This pandemic has made us more addicted to our phones than ever. I know I’m not the only one who has spent WAY too much time on TikTok or has turned to Instagram and Twitter to mindlessly scroll for no other reason than being bored. Oh, and don’t get me started on YouTube! I was addicted to it all and I still kind of am, but I’ve found ways to control it and keep it that way. I’ll leave you with this: my social media habits got so bad to the point where I began loosing interest in my hobbies, and I’m definitely not in that position anymore.
From the get-go I knew that completely deleting social media wouldn’t work for me. I tried it with TikTok and I just kept re-downloading the app whenever I felt like it. It was counterproductive and just NOT a healthy habit. I knew the same would happen for other socials too. I also run social media accounts for a few organizations that I’m apart of, so I couldn’t completely get rid of it either!
Below you’ll find a process that worked for me to better manage my social media usage. These steps can help you use your social media accounts in a smart and sustainable way.
Step 1: Understanding your habits.
This is the first and most important step. In order to better manage your social media usage, you have to understand your current routine and habits. Social media has the affect of making us mindlessly log on and scroll, so it is important to make yourself conscious about how you are using it.
Here’s a list of things to consider and ask yourself:
- When are you logging onto social media
- What social medias are you logging onto
- Why are you logging on
- How long are you logged on for (I like to use Screen Time in my iPhone settings to keep track)
- Are you using social media first thing in the morning or the last thing at night?
- Do you respond right away to notifications?
- How do you feel when you are on social media? Does it make you laugh and feel happy? Or do you end up feeling worse about yourself?
Step 2: Declutter.
Now that you know about your social media habits, it is time to get rid of what you can. You really want to make sure that what you delete, you won’t re-download. You know your limits and you know what works and what doesn’t.
For me, I noticed that whenever I went on Twitter, it was the last social media I would go to and I would just…you guessed it, mindlessly scroll! It wasn’t really offering me anything valuable except for a good meme here and there, so I deleted it. And the thing is, I don’t miss it.
That is the goal for you. When you figure out what apps you want to delete altogether, you want to make sure can keep up with it over time!
Step 3: Turn off all notifications on social media.
This step is huge! I realized that I was getting way too distracted with notifications going off on my phone and I would always feel the need to respond to them right away. And then after responding, I would get distracted by other social medias! It’s a tragic cycle, but simply turning off notifications can significantly change your amount of screen time on social media.
Step 4: Reorganize.
So I’ve noticed that a lot of my screen time usage comes from me mindlessly logging into social media. It literally is just muscle memory that’s controlling me, because sometimes I end up on Instagram when I really don’t mean to. And all it takes is that one post that gets you scrolling and the next thing you know, it’s been 20 minutes that just went to waste.
This step is about making your social media apps hard to reach and constantly moving them around so its not muscle instinct.
Still not getting the point of this? Think about this:
Your home screen probably holds your most used apps, including social media. Now, what if I told you to switch that up? It would take you awhile to get used to that set up right? That’s the whole point.
Here’s what you can do to reduce muscle memory:
- Place social media apps that you want to use less on another page on your phone. If you don’t see it on your home screen, you are most likely to forget that it’s there and check it less often.
- Place your most used apps in a folder. When you see your social media apps in a folder and without that red notification bubble over it, you are less likely to check it!
- Move that folder around every so often! Whenever you feel like your little thumb muscles are beginning to remember how to navigate to your social media apps, move the folder!
Step 5: Flora
Productivity apps are a great way to revert your attention away from social media and there are tons of great options. Flora is just one of my favorites and the most helpful. Essentially, you are able to set a timer on the app and grow plants from different places across the globe. The app is designed so that if you log out of it before the timer ends, you’ll kill your plant.
This app has helped train me to not pick up my phone in the middle of zoom lectures and in the middle of other tasks. It has come to the point that now I don’t need a Flora session for basic tasks. I mostly use it while watching lectures, because otherwise, it is too easy to get distracted.
It’s also a great app to use with your friends. You and your friends can hop into a session together and grow your garden together! There’s also more motivation to stay on track, because if you log off, you could kill the tree for everyone.
Step 6: Revise and Revisit
This plan is not going to solve your social media addiction if you don’t constantly evaluate and check-in with yourself. Check screen time every week and see how your usage is changing. Where is most of your screen time going to? When you know that, go back to Step 1 and try making adjustments again and see how it goes. It really is a trial and error process and will take time, so don’t freak out if something doesn’t work out the first time around.
Want more tips on how to not be on your phone as much? Here are FIVE other ideas that can help reduce your social media usage:
- Detox Day
Take a day off your screen altogether. Spend this day doing a hobby, relaxing with your family, and playing board games. It’s always good to have a day off, even if you are a student! Plan ahead and get your work done so that you can enjoy some down-time. Make a comforting meal for yourself and really enjoy your time off your screens.
- Replace social media browsing with another activity
I think most of us are guilty of spending our work or study breaks on our phones or catching up with Netflix. A great way to reduce your screen time is just to replace your phone with a book, or a podcast, or even just talking with family and friends around you!
- Pick up on a hobby
Get painting! There are so many activities that you can do without the need for your phone and painting is just one of them! Maybe you can sew or play the piano? Do you like to cook or bake? Take time out of your week to do something that makes you feel good.
- Go on a walk and get some fresh air
Fresh air is like earth’s medicine to me. Anytime I feel overwhelmed or drained, I like to take a little stroll in my neighborhood or even in my backyard. This doesn’t have to be anything extensive. Sometimes I like to just walk for a bit and then sit down and relax. Take advantage of the good weather while you can!
- Spa Night
Taking care of yourself is not just limited to exercise and keeping check with your mental health. You have to take care of your skin and body too! A great way to get off your phone is a spa night! This is great for getting off your phone in the evenings. You can start with a shower or bath, exfoliate your skin, do a nice face mask, and even give yourself a mani and pedi!
LAST THOUGHTS…
And that’s it! These are all the steps that I have taken to minimize my social media usage. I’m still working on these steps myself, but it has been great seeing my screen time averages drop week by week. I hope that these tips help you transform your social media habits into something that is more sustainable and suitable for your lifestyle. I know it has definitely been helping me!
