Have you been struggling to stay ahead on schoolwork? Or even just to relax when you finally get the chance? This is your unofficial guide to making the most of your time without crawling back to that toxic ex we all know: social media.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Do you spend hours on your socials, doom-scrolling after hours of trying to lock in when it comes to confusing schoolwork? If your answer to this is yes, then you’re in the right place.
I personally understand the struggle of spending hours on school work that never seems to end, and of course, treating myself afterwards with another hour or two of mindless scrolling, yet this is just a constant cycle that’ll lead you nowhere.
Treating yourself can take many forms that genuinely make you feel good. But mindlessly scrolling through an app that only provides fleeting content, whether it’s emotions, videos, or pictures, can often leave you feeling anxious or apathetic instead.
SPIRAling
Social media is a world that allows you to meet amazing people through music, entertainment, and even new friendships. The downside to this is seeing peers who may seem more put-together or further ahead in life. This can lead to the start of a slippery slope of comparison. A quick glance at a notification could lead to hours of wasted time if you’re not careful, and there are way too many people who could get roped in without noticing.
One example many people overlook is the concept of “microtrends.” At first glance, they seem cool and innovative; it’s a little burst of inspiration. But in reality, it could feed into your desires for wanting to be perceived like the influencers you watch and follow. A simple thought of “That seems cute,” or “Maybe I should get that too,” can quickly spiral into a full blown bandwagoning, leaving you with trends and items that you won’t actually need. This cycle can lead to disillusionment in many young women, especially those who idolize certain influencers. This can cause them to have a flawed perspective on who they should perceive themselves to be. The real answer is to stop chasing someone else’s perception and just be yourself.
ways to avoid this
Now, for the part you probably came here for: how to manage your life without feeling like it’s just passing you by on social media. We’ve all gotten the feeling of FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) whenever we have to stay in to finish up work while our friends are out having fun. But here’s the thing: you don’t have to feel like you’re missing out.
Instead of dwelling or groaning about how much fun you could’ve been having, it’s a lot easier to think of ways to actively do it. I personally love to journal, whether it’s just a recap about my day or a full-fledged burn book excerpt on the worst day of my life. It’s a way to word dump all my pent up emotions and complaints onto something I have full control over, not an algorithm.
Some ways to optimize your time could be through hobbies such as crocheting, yoga, reading, going for a walk, or, at times, just sitting by yourself. That last one may seem a little odd, but I always feel a lot more in tune with myself once I allow my mind to fully decompress from everything, whether it’s something stressing me out or not.
Finding something that you’re truly passionate about will have you forgetting about the need to doomscroll as you’re now putting so much more energy into an activity or hobby that you want to do without any notifications or reminders for you to check something out.
Remember that every decision has to take a little bit of effort to get the results you want, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you don’t see any immediate changes in the way you interact with your socials. Slowly but surely, your new habits will become the norm!
“Take care of what you let inside your life and mind”
-Maya Angelou