Social media is a fantastic way to stay in touch with the people in our lives. It offers quick access to information and research and puts banking and paying bills at your fingertips. There are remote work opportunities as well as online learning. Social media is an incredible marketing tool.

However, excessive social media use can negatively affect physical and mental health. Social media can be an addiction that can manipulate your views, emotions, and behavior while spreading conspiracy theories and disinformation. It is essential to cultivate healthy social media habits that balance time online with in-person connections.

Finding Balance

Finding the right balance between social media use and activities helps you take care of your mental health and sets you up to maintain healthier habits for the long-term. Here are social media tips and other ways to spend your time:

• Use an app tracker. Track the amount of time you are spending on social media.
• Change your phone settings to grayscale. It makes the app less exciting and less likely to get your attention.
• Delete social media apps. Doing this will make it difficult for you to access them.
• Turn the push notifications off. A notification gets you to look at your phone and check your apps. Turn the notifications off.
• Set up a no-phone zone in your space. Formulate rules based on the use you are trying to cut down.

OK, so you are cutting down on your social media time. How do you spend all of this extra time now?

• Start small. Cut out social media usage by 30 minutes a week. This action will free up 30 more minutes each week for healthy activities.
• Make face-to-face communication a priority. Talk to a friend or loved one face-to-face instead of scrolling through social media.
• Stay informed. If you get your news via social media, subscribe to a reputable publication or watch TV news.
• Exercise. It does not matter if you walk, run or swim, staying active is always a great alternative to staring at a screen.
• Enjoy nature. Get some fresh air. Take a hike, hit the beach or walk around the block.
• Be creative. Express yourself creatively with journaling, creative writing, painting or singing.

Social media is addictive. That is the intent. Apps and social media companies are vying for your attention. The more time you are on, the better. So be sure to balance your time on social media. It can be an excellent tool. Just be sure to balance the benefits with the potential pitfalls.

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