It’s easy to say, “I want to spend less time on social media,” but actually following through is an entirely different story.
With so much content constantly being pushed your way, it’s incredibly easy to lose track of time and waste an entire day scrolling through your feeds.
This is why I’ve compiled some actionable and realistic tips to help you take control of how much time you spend on social media.
5 Tips to Break Your Social Media Addiction
1. Do Something Else When You’re Bored
One of the main reasons people turn to social media is to kill boredom. That’s why the urge to scroll through Instagram or Facebook becomes so strong when you have nothing to do.
To counter this, create a list of activities you can do when boredom strikes. It could be knitting, rearranging your wardrobe, meditating, learning a new instrument, or even cooking.
Write these activities in a notepad or on your phone. The next time boredom hits, pick one that appeals to you and dive in. Not only will this help alleviate boredom, but it will also ensure you use your time more productively instead of mindlessly scrolling.
2. Turn Off Notifications
Even if you plan to spend only 30 minutes on social media, a single notification like “See what Elon Musk did upon arriving in Nigeria” can derail your plans. Clicking on it might lead you to an article, which leads to another notification, and before you know it, three hours have passed.
The best way to avoid this is to turn off notifications for social media apps. By doing this, you reduce the temptation to check your phone constantly and stick to the amount of time you intended to spend online.
3. Set a Timer
Apps like Stay Focused and Forest allow you to set time limits for specific apps. Once your allotted time is up, these tools automatically lock you out of the app. This forces you to stick to your planned social media usage and prevents you from going overboard.
4. Engage in Offline Hobbies
Take up hobbies such as reading, dancing, gardening, or going out with friends. Offline activities not only keep you busy but are also good for your mental health. Research shows that social connections and physical activities boost mental well-being.
By focusing on offline hobbies, you achieve two things: you spend less time on social media, and you improve your overall happiness and health.
5. Delete Apps That Don’t Add Value to Your Life
Ask yourself, “What am I doing on social media? How does it serve me?” Are you gaining any real value from the time you spend scrolling, or is it just mindless entertainment? If the answer is the latter, it might be time to cut back.
There’s nothing wrong with using social media for entertainment, but it’s essential to set limits. For instance, if you spend an hour being entertained on Facebook, another hour on YouTube, and yet another on Instagram, that’s no longer entertainment – it’s wasting time.
Choose one or two apps that bring you value or enjoyment and delete the rest. As the saying goes, “Too much of anything is bad.”
