Social media is a great tool to learn new things and share content with friends and family. And that’s why we love it! But there’s no doubt that many of us may be holding social media a little too closely. So in that case, it can be helpful to think of social media as any other kind of relationship with a person in our lives. All healthy relationships come with balance, boundaries, and understanding!
“I could use a little space….”
Social media allows you to have access to so much information and entertainment right at (literally) your fingertips. How could you not give in to that? It’s easy to fall into, and it’s all great until you’ve found yourself zoned out for hours, trapped in the endless scroll. But social media is meant to enhance your life, not become it! Here are some tips on how to get back to life with a healthy mindset.
- Schedule out some screen-free hobby time in your day. Put your device on Do Not Disturb and enjoy some time simply doing something you love!
- Prioritize a healthy sleep schedule. It is helpful to sleep with your phone outside of your room. Allow yourself time away from social media before you go to bed, and right when you wake up.
- Utilize time limits on your apps, or set reminders on your phone. It’s so easy for hours to feel like minutes while you’re online, so it’s good to remind yourself that there are things to do elsewhere!
- Set a few rules for yourself. For example, you could say no social media during hangouts with friends, while you’re eating meals, or while you’re out running errands. Avoid multitasking with social media!
“To be honest…”
Healthy habits start with keeping it real and honest with yourself. There is a lot to see out there in the online world, so be intentional with the content you consume and create.
When it comes to content, ask yourself on a broad level; “what makes me happy?” Focus on following brands and platforms that pique your interest and make you feel good. Be aware of what you are taking in every day because that can impact your mindset and how you live your life. Find platforms, influencers, and entertainment that contributes to your growth and well-being, or that you can learn something from!
It can also get tough to keep it real while creating content. Remember, you create to create. Think of (or write it down!) the meaning and purpose of why you create, so that the content you put out into the world is truly something that resonates with you and reflects who you are!
“Let’s chill!”
Whether you are creating a personal profile or promoting a brand, creating an online presence that stands out and keeps up with trends can come with a lot of pressure. Taking a step back, and being honest with yourself are great ways ways to take that pressure off of your back.
Constantly comparing ourselves to others, in any situation, can lead to unhealthy thinking patterns. Remind yourself that behind every profile platform is a real person or people just like us, with their own interests and struggles. Prioritizing those in-person relationships can help with the understanding that we’re all human!
It’s also super important to keep in mind why social media was created in the first place; for fun! Create unique content that you enjoy making. What’s the point if you aren’t enjoying what you’re doing?
Social media- we love it, and we hate how much we love it sometimes. That’s okay! Prioritizing ourselves and our relationship with social media is becoming more and more of a need so that we can carry on doing what we love online! Happy scrolling! Except…maybe a little less next time. ;)