You know those commercials that talk about how smoking or drugs are bad for you? How they drain you out and destroy you? They need to add social media to that list.
Seriously, it’s one of the most addictive things out there and in here, on our devices today. I wish I were joking, but you know I’m not.
Most people nowadays work from home (raises guilty hand) and find great comfort in balancing business and pleasure this way. So how do we steer clear of the whirlpool that is social media? Here are seven things that work for me:
1. Set a timer for social media
Set a 15-minute limit for your time on social media and resolutely log off. Don’t go over the limit and don’t cheat by saying you’ll just check one more thing. Trust me on this.
2. Pick the social media channels that work
As bloggers, it’s important to have a presence on social media but which one should you choose? Personally, I find value, traffic to my sites and engagement in two places: Facebook and Twitter. Although I have accounts on Linkedin, Pinterest and Google+, I find very little traffic coming from there. So I tend to spend more time on the media channels that work.
3. Stop scrolling
This is the one thing that probably eats up more minutes in your day than any other task. The minute you start scrolling through the news feed or your timeline, you’ll be wondering where the afternoon went or why that laundry is still in the dryer! The second you find yourself scrolling beyond 3 minutes, stop and ask yourself: Am I gaining anything by this? If the answer is ‘No’, tear yourself away from your screen; yes, even from that entertaining video of the puppy jumping over a ball of yarn!
4. Remove social media apps from your phone
This was one of the best things I ever did. I uninstalled the Facebook app from my phone and resolutely stopped typing long messages/status updates on the phone. One reason was my shoulder injury back in October 2014 but the other reason was the fatigue I felt at peering into a tiny screen all day long. You can always access your sites via a laptop. The one thing I retain on the phone is Twitter since I get real-time traffic updates when I travel, although I have turned off notifications for every app.
5. Turn off notifications
Suppose you can’t un-install apps on your phone, do the next best thing. Turn off all push notifications, e-mail notifications and sounds that indicate you have a new message. Hey, if people really need to reach you in a hurry, they’ll find a way. Trust me. You’ll survive.
6. Do something else
Sounds easy, doesn’t it? But you’d be surprised! Try this trick which I read in an article online. Every time you pick up your phone or open your browser to navigate to those notifications on Twitter or that like counter on Facebook, stop and do something else: pick up a book and read a page; walk 25 steps within your home; drink a glass of water (hey, it’s good for you!) or sing out loud a song from your favourite band.
7. Leave all devices outside the bedroom
This has worked wonderfully for me, to be honest. No more reading in bed, no more frantic checking of messages and no more late nights for the most part. I curl up with a book, a warm blanket and my thoughts every night now. Life has never been more peaceful.
So what’s your story?
Does social media suck your life dry?
What strategy works for you?
Oh please do! Time and life saver, that uninstall effect.
This! I was just thinking about turning off the notifications. Maybe, I can uninstall Facebook. ☺
I love the fact that you take the hydration tip to heart and trust me, it works! Like a charm 🙂
Very valid and useful tips Suman and yes, what works for some of us may not work for others. I love the Pomodoro technique too and apply it when I am in full-on writing mode and I cannot break it for any reason whatsoever. Most of my work/blog necessitates my being on social media during the 9-5 time anyway so post that it’s generally one or two trips to check social updates and then a quick exit.
Switching off notifications liberated me big time! No more pings on the phone. I leave it in another room when I am working hard on something creative 🙂
I meant complaint* 🙁
Wow! The number of comments justify your complaint about catching up with responses! I am guilty of just scrolling when I should be working. But, of late, I have been able to curb a lot of that distraction. One, a specific to do list to attack at the beginning of the day. Since my work involves a bit of social media, I do post on Linkedin in between. But the to-do list keeps me focussed and I am back after posting. Two, setting 5 minute timer – got this idea from Pomodoro technique which is 25 minute slots. 25 minutes? Who am I kidding! Earlier, I’d be doing something else by the end of those 5 min. But now I am able to stretch 5 to 7 to 10 minutes, at times when I am typing a blog post and I have everything else minimised and say this is all I need to do at the moment. I don’t even realise and the timer goes off. And I am still at my task! 🙂
I have tried deleting apps etc but sometimes, it is work related stuff and no app! For me, it’s about productivity. As long as my work gets done, I can browse/scroll to glory other times. Switching off whatsapp/Twitter notifications today helped. Though, I am a long, long way from being a normal person who doesn’t check her phone 200 times a day just out of habit/boredom/paranoia (OMG! When did I become this person!)
Fine fine. Don’t blame me if your brain shrinks to the size of a peanut 😛
Ah, Shailaja, I buy all the points. But, let me please watch the puppy-video alone. And, the cat-video. And, the panda-video. 😉 Oh, I forgot. The baby-elephant-video too please. 😉
Social Media does suck your hours in… As a blogger, I find that I can not go off it altogether but have really restricted my social browsing time these days… My personal accounts are so ignored, ppl ask me if I am alive…
I like your walk and have water waala tip..will try it out! Even if I don’t go off social completely, at least my hydration levels will improve 🙂
Such a relief, isn’t it? I mean, why have this entire addiction to something online? Doesn’t seem worth it one bit. Thanks for dropping by and I am glad your productivity has gone up 🙂
Yes, disabling auto sign-in works for me too. Although, I DO forget my passwords at times 😉 Social media is a lovely tool, if used in moderation and for the right reasons. I see way too many rants and raves though, so I generally step back and take a break when it gets overwhelming.
It really is such a relief not to have to check the latest updates on your phone when you’re in bed. I mean, the bedroom is for rest, relaxation and sleep. Why should we mess with that, right?
I think in the new year its time to keep that wifi turned off a little longer. I am in total agreement on ‘scrolling’ being a major culprit.
Great list there.
I think cutting down on social media time has been one of my biggest steps in getting back to productive living lately 🙂
I’ve done all that, Shailaja. Checking into social media only from the laptop helps a great deal. I’d add, disable auto-sign-ins, because that’s contributes to the time-suck. At least for me, I feel too lazy to sign in. Even the few times I hit the scroll button and end up forgetting why I got to that page in the first page, I’ve regretted it. Great tips here. And yes, social media is evil, albeit a necessary and perhaps a useful one. I am glad I am the only one on social media at home. 🙂
Hugs. Great post!
Very valid post, Shailaja. Limiting social media is a major challenge these days. I am not addicted to likes or comments in FB but I do the scrolling part, endlessly. Not anymore after deleting the app from my phone. Such a bliss it is! 🙂 I use my phone as an alarm but once I enter the bedroom, wifi and data goes off. So it becomes just a phone with an alarm. 🙂
It’s time we took time back into our hands. Better for us all in the long run 🙂
I agree. Limiting time spent online really helps you focus on things that matter the most – health, writing, family and so much more.
We all do it. All of us. Can’t help it. It’s a psychological trick that works for Facebook. I love your ‘fed up’ metre! Must get mine cranked up and working again 😀
So good to hear that there are other people who empathise with the addiction that is social media 🙂 Yes, nothing is surely that urgent that it cannot wait, right?
Thanks for stopping by, Maniparna!
Interesting checklist there Shailaja. The only thing I do which I shouldn’t is the scrolling. It eats away time like crazy. However I have an automatic inbuilt mechanism that makes me switch off Social Media periodically. I do not even need to deactivate – I just get a ‘fed up’ kind of feeling and that’s it.
I spend a considerable amount of time on Facebook. But, I religiously keep my smartphone away from any social media app. Yes, it sometimes creates problem while I’m on a tour, but I manage. It helps to prevent getting addicted.
Nice tips and, they really work, I know. #ExperienceSpeaks… 😀
Yes it’s the sudden wake-up call that gives us the much-needed push. I hope this helps you break the addiction , Kala. Good luck! 🙂
Seriously relevant stuff here! Where the morning went by, how did the evening turn to night…..are questions that I ask myself all the time. Guiltily catching up on chores ignored while I was ‘busy’ with…err….scrolling! Find it hard to switch off actually. My eyes have started watering all the time. I think I need to give a serious thought to time spent online! Wake up call post, I call this!
Sounds like you need a robotic hand then 😉 Oh do go in for that alarm clock. It’s such a curse, this alarm on the phone and data on the phone. What I wouldn’t give to go back to my old, boring non-touch phone.
My phone is like a third hand. I am perpetually attached to it except in bed. Having said that, there are times when I can switch off. I’m hoping to do more of that this year. I have tried not having the phone in the room but because my phone is my alarm at the moment, I need it {until we buy a new alarm clock}
Oh and scrolling is my worst enemy…it’s like a rabbit hole once you begin!
That sounds wonderful, Rakesh! That you quit smoking, I mean 🙂 Hey, if you did that this is easy. Trust me, take it in baby steps. You’ll be off the addiction sooner than you know.
Also, welcome to the blog 🙂 Happy to see you here!
Oh tried and tested 😀 They really work. So good to see you on the new site, Shashank and yes as much as I hate to admit it , I have been slack in my blog reading. Ah what to do? Life is so much more interesting!
So thrilled to hear that. Turning off wi-fi seems to be a good tip for those who can manage it 🙂
Ha ha ha Roshni, you sound like my mom 🙂 She is not on social media except for whatsapp and even that she forgets where she’s left her phone, so it’s hilarious!
Yes I have set a similar one for myself too: 52 books! Gosh wonder if I will be able to finish! Then again the idea is to read more, not necessarily read all 52 😉
Aww, completely get it. Don’t stress. Start by sleeping early. Come what may. Baby steps will help.
Very true, Seeya. We all do it. We are all guilty, some more than others. The point is are we willing to do something about it?
I know what you mean. Not using the smartphone as an alarm is the first step. Good luck with steps 6 and 7 🙂
You’re most welcome. Let me know if they work 🙂
That’s probably the best thing to happen then, Carol 🙂 So glad you don’t let Social media rule your life!
Oh nothing is that urgent! Absolutely 🙂 Rightly said. After all, we can’t count our friends/those who matter by number , now can we? 🙂
Oh completely agree on keeping phone off WiFi. Helps immensely! Colleagues reach out through Whatsapp though so need to keep it on during work hours. Thankfully, not a slave to whatsapp. Can keep it off all the time. Would delete it too if I could.
You are a class apart, we all know that 😉 Life is best when offline. Hugs <3
Reading is so important! I so agree with that. Switching off Wifi button won’t work here since the husband wants it left on, so I keep devices away now. Works well for me 🙂 Thanks for reading, Gayatri!
Sounds like a plan. My home and office are at home, so I have no such choice 😀
I had you in mind while penning this post, Cat 🙂 All that you’ve said is so true. It’s what keeps us from being our productive best. And for what? The fear of missing out? The idea that life will pass us by while we stay offline? Such irony, isn’t it?
Happy Writing to you too and less scrolling for you too! 🙂
As long as it worked, that’s all that matters 😉
Good suggestions here Shailaja and seems u have tried all of them. And I end up spending too much time hopping and reading blogs 😀 It is good but then I realise there are other things that need to be done too! Good to be back 🙂 Cheers!
Those are some really good suggestions. I locked away the wi-fi due to over-addiction by me and my sons who see me on the phone always. The withdrawal is smooth.
Oh yes, leaving devices outside the bedroom is a definite must do for me! I think I’ve weaned myself off most social media simply by the act of forgetting where I’ve kept my phone most of the time though!! 😀
Great suggestions, Shailaja! One of the things I’m doing this year is setting a reading goal for myself, which means that I MUST regularly put down the iPad/iPhone and pick up a book instead, otherwise I’ll never get to the end of my reading list!
Totally! I am seeing the wisdom of your thoughts. Need to really step back coz scrolling has become my favorite thing to do.
Thanks for this.
(Yes , its late night and yes I am on my phone.)
*hangs head in
Shailaja. So there is a big party of people like me doing all this. Scrolling, yes. When I was reading that para, I realised I do that inadvertently on Facebook. It is as if it has become a habit. Open Facebook and keep scrolling. At the end of it, did I gain anything out of it? Answer is obvious unless you find a nice science article from the page that you have liked.
Point 1-5 – Check.
Point 6 & 7 – I am going to start doing.
Never thought of keeping devices out of my bedroom, mostly because my phone is my alarm clock. I guess it is time to buy an alarm clock. 😛
Wonderful and workable tips! Off to implement some of these right away. Thanks Shailaja! 🙂
Well, I’m guilty of each and everything above. Like any addiction, I’m aware of the harm, but always decide that I’ll have better control next time… and there’s no next time! 🙁
It’s a great article! I did quit smoking. Hope that my will power exerts itself enough to quit this addiction! Amen!
I’m far too busy to allow this to be a problem for me. It never has been. I am extremely disciplined with my time. Sometimes I wish I could be more relaxed and spend hours surfing but it will never happen.
I never installed any SM apps on my phone. Nothing is that urgent surely? People are surprised that I don’t use my phone to prowl around SM. But I guess those who matter don’t mind… and those who mind dont matter.
😀
What works for me is keeping my WiFi off on the phone at all times unless I switch it on. That has drastically reduced my time on SM. Removing notifications works for those with WiFi on at all times. SM really sucks out time like anything. Nice, helpful tips there.
I have never been a slave to social media, thankfully. Although I have never deactivated my accounts and gone off for a while, I can live without accessing them for quite a long time. When I’m busy, I’m busy. Social media was never a distraction for me. Thankfully 🙂
I agree with you completely on this. In the later half of 2015 I spent a lot of time on Facebook, chatting and scrolling….and I read less.
One thing that worked well for me was switching of the Wi-Fi button before entering my bedroom.
I loved your idea of doing something else when you pick up the phone. Great ideas.
I don’t have data plan on my iPhone, so I can’t do anything in office (intentionally)…this works for me.
At home, I have wifi, so I do whatever i have to do there ?
Great post, Shailaja! I’m guilty as charged. I’m a real scroller of the Newsfeed, always checking to see what’s up with my friends and commenting or posting.
I tend to post too many things and think about what to post. Just think if I used that creative energy towards my writing, how prolific I’d be! I still love Facebook and all my friends but I know I need to get a handle on it as it eats into my creative time when I should be writing or doing my photography projects.
Luckily mu addiction hasn’t spilled over to my phone yet as I find that screen way too small to do anything on and I don’t have data so rely on wifi. I do have a miniIpad though and bring that around with me when I’m out and about which isn’t always a good thing though I do get Starbucks coffee with it. Heheh. Love my Starbucks coffee!
This is the time to formulate goals for the year and one will be to limit my time on Facebook and to focus on my fiction writing once again which I love so much. Last year, it was sadly neglected, especially my many novel ideas which I started so eagerly but abandoned when the going got tough. I’m sure my online critique group are fed up with me and my short attention span and how I give up so easily when they critique a piece and find it needs work.
Facebook is so easy to veg out in front of like the TV. At least we got rid of our satellite TV a year ago and I don’t miss the TV at all. I tend to watch Netflix or a movie from the library when I want to watch something.
Happy Writing for 2016 and less Facebook scrolling!
I reached here while aimlessly scrolling up and down on twitter, read the post until the end, shut the phone, threw it on the bed, went to the kitchen, had a glass of water, picked up the phone again, opened this post again and took upon typing this comment 😀