Live in the moment
Hey, I saw that!
Yes you.
You just reached for your phone without knowing why, and then proceeded to rotate between the same three social media apps.
Don’t worry, I’ve been there before. A harmless five-minute break before hunkering down to finish an assignment, but five minutes turns into half an hour.
So here I am with an incomplete assignment, tired, and the only thing I can remember from the last 30 minutes is that one Minecraft video with someone talking about some bizarre cult they were part of as a kid.
It’s no secret that social media apps have us in a chokehold. But I’m here to help you towards a better relationship with social media.
Step one: Don’t ditch this blog to scroll because the best tip is at the end.
What is a toxic relationship with social media?
Don’t get me wrong, there are some amazing social media platforms that help us form communities and stay connected with friends and family. But at the same time, social media can be a slippery slope.
National Library of Medicine reports on why social media is so addictive and what the repercussions are.
To help you better understand your relationship with social media, I’ve created a quiz using the findings of the National Library of Medicine.
- Do you feel more anxious after using social media?
- Are you feeling low or depressed after using social media?
- Do you turn to social media when you are feeling stressed or alone?
- Are you comparing yourself or your life to what you see on social media?
If you answered yes to any of the questions, chances are that you and social media need to work a few things out.
Set boundaries
Setting boundaries is an important part of any relationship, even on social media.
Block out times of the day that are just for you. Times when you want to live in the moment.
I like to keep my mornings and my nights to myself, no social media allowed! This helps to limit my social media usage, and at the same time I can enjoy my morning and nightly rituals distraction-free.
Social media will be especially tempting when you have a gap between classes. But trust me, it’ll just result in you singing “Where’d All the Time Go” by Dr. Dog on your way to class.
Instead, you can maybe catch up on some sleep at the Sleep Lounge or decompress at the Zen Zone.
Use social media on your computer
Social media is very accessible because we have our phones on us at all times. A quick scroll at the checkout line or the two-minute wait at the bus stop.
Now imagine trying to do that with your computer … impossible!
Which is what makes it perfect!
Delete your social media apps from your phone and every time you need to use it, hunker down and log into your computer.
Use with intention
Take a second to breathe and ask yourself why you are using social media right now.
Is it to connect with a friend, or search something up? If you can’t answer that question, then it’s time to put down that phone.
I know. It’s hard to stop yourself because checking social media is like muscle memory. But that second of questioning can be the difference between doomscrolling or living in the moment!
Turn on your notifications
Constantly checking Instagram to look for new posts from a specific account will just suck you into the black hole that is social media.
Instead, you can set up notifications for an account you need updates on.
One account that is great to have notifications on is @IGNITEStudentUnion! This will make sure that you know everything about services, events, student life and student issues.
I’ll break down the process step by step.
- Go onto the Instagram app on your phone.
- Search up IGNITE Student Union.
- Click the follow button if you haven’t already.
- Click the Bell shaped icon at the top of your screen.
- Here you can choose to get notification for posts, stories, reels and live videos.
- Click on posts and then select all.
- You can repeat for reels and stories.
Once you have the notifications turned on, you won’t need to stress about missing out on any new posts. Plus, now you can have a healthy balance with social media.
Feature Photo by IGNITE
Are you having the canon experience of FOMO? Then check out How real is your FOMO?
