Is Your Use of Social Media Becoming Excessive? You Can Take Back Control!

In June, Statista reported that we averagely spend 145 minutes on social media every day. However, for some people, the clicks never end. It starts in the morning, with a random check on trending topics on Twitter, then a stroll to LinkedIn and Instagram; one-click leading another.. then scrolls and yet more clicks until early productive hours have passed.

 Psychologists attribute this kind of behavior of social media addiction to dopamine- a feel-good hormone that gets released in the brain when we experience a pleasurable or rewarding activity. Another research suggests that some users can resist using tobacco (for instance) than social media. While the use of social media has its own advantages, obsessive use has ugly effects.

This behavior can be checked. When you realize a social media addiction, it makes sense to acknowledge that you overuse it. Identify how your actions interfere with other aspects of your life. Does it affect your productivity? Do you feel you are missing out when logged off? Do you catch yourself comparing your life with that of other people on the internet? What app do you use the most and why? What fuels your use of social media and do you use it compulsively? Download apps that let you know how much time you are spending on your screen. Understand your own habits. You are a step ahead of being in when you honestly do the introspective work. 

Ultimately, pulling the plug may not be the best way to overcome. For some people, it has to be a slow process, like setting a small goal and seeing to it. The same applies to social media overuse. You can start with little commitments like not reaching out to your phone first thing in the morning and a few hours before bedtime. Get a real alarm clock if you use your phone for that purpose. Set screen time limits for your favorite apps and honoring them. Turn off app notifications during productive hours. Cut down the number of hours you spend on social media in your leisure time. Staying present when in the company of people. Keeping these commitments will be difficult at first, but being consistent increases your chances of creating a healthy relationship with the virtual world.

 It does not matter how long a social media break will last or the best time to schedule breaks, but going off for some time can help break the addiction. You can experiment with temporarily deleting addictive apps on your phone(you can always reinstall them after your break). You can turn it into a challenge and recruit friends who may be interested. This will make the challenge lighter and help you stay accountable. Don't forget to create a reward system when you have successfully executed your challenge. 

While social media is almost inevitable as it has become part of daily life, unhealthy use of it creates even more problems. Find out if you are a compulsive user. Set boundaries and take breaks if need be. We want to be purposeful in our use of it.