can’t. We have to study, write papers, take notes and attend club meetings. That is why “quitting” isn’t the solution. Instead, we should learn to slowly detach with these steps.
1. Break Up in the Morning and at Night
After your alarm goes off in the morning, don’t immediately start scrolling through Instagram. Give yourself some time to make a healthy breakfast instead of just grabbing a granola bar, or do a quick yoga sequence to get your body ready for the day. Before you fall asleep at night, don’t let the last thing you see be a bright screen, grab a book (one with actual pages).
2. Turn Off Notifications
It’s going to be okay if you’re not immediately aware of who liked your recent Facebook status and to be completely honest, it gets annoying to hear every ding, buzz and ring. There’s no reason that you need to respond right away when you’re probably busy being around actual people. Plus, when you do actually unlock your phone and see all the notifications, it makes you feel super popular.
3. Find a Hobby
I think this one is easier said than done. How does one actually find a hobby in their early twenties? Trial and error, girls. Try journaling, painting, discovering new restaurants or even a mid-afternoon spin class. Just do something you enjoy away from a screen.
4. Appreciate Your Surroundings
You don’t have to live by the motto “pics or it didn’t happen.” If you’re trying to capture all of the “fun” moments in your life, you could actually be missing out on so much more.
5. Set Limits
Try allocating times to check your social media accounts, and when those times are up, log off and put away your devices. Another limit is placing your phone in your kitchen while you study in your bedroom. That way you have to actually get up and put in some effort to check your feed.
There’s no reason to completely quit social media because, let’s face it, you need it. Instead, take small steps so it doesn’t overpower your life.
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