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Social media has been the fastest growing form of media and has turned into a major platform for people in modern society. From helping people apply for jobs to exploring and sharing new ideas, social media has been the main platform for such communications. Society has been largely influenced by social media to such an extent that it has become quite irreplaceable.
At present the importance and impact of social media is unquestionable and its significance is recognised by observing World Social Media Day every year on June 30. While social media has several benefits it also comes with its fair share of problems. Let’s look at four simple ways you can take to have a healthy social media detox.
1. Take A Leave
A good way to start is by setting a time limit for how long you will be on social media each day. Make a good attempt to stick to this limit as closely as you can. This will help keep your social media use in check and prevent it from becoming overwhelming. A way to make this easier is by unfollowing unnecessary accounts. If you find yourself scrolling through pages that don’t bring any value to your life, or make you feel bad about yourself, it’s time to unfollow them. This will help make sure your feed is full of posts that make you happy and motivated.
2. Take A Break
Try to take a break for at least an hour once a day to help keep your mind clear and reduce the urge to check your social media accounts too frequently. Logging out of all your accounts after you finish using them can help prevent mindless scrolling through feeds or lingering too long on one post. It’s also helpful to delete any apps that you don’t use often from your phone so they aren’t as easily accessible.
3. Divert Your Attention
Find activities to do when you would normally reach for your phone. Instead of scrolling in the afternoon, swap that activity with reading a book, taking a walk or calling up an old friend. To help stay persistant with the new hobby turn off the notifications and alerts from any social media apps that you use regularly. This will help you avoid getting distracted by notifications while working or doing something important.
4. Do This Instead
Social media amplifies every incident and experience in life. This makes it easy to become envious or discouraged by what seems perfect on someone else’s page, but remember no one is perfect and everyone has their own struggles. You must focus on yourself instead of comparing yourself to others. Before posting anything, ask yourself if it is really necessary. The less you post, the less time you spend on social media. Rather, spend time connecting with real people instead of scrolling through feeds and profiles online. Make plans with friends and family, or even meet up with new people who share common interests with you!