Five Ways To Stop The Negative Effects Of Social Media According to DemandSage.com, nearly 5 billion people globally use social media, accounting for more than half (61%) of the world’s population. Experts expect that number to grow to 5.17 billion by 2024. No wonder Facebook tops the list with 3.05 billion users. The typical social media user uses six different platforms.
Social media has many benefits and can be a positive tool. It allows us to connect with family and friends and interact with companies. We can use it to save memories and share experiences or exciting things.
Five Ways To Stop The Negative Effects Of Social Media that we can use it to learn new skills or teach others. For example, on YouTube, you can learn almost anything you want, from how to fix a garbage disposal to how to knit a winter scarf!
Let’s remember Pinterest’s massive collection of images and short videos. Then there are Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and other sites offering pictures and videos with brief descriptions.
Despite these advantages, social media also has disadvantages.
Research shows that spending too much time on these platforms can lead to increased stress, loneliness, isolation, and depression.
Claude Mellins, professor of medical psychology in the Department of Psychiatry and Social Medicine, writes: “While social media has significant benefits, it can also provide opportunities for bullying and exclusion, unrealistic body image expectations, and popularity sources as well as platforms that normalize risks. “This can hurt mental health. “
We need to be innovative and protect our minds when using social media. Why? Maximize its benefits while minimizing its harmful effects.
Here are five ways to do this.
Customize your Feed
- Be ruthless. Social media is there for you; you are not there for social media.
- Unfollow, block, or delete negative or scary people or pages. Delete toxic friends.
- Limit who can view and comment on your posts.
- People have no right to interfere in your life.
- So don’t let them make you feel guilty, shame you, or manipulate you into thinking they should have a say in your life.
- Having a small group of virtual friends is excellent (maybe even healthy).
- Replace people and organizations with accounts that inspire, encourage, empower, and make you feel good.
- Looking for someone who values natural beauty and cares about healthy things.
- Follow people who are constantly spreading positive, inspiring words in their feeds.
Be guided by this ancient wisdom:
“Set your thoughts on true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and admirable things. “Consider your thoughts on good and praiseworthy things” (Philippians 4: 8).
You are responsible for social media content that flows into your head and heart.
Be the boss
How often have you woken up as soon as your alarm went off, and your brain has been bombarded with updates, news, and irrelevant posts?
Five Ways To Stop The Negative Effects Of Social Media this is one of the worst ways to start your day. It often causes you to lose track of time, rush out the door because you’re late, and add unnecessary stress and anxiety to your life.
Why let social media sway you and dictate the quality and flow of your day? Isn’t it time for you to be the boss?
Instead, consider adding screen-free activities to your morning routine, such as journaling, meditation, and expressing gratitude.
When you start browsing social media at a time of your choosing, set a time limit for how much time you spend on each app. And don’t let the virtual world replace the real world.
Turn off notifications
Just because you have your phone with you doesn’t mean you must always be available. Free yourself from the constraints of endless social media streams and feeds.
Give yourself a few minutes of quiet or focused, uninterrupted time to get your work done or the things that matter to you.
Remember, social media makes money through advertising revenue. Therefore, these apps are designed to interrupt and hijack your attention to lure you to their feed so that they can generate advertising revenue.
One of the most effective ways to regain valuable time is to turn off notifications as often as needed during the day. Don’t let social media take advantage of you.
Be careful
Be critical of social media and realize that most posts and videos are of a person’s best moments; they only show you what you want them to see. They project an image or brand; they don’t show their typical daily life to the world.
Detox
Try this today or this week: put down your phone and live in the moment.
Look around the room, notice how the light comes through the windows, and listen to the different sounds around you; be aware and fully present.
It takes 60 seconds. Breathe. Live. Enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of the world around you. If you’re brave enough, you can do this a few times a week or a day to kick your social media addiction.
Why not switch your time on social media to something more constructive? Do something to improve your life by learning a new skill, writing a passage from the next great American novel, picking up an old hobby, reading, exercising, walking in the sun, journaling, drawing, Painting, or playing a musical theatre instrument. And more!
Have a good life!
Live with passion and unlock the best life! Laugh, wonder, explore, celebrate love, and have adventures! Grow, serve, and give back instead of mindlessly scrolling through social media and living your life through someone else’s screen.
