I am a social butterfly and being active on these platforms helps my brand to be visible. Social media analysts, influencers, and strategists are the few commonly known career options today. There is no second thought on the positives brought by the presence of social media in our lives. As much as I am thankful for social media platforms to bring my long-lost friends to close, for the visibility of my wor,k and for meeting like-minded people, I am equally worried about the kind of impact it is making on our minds.
The urge to check the phone every other minute is real. We can’t deny that it is turning into addiction and our younger generation is being affected by it the most. My toddler is a pro at navigating YouTube, I am not proud of it but being a mom I know how difficult at times it gets to manage these little tornados of energy all day long.
The number of apps on our phones for social media platforms is increasing each day. We might not be an active participant at all but we all have our favorites. For some Facebook groups are a lifeline and for others, daily Instagram updates are a must. For some snap Snapchat filters and pictures are a daily routine for others Pinterest is a must to grow their business.
If the gravity of the matter is not realized at the right point then it turns into a disaster we all planned with our own hands. No matter what you did today on your phone or computer, it’s likely that social media was involved.
As per Jordyn Young, a co-author of the paper and a senior at the University of Pennsylvania. (Source: Healthline)
“What we found overall is that if you use less social media, you are less depressed and less lonely, meaning that the decreased social media use is what causes that qualitative shift in your well-being.”
If you compare the difference in lives of current teenagers and adults to the earlier generations you will notice the major one, is that they spend much less time connecting with their peers in person and more time connecting electronically, principally through social media.
However, there are a few changes that we can make in our daily phone usage that would bring a positive change in our lives. I have tried these methods and have seen the results. I am sure, if you try it wholeheartedly you too will notice the difference:
-
Reality Check
Let’s just start by agreeing that there is a problem. If you are still not sure then read the below-mentioned points and make a checklist of what you might relate to:
- Is your phone the last thing you notice before sleeping and the first thing you check after waking up?
- Do you check your phone or have an urge to check your phone every five or ten minutes?
- Do you find it difficult to concentrate on tasks without keeping your phone near you?
- Do you compare your life intentionally or unintentionally by looking at the pictures or videos of other people?
- Do you feel mentally tired after using social media for longer hours?
- Do you have trouble sleeping during nights and phone screen becomes your companion for insomnia?
Well, these are just a few pointers that help you understand if your use of the phone is affecting your life negatively. If you feel these things are relatable then we can start working towards making things better.
2. Apps that help you keep track of your phone usage
Many apps show you the actual time spent on a particular social media platform. Sometimes when you notice the time spent on your phone you realize the gravity of the matter. I have personally used a few apps and realized that I used to spend as much as 8 hours a day. I am working on it and it has come down with the help of these apps. Apps like Forest, Antisocial, and Social Fever are good to give it a try when you start your phone-detox journey.
Being someone active on social media and a blogger, we tend to spend a lot of time on the phone. I used to argue that my work keeps me busy on my phone but when I used the app, I realized more time is wasted rather than being utilized.
We can use apps like Hootsuite to schedule our posts on social media, it will help us to be consistent and we spend less time wondering.
3. Being organized always helps: Plan, schedule and follow
Take small steps like leaving your phone in the room when you go to the washroom (Don’t deny it, because we all are guilty of doing it). Keep it away from your sight when you work on a desktop or laptop.
The first thing I did to bring down my phone usage was to prepare a schedule. Write it down somewhere, it helps when you see a reminder of your plan right in front of your eyes. I know it sounds vague but scheduling and planning the number of hours you will spend every day on your phone will result in better productivity.
It is quite easy to get carried away with your scheduled time on social media because something interesting keeps coming up when you keep scrolling. In this situation, the apps are a good option again, wherein your apps are locked and can be accessed only for a limited period.
If you liked reading this, then please do not forget to subscribe to our newsletter. Have you checked our humor zone or recipe section? You can check a delicious protein-rich breakfast recipe here. Also, if you like my work, don’t forget to follow me on INSTAGRAM.
yes, this is an eyeopener post for us. thanks a lot for sharing these checkpoints. this post is spreading awareness about harms of overuse of social media and mobile phone
sometimes social media becomes an addiction and you need some monitoring even for adults. CHecking phone before sleep time is also bad. I do that often!!
I so wanted to talk about this… I felt a great sense of guilt and depression when i was a lot more active on social media.. Glad that I realised this before it was too late..
Social media should not be all consuming. These are excellent tips to remember that on time
This is very true and a much-needed article. It will surely help out a lot of people. Maintaining balance is of utmost importance for everyone.
There must be minor percent of people who do not have smart phone these days and ao social media is an.attraction. i agree as bloggers we need it for work however it’s important to keep a tab on how much time we spend on social media
I try to limit my social media usage but if it is work related then I go for it. Worth knowing the risks.
really become addiction of phone, I am the one who see phone before sleeping and waking up
Completely agree with your write-up. These days social media is much more depressing kind.. It’s up-to us to use social media in our own control.
With mobiles in every hand , it has indeed become an addiction.Really important to balance our family time and social media.We so easily get depressed if our mobile looses Internet or has low battery.Its alarming
Thanks for sharing this post it is a reality check for all of us and we need to keep a balance between all . work is important as we are doing but we need to keep a balance.
Using social media for work or distraction and getting addicted to it are different, which many people don’t realise. My phone is a necessity since I’m a blogger but I know when and where to prioritise other things.
Being a blogger we can’t stay without gadget for long, but having a balance helps. I keep mobile in farthest corners while playing with my child.
Thank God you have written about it, this is reality and we have been exposed to social media blatantly. This post will definitely raise some alarms and begin asking questions if we are following right persuit.
Ha ha ha. I take my phone to the loo too! But when working I prefer to keep it away. Also once back home I usually don’t pick up the phone until after dinner.
This is a very interesting article and we should all follow your suggestions.
I can say, I am using much in comparison to as I used earlier. I started only 3 months before so this is my learning period when I feel I need to strict then I will surely do that. By the way, this is a very informative post. Thanks for sharing.
The comparison we subject ourselves on seeing the more than perfect lives of others can send us unnecessarily into an inferiority complex and make us depression.You have written a great post
The good and bad of everything. Balance I feel is needed. I use strictly for blog work.
True, and so much truth is there in this post.the reality checks send across shock waves of the addiction. And I so honestly confess that it brings depression in your so called contented life.
Seriosly yaar…I feel the social pressure is too much these days…people.are so dependent on social media today that they just cant live without it ! I usually take a day off from social media every week !
Very relevant article in current scenario and it is a necessary evil. Having said that, planning and prioritising helps!
The phone is actually an addiction today. And being a blogger we can’t stay away for long. But I have started small changes in my schedule. I don’t check my phone until I send my children to school and at night finish off my mobile work before I change. This is keeping me sane.