If you feel like social media has a hold on your time and attention, don’t worry — it’s not just you. It’s the modern way of life, and many people have found themselves addicted to their favourite sites. In order to break free from this addiction, there are a few things that can be done:
However, this article isn’t just about avoiding social media sites. It’s also about how to handle the urge to go to them in the first place:
Table of Contents
Social media is addicting because it’s always there!
We’re all guilty of it — even if you say you’ve never gone on Facebook or Twitter or any other social media site, I bet you would change your mind if the Internet was completely shut off. There are marketing teams like Miron Digital who are working 24/7 getting you addicted to social media by applying different marketing strategies to attract you as much as possible. As an audience, all you will need to do is to avoid a few things to avoid getting addicted to social media.
1. Make yourself unavailable
One of the best ways to get rid of the social media addiction is by uninstalling the apps from your phone, changing your passwords, deleting the browser extensions, or by simply not opening up a new window when Facebook loads in the background, you are making yourself less likely to check these sites. With this done, you can simply avoid opening them at all!
2. Take breaks
Take a few minutes every once in a while to do something else. If you find yourself on social media for hours at a time, maybe you don’t need it. It can even be as simple as checking your email or playing solitaire online.
3. Fill the empty space with something else
If you don’t want to take breaks from social media, maybe try filling up that empty space with an alternative activity. Some suggestions include: Reading a book, listening to music, going for a short walk, meditating/praying, doing a chore or task you’ve been putting off.
There is another strategy we can apply!
It’s important to recognize when you’re addicted and take steps to fix it.
If you feel like trying something new, try this:
1. Write down three activities you can do instead of social media sites. It could be anything!
2. Now, make a contract with yourself that for every hour spent on social media (Monday-Friday), you will spend an equal amount of time on one of
3. Be accountable for your social media use by setting limits (e.g., scheduling out time slots) or designating a “digital detox” day each week
4. Delete the apps from your phone if you find yourself using them too often, but make sure to put them back on after a certain amount of time has passed so that you don’t forget how useful they can be in some cases
5. Unfollow people who trigger negative feelings or emotions, such as anxiety, envy, jealousy, anger etc…to help reduce stress and anxiety levels
6. If you feel like your time on social media is out of control, get the help of a friend who can hold you accountable (you might be surprised — they probably feel the same way)
7. Sit down and write out why you go on social media sites in the first place. If it’s not positive or beneficial to you, think about other ways you can do those things to replace your use of social media.
Social media addition along with gadgets addiction:
Along with social media, some people are also addicted to their gadgets such as tablets to watch movies. This is also a way to relax and spend some time. If someone feels like he/she can’t live without gadgets, there must be something wrong with his life. It may kill time and replace boredom but that person is not living a healthy life. So it’s better to cut down the use of gadgets and social media for some time and spend more time on physical activities like sports, etc.
What we can do:
1. Take a break from your gadget every once in a while (for example, I will not use my laptop for one day or I will leave my cell phone at home while going for a walk)
2. Make limitations on the time you spend with any of your gadgets (e.g., during weekends, limit your gameplay to 1 hour)
3. Limit the number of new apps you install on your gadget (e.g., I will install no more than 3 new games or applications on my phone per week)
4. Give your gadget to a family member or friend when you are unable to control yourself (e.g., “I will not go near my cell phone for the next 30 minutes”)
5. Set alarms on your phone for every 1-2 hours to remind yourself to get up, stretch, and walk around the house
6. If you are spending more time on your gadget than you would like, sit down with a family member or friend who can help support you in this area.
Social media addiction is not that hard to deal with but it requires time and patience. It’s not a simple task to quit social media, it can take time and effort to find new hobbies to replace the void from social media. However, if you keep trying you will surely find something that works for you!
