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Social media -

There’s no doubt that there are many benefits to social media, but there are also many downsides. We are constantly bombarded with notifications and ads about things we’re not even interested in, but this intrusive noise has simply become a normal part of daily life.

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Shocking numbers -

For most of us, the days before social media and smartphones are a distant memory. It’s hard to imagine what life would be like without these constant interruptions and compulsions. Many large-scale surveys have concluded that the average person spends between three and six hours a day looking at their phones.

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Social media and the brain -

What is all this screen time doing to our brains? Numerous scientific studies would suggest that this consumption of social media can do a great deal of harm.

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Social media and and well-being -

A 2021 survey of 1,500 Americans found that 86% believed social media had a negative impact on their happiness and self-image. Around 80% reported that it worsened things like anxiety, depression, and feelings of loneliness.

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How can we reduce our screen time? -

There seems to be a direct correlation between improvement in mental health and a reduction in the amount of time spent on social media. Great! But pulling back is easier said than done.

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The reward system - Social media is specifically designed to trigger the reward mechanism in our brain, making it very easy to form some degree of dependence. That’s why we sometimes feel a strong urge to pick up the phone and check our socials, the same way a smoker craves tobacco.

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Treat the cause, not the symptom -

To successfully break our social media habits, it’s important to understand the underlying reason we’re drawn to it in the first place. Many of us might think it’s a mindless habit, but if you start to pay attention to the moment your hand twitches toward your phone to check your apps, you might notice a pattern.

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A quick fix -

We often turn to social media for a quick hit of dopamine, the reward chemical in the brain that we associate with pleasure. You might notice that you’re more inclined to go for it when you’re feeling bored, stressed, overwhelmed, or disconnected.

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Identify the root cause - Spend some time identifying what triggers the urge to reach for your phone. That will help you figure out how to satisfy the underlying need without resorting to scrolling.

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Replace with a new behavior -

For example, if you turn to social media to quell anxiety, try taking a five-minute break to meditate or do an activity that you find grounding. We often look for a quick distraction when we’re experiencing unpleasant emotions, but scrolling is rarely going to make us feel better in the long run.

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Do you use social media for distraction? -

Many of us automatically pick up our phones as a distraction from feelings we don't want to feel. But instead of giving in to that urge, take a moment to check in with your mind and body.

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Take a breath -

Instead of giving in to that urge, take a moment to check in with your mind and body. Take a few deep breaths and notice if you’re feeling stressed or upset. What usually makes you feel better when these feelings come up? This is the perfect moment to use a self-soothing technique.

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Self-soothing -

Self-soothing is the name given to any strategy or technique you use to regulate your emotions when you’re feeling upset. Self-soothing with social media is not adequate for most people. It’s more likely that taking a few minutes to practice meditative breathing or going for a short mindful walk will calm your mind and improve your mood. We’re all unique in what strategy works best, so take some time to figure out what technique is best suited to you.

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Do you use social media for social connection? -

One of the great benefits of social media is that it makes us feel connected to loved ones and people who inspire us, wherever they are in the world. This isn’t something we need to let go of, but it’s unlikely that fulfilling this desire for connection takes four hours of screen time a day.

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Make the connection more meaningful -

Try making plans to see or call someone you miss. We spend many hours a day looking at our phones, but it sometimes seems like such a huge effort to arrange to meet someone for coffee.

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Letter writing -

If you want to take a more therapeutic approach, write a letter to someone who’s a little farther away, like an elderly relative or a friend who’s relocated. Letter writing has so many benefits for our brains and mental health, and can bring so much joy to the recipient.

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Redirect your energy -

If you’re relaxing at home and get itchy fingers, why not put them to good use baking something for a friend or neighbor? You’ll have to bring the treats to them, which facilitates the social aspect, and will surely make their day.

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Do you use social media for entertainment? - Many of us turn to social media simply because we want to be entertained. It’s true that there are incredible creators out there who can reach us through these platforms, but it’s a lot more fulfilling to experience these forms of entertainment in real life. Why not go to a stand-up comedy show instead of scrolling through memes?

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Turn your interest into a new skill -

If you’re always watching musicians and dancers on TikTok, then maybe you should consider going to a live show or taking a dance/music class yourself.

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Get playful in the real world -

If you’re obsessed with games, try to take it offline by planning a board game night with friends, or even going to an actual arcade.

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New sources of fun - Naturally, you can also just look to your other interests and goals. If you’ve been meaning to read more, practice drawing, or start gardening, try one of those in your downtime instead of turning to your phone.

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Create roadblocks -

It’s one thing to figure out the activities you want to replace your social media habit with, but it’s another thing entirely to make that switch. One helpful tactic is to make it more difficult to reach. There are many ways to do this.

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Simply delete -

The obvious first step is to delete social media apps from your phone. You’ll still be able to access them through an Internet browser if you need to, but they’re not right there with one tap and you won’t be receiving notifications!

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Push back -

You can also simply turn off push notifications if that’s what entices you. If there are certain accounts that you notice make you feel bad but you’re still drawn to, unfollow them. It’s always a good idea to do a cleanup of our social media accounts to get rid of content that isn’t serving us.

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Out of sight, out of mind -

You can also go old school by simply keeping your phone out of reach! Turn off notifications from social media, turn on the ringer for actual calls, and put it somewhere you’d have to walk to in order to get it.

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An app for your apps -

As overuse of social media is a growing issue, there are now many apps out there that will help you track your usage, give you alerts when you’re overusing, and even block certain apps once you’ve hit your limit.

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Create accountability -

Scrolling on socials is generally a solo activity, which means it’s hard to create accountability for ourselves. This discipline is often where we fall down when trying to break habits.

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The buddy system -

You can do this with a buddy who is trying to reduce their social media time too, or is at least willing to help you reduce yours! This might be a partner who agrees that neither of you will check your phones while watching TV in the evening, or a friend at work who’ll join you on a short walk with you when you get the itch.

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Tough love -

There is also a wide range of “accountability apps” that will encourage you to stick to your time limits in ingenious, sometimes painful ways! For example, there’s an app that will donate money to a charity you hate if you go over your allotted screen time.

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Replace and reward - Rewarding yourself for carrying out the replacement activity instead of using social media is essential. When we use an app like Instagram or TikTok, our brains are trained to keep coming back for more. We need to start rewarding ourselves for the new behavior instead in order to reinforce it.

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Consciously reward yourself - This will also stop the process from feeling like the torture of going off cigarettes, let's say, and give you something to look forward to! For example, you might reward yourself with a 10-minute break to do whatever you want after getting through an hour of work without checking your phone.

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The real reward -

Ultimately, the best reward will be the feeling of freedom when you aren’t so anxiously attached to social media and can gain back all those misspent hours in your daily life.

Sources: (Forbes) (Healthline)

See also: Unplugged: What happens when you quit social media?

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