We all have stuff…
Even the people who look like they have it all together have stuff. This age of social media and seeing just snippets gives us false judgments against others, but more importantly, against ourselves. It allows people to highlight the great, spectacular and beautiful things that they do, while giving them the same option to avoid revealing any of the discomforts or hardships they experience. When we look at certain people – whether it be peers, similar professionals, family, celebrities, or “competitors” – we subconsciously can begin to measure ourselves up next to them. It is an inherent trait we all have the ability to express, it is a part of social psychology and defending/protecting our ego.
It doesn’t matter what generation you are from, ALL of us have had this tidal wave of technology thrown at us with no rules and regulations on how to balance viewing and using it with the rest of our lives. It is the wild wild west out there on the internet, and the only way to break away from feeling attached or needing validation from it is to BE AWARE of your ACTIONS.
Do you know how much time and energy you are spending browsing on social media?
Chances are it is more than you know, and the energy it takes to scroll though your news feed can leave your brain feeling tired. Your attention span is consistently bouncing back and forth from post-to-post and different types of thinking, learning or whatever…
Imagine being in a classroom where for 30 seconds you learn Spanish, then 30 seconds of Social Studies, then someone comes in with air horns and screaming, then 30 more seconds of Geometry, then a fight breaks out, then 3 people argue about politics, then you have a Spanish pop quiz, and then and then and then….
The way we browse social media is somewhat like this. A giant jumbled up mess of shit we view, and the majority of it does not build upon one another, making our brains stimulated, but also exhausted from having to process all of this information… That is why we love using our phones late at night to “help me fall asleep” (which, is a bullshit answer by the way, that lit up screen does AWFUL things for your natural sleep rhythm, read more about that here)
Stop giving a crap about how many posts you make. Or how many likes/comments/shares you get. Or telling everyone where you are and what is going on all day every day and start LIVING IT PRESENTLY instead of needing the connection or validation from others on what you’re doing.
Stop sedating yourself with fear, crude humor, hateful, or mind-numbing posts that do nothing to uplift you to a better tomorrow. Because you are going to be directly influenced by what you are watching and listening to… Just like you can empower yourself with positive sources of information, people, learning, and experiences, the same is exactly true for the opposite.
As being a part of the Millennial generation, technology has been the norm for me. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve worked on appropriately setting little rules and habits when it comes to using social media, video games, and internet browsing. It is not a perfect science, nor is it the only way to reduce some of the unwanted feelings involved with using it… Even if you don’t think you have social media induced anxieties, I highly recommend adding a few of these little rules into your own life, because we all could use a more positive space.
If you know others who are chronic social media users, please screenshot this list and share it to them as a way to instill a bit more of a healthy relationship with your tech time. Your body, emotions, mind, and relationships will thank you.
8 Easy Ways to Reduce Anxiety from Social Media Usage (on YouTube, FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit, & more)
- No media the first 30 minutes of waking up, & 30 minutes before going to bed (or technology in general, ideally)
- Set a limit on your app usage: Instagram & FaceBook can show yoou how many minutes you spend on each of them per day… It can be eye opening to know how much time you are using, so set a daily limit where the app will alert you when you’ve reached your allotted time. In the app, look at your screen time usage (go to your profile page, click the top right menu button, and check ‘Your Activity’)
- Put. Your. Phone. Down. And. Leave. It. Alone. More. Please: The internet world & those you are talking to will continue on without you for a little while. Be present in what you are doing more often, THAT will help you feel better
- Stop following people who don’t provide a message or purpose that lifts you up, or helps you live better… plain and simple, don’t surround yourself with BS by choice
- Take 3 deep breaths BEFORE you open a new app: While it is loading up, this gives you a chance to just refresh and pause for a moment. This can help offset using it as a procrastination technique; be smarter than your stressed self.
- Don’t compare yourself to others, just look & learn: Your life journey and what it entails is LITERALLY unlike anyone else’s. Respect that, own it, and be fair to yourself.
- If you find yourself thumb scrolling over & over & over again, it’s time to CLOSE it!: You are most likely just killing time… There are many better things to do than that!
- Give yourself a reason on why you are opening the app in the first place: What is the goal of it? Relaxation, learning, sedation, bored, interacting… be honest
Leave a comment below on any tactics you use to help promote a healthy mental space while using social media…
And if you want to start learning and utilizing social media for positive reasons, then you should start following me on Instagram & FaceBook to receive a boat load of fitness, mindset, habit building posts that don’t ruin your day. If you don’t I’ll be a little sad, but if you do, you’ll be thrilled!
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