Social media detox: Strategies to cut back on social media scrolling

YOUR LIVES are made better by social media since it allows you to read news, follow trends, watch your favorite videos, and stay in touch with your loved ones. 

However, social media has its disadvantages. People often catch themselves glancing at their phones and fail to notice that they’ve been using it for hours on end.

According to Stefan Larson, a writer from Priori Data, Facebook continues to be the most popular social media network, followed by YouTube, Instagram, and then TikTok. 

Have you ever experienced waking up in the morning and finding yourself scrolling through your social media until you realize it’s been an hour? You become so unproductive, finding it difficult to concentrate, then comparing yourself to others. 

Amidst all this, you fail to recognize that your use of social media has quickly turned into an addiction.

Quitting social media is not easy; it’s like quitting smoking and drinking alcohol. Too much usage is harmful to us, and while quitting is hard, it’s definitely useful. 

Excessive social media usage can, after all, cause several negative impacts and may affect your mental and physical health.

Negative effects of excessive social media usage

1. Inability to focus

Picture yourself at your desk, ready to study for your exam the following day. 

Your phone starts to vibrate, and when you click on Messenger, you find a funny video your friend had shared from Facebook reels. about a funny video from Facebook reels.

It isn’t until midnight that you realize you haven’t finished reviewing for your exam tomorrow, all because of too much scrolling. 

Social media is distracting; it can prevent users from completing specific jobs successfully, causing them to miss important information by luring them to scroll through social media instead. 

2. Unhealthy sleep patterns

People often use social media before bed in an attempt to fall asleep quickly. 

However, using social media before bedtime can cause trouble because of its blue light, which can keep you awake. It may also cause eyestrain. 

3. Comparing yourself to others

When you open social media, you only see the tip of the iceberg. You set unrealistic expectations for yourself and often end up losing your self-esteem. 

4. Info-whelm

The experience of feeling overwhelmed with too much information on social media can cause emotional exhaustion. 

5. Loss of interest in your hobbies

Spending too much time on social media can take away from the passions, hobbies, and interests that used to bring joy into your life. 

Techniques to limit time on social media

1. Walk outside

Bored? Instead of checking your phone, why not take a break and walk outside? 

Walking outside for a minute can improve emotional well-being and increase blood flow. Choose an ideal location – either in a park near you or outside your house – and bring your pets with you for company.

2. Uninstalling your social media apps temporarily

Try uninstalling your social media apps for a while. What will you be doing with your time? Uninstalling your social media apps will help you stay focused, and you will have more time to invest in yourself.    

3. Set a schedule when using your social media app

There are instances when using social media is inevitable, such as checking your email, catching up with your family away from you, and watching the news. Creating a timetable could be beneficial to save time and bring routine into your life again. 

4. Start writing down the things you are grateful for

The moment you wake up, list down the things you are grateful for and the things you want to look forward to. Doing this will help you keep in mind what truly matters most in your life. 

This simple yet life-changing activity can help you increase your self-esteem, and remind you of the things that you value.

5. Get back on track again

It’s time to pick up the book from where you left off and do something worthwhile instead of surfing around social media. 

Small steps are big steps, too. Don’t be afraid to start over again. 

Take that dance class, paint or draw, go to the gym, play instruments, and learn to love the hobbies you used to love. 

Social media should be a platform for entertainment, information, and connection with others. If you find yourself suffering from a social media addiction, it’s time to break free and begin to detoxify.

With reports from Abegail Tongson