Lifestyle
Social Media Healthy Habits
Download PDFSocial media isn't all bad!
Social media can be a great tool to share life events, connect with family and friends, keep up with the news, and gain perspective and information on interesting topics.
Potential Negative Side Effects:
- May shorten our attention span.
- May be addicting to children and adults.
- May turn life into a competition for likes and shares.
It’s important to practice healthy social media habits and take breaks if social media is having a negative impact on your life.
Best Practices:
- Avoid starting and ending your day with social media: Try a quick refreshing yoga routine in the morning to wake you up and a calming routine before bed. You can also try reading a couple of chapters of your favorite book to relax at the end of your day. The blue light from your cellphones, tablets, or laptops may interrupt your wake/sleep cycle. On many devices, you can dim the screen lighting or set it to night shift - give this a try if you are using your device in the evening.
- Turn your phone on silent throughout the day: This may prevent disruptions from text messages, emails, or notifications from social media.
- Turn your notifications off: This way, you’re not consistently being distracted with notifications and inclined to check your phone more often.
- Track your screen time on your phone: Most smartphones now monitor the amount of time you spend on your phone and will even break down your screen time into categories - social media, creativity, productivity, etc. Challenge yourself to lower your screen time from the previous day or week.
- Don’t believe everything you see online: It can be easy to compare ourselves to others. Not everything is as it seems. We never know what is going on behind the screen, photo, or posts.
- Take time away from social media when needed: If you need a break, try removing the apps for a detox period. You don’t have to delete all of your social media accounts, but simply removing the apps from your phone can limit the distraction or negative feelings they may be causing.
- Be yourself: Try not to focus on others’ judgments because there is only one you, and you deserve to be true to yourself. If you like it, share it!
- Follow positive accounts: Follow accounts that make you happy and bring positive messaging to your day. Delete or unfollow any accounts that cause you emotional distress or negative feelings.
- Set your phone to do not disturb at night: This may help avoid interruptions while you sleep and prevent your phone from lighting up in the middle of the night, which can disturb your sleep.
- Be aware of negativity or users with negative comments: Try not to feed into the negativity and scroll past it. Challenge yourself to post something positive whenever you encounter negativity.
- Be positive: Share positive quotes or things that make you happy, smile, and laugh. If a post uplifts your mood, chances are it can do the same for someone who follows your account.
- Do a spring cleaning: Anytime you see a post you don’t like or if someone is repeatedly posting things you don’t want to see, unfollow them! On some social media platforms, you can still be “friends” but can also “unfollow” them, so you don’t see their posts as frequently.
- Skip social media: Instead of going online or sending a message, try calling family, friends, or coworkers. Use that time to have a more meaningful interaction and connect with them.
If you have concerns about social media or related issues, consult a healthcare professional for personalized advice.
