There is no doubt that social media has a huge impact on your daily life, regardless of how much you love or hate it. Being connected online has become essential to maintaining friendships, growing brands, and much more. I recently went through a breakup with my social media apps, specifically TikTok and Instagram. I had come to the realization that they were draining my energy, making me anxious, and wasting my time. I’ve since decided to share my top 6 tips for keeping your relationship with social media healthy.
1. Set Time Limits
This one seems obvious, but setting clear time limits (and following them!!) can be life-changing for your relationship with social media. Use a number of control apps or Apple’s time limits to help you. Additionally, setting a time when you put your phone down for the night will increase the quality and quantity of your sleep.
2. Look for Inspiration, not Comparison
It can be easy to follow what’s popular, whether that be a top creator or a trend. As you scroll through your timeline, take the time to ask your self “Does this post make me feel good/inspired/happy?”. If the answer is no, immediately unfollow the account. Social media can be a huge database of inspiration, as long as you look in the right places.
3. Be Intentional
Make sure you have a reason to log onto various apps. Really focus on not picking up your phone the split second you feel an ounce of boredom. Try to have a specific post to make or look for a specific piece of information.
4. Bring Connections into Real Life
Apps like Snapchat have become a huge source of communication with others for GenZ. And there is absolutely nothing wrong with that! Instead of texting your friends all day, use this line of communication to hang out in real life. Even just sitting in the same room to talk to each other is more beneficial than over iMessage or Snap.
5. Monitor What You Share
I am a firm believer that the energy you put out into the universe will be returned to you. So be aware of what you post. Of course, your digital footprint can follow you for your whole life. What I really mean is that don’t turn to your private Snapchat story to complain about every minor inconvenience. Using your social media as a place for your problems will only cause you to associate social media with negative feelings.
6. Don’t Be Afraid to Delete!
My personal rule is that whenever an app begins to feel like a chore and I get more anxious when I spend time scrolling, I immediately delete it. While it may seem scary to cut yourself off, I promise that you will feel immediate relief once the app is gone.
Social media will continue to persist in our lives. It is up to us to take control of how we use it and how we let it affect us.
Featured Image from Columbia University Public Health