We are part of a generation where social media contributes to our everyday life. Due to the significant impact of technology and apps, there is a need amongst many to readjust the relationship we share with social media to prevent a substantial effect on our mental health. However, when first assessing what we should change about our social media habits, it can be confusing and complicated.
Social media has become a part of our everyday lives. It’s a way to gain inspiration, communicate with others, and feel a sense of belonging. However, social media has many negative impacts, such as an overall decrease in mental health. Understanding how to coexist with it can be incredibly beneficial because social media can be helpful in many ways, but only if used responsibly and healthily.
- Think About Why You Are Going Onto Social Media
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It is important to know why you are precisely picking up your phone and opening an app. Is it because you want to see a particular post? Or is it because you need to be entertained for a few moments? Or is it something more damaging, such as you’re trying to avoid doing something that needs to get done? Being aware of why you’re using social media can help you create a better relationship with it. It can help you realize when and when you should not go on these apps and lessen your time on them if you know the reason for your actions.
- Set Time Limits
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If you find that you are spending an excessive amount of time on social media apps, it might exhaust and drain you. Setting a time limit can help you not become overwhelmed with apps and make sure you aren’t spending an extensive amount of time on your phone time. On apps such as Instagram, it allows you to set a timer for a chosen amount of time, and it will remind you when you’ve spent that much time on the app that day. Doing this reminds you to put your phone down and do something else.
- Unfollow Accounts
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The accounts you follow can significantly affect how your mood when going on particular apps. If an account you follow is not making you feel the best you can or don’t agree with an account’s beliefs or morals, then unfollow it. Unfollowing accounts you don’t enjoy looking at can make social media a more desirable thing and not cause unhealthy influence.
- Follow Accounts Inspire You
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Whether it is cooking, art, or fashion accounts, follow those that make you feel motivated and inspire you. If your feed is filled with content that makes you feel the same, if not better, when you put down your phone, that is a great way to use social media. You have the ability to choose if you’re following positive and upbeat accounts or accounts that follow current events. You can pick what you want to see when you turn onto an app and how you want your social media feed to make your feed, whether that be inspired, educated, or calm.
- Take Break When Needed/ Make Scheduled Breaks
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Putting down away social media or technology, in general, could be refreshing and help you reset. Taking a break for an hour two or even days can be incredibly beneficial. Even logging out of accounts after a particular time of day, can be helpful. Logging off may be a way to get away from the aspects of technology that may be affecting you by turning it off. Spending time away can also help you remember exactly why you’re using social media and what your purpose for it is.
Learning how to change your relationship with social media can be hard at first and is a habit that can take a bit of time to perfect. Creating habits that work for you is a great way to make sure social media does not negatively affect you. Finding what works for you regarding social media habits can take trial and error, but once you are more mindful when using social media, it can be greatly beneficial.