Addiction to social media is a growing problem in modern society. Whatever your social media of choice, experts are warning that constant scrolling is having a significant impact on our brains. Side effects can be feelings of isolation, low self-esteem, anxiety and a loss of social skills, not to mention its impact on productivity.
As figures reveal that the average time spent on social media in 2021 was 97 minutes per day, you might find yourself craving a social media detox. Here are five tips for weaning yourself off gradually.
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Set yourself a limit
Give yourself a target social media time and then lower it each day. You can find apps and on-screen limiters to help you with this. If you’re still struggling, you may want to uninstall your favourite social media app for a few hours to remove temptation.
Turn off push notifications
Notifications interrupt what you are doing and prompt you to pick up your phone. Remove them to remove temptation.
Contemplate the impact
Consider how social media is having an impact on your life. How does it affect your relationship with your children? Your partner? Your friends? Think about ways it is having a negative impact on your quality of life and productivity. Use this as your motivation.
Find distractions
Look for positive ways to use the extra time that you would have spent on social media. You may want to take up a new hobby or craft, such as reading, painting or knitting.
Stock up on an easy diversion such as a macrame kit, for example. Not only will a macrame kit distract you, but successfully completing your macrame kit should leave you with a sense of achievement you wouldn’t get from mindlessly scrolling.
Don’t go it alone
Share what you are doing with a friend or family member who can help to provide support when things are tough. Let them know when you are struggling and arrange to do something to distract you like go for a walk together or grab a coffee away from the house.
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