In the age of social media, it can be hard to switch off. Many of us are constantly checking our phones, flicking between social media feeds on repeat to find out what’s going on in the world. Whilst social media has been very beneficial in connecting people across the world, and keeping them in the loop; it has also come with its drawbacks too. People may see others' lives and compare themselves, doom scroll for hours, or just get into a negative head space. To help avoid this, we’re going to give you some tips on taking a break from social media.
Set a time limit
Taking a complete break from social media may not always be viable. It may be your primary way of keeping in touch with friends, or may even be a part of your job. It’s also a good way to keep up with current events. Instead of cutting yourself off completely, consider limiting the time you spend on social media. For iPhone users, this is made even easier as you can head to your devices settings and set a time-limit per app. When that time limit has been exceeded, you won’t be able to open the app anymore.
Take a break from individual platforms
Sometimes, it may not be social media as a whole that is the problem. It may be one specific app. For example, if you find yourself comparing yourself to others on Instagram, it may be time to take a break from there and spend your time in more positive spaces, like Chatloop; where we encourage a more purposeful social media experience.
Change your notifications
If you have all of your social media notifications turned on, it will just encourage you to come back to the app every time a notification comes through. Consider looking into the notification settings for each app and limiting what comes through; for example, you may want to hide likes/comments via Instagram, which tends to give users a ‘positive stimulus’ and keeps them coming back. Research suggests likes/comments deliver a quick dopamine hit, and essentially give you validation for what you're sharing, but it can become addictive.
If you’re feeling like you’re spending too much time on social media, try to make your usage more purposeful. At Chatloop, we don’t encourage excessive usage. Instead, we encourage you to open our app when you feel you need to; like checking the news, asking for recommendations, or finding out what’s trending amongst your peers.
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