5 Healthier Ways to Use Social Media

Do you have a love/hate relationship with social media?

I GET IT. It can be overwhelming to keep up with at times.

I love the connections I've made (mostly on Instagram) and the real-life friendships that have come out of it, but it can feel overwhelming at the same time.

The good news is that you are not a slave to social media.

Hallelujah!

You can take control and tell your phone what you're willing to offer and what you're not.

This is going to be a very different post than what I typically write, but it’s something I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about and it’s something I’m passionate about.

So, let’s get right into it with my most important tip…

If you haven't already, turn off all notifications on any of your messaging, video, and social media apps.

All the buzzing, all the little red dots begging you to respond, all the pop-ups can wait.

Instead of feeling like a slave to your phone and responding the second that little notification flashes on your screen, you get to decide when you're willing to open the app and when you're not.

This one tip was a game changer for me about a year ago.

Alright, now that the notifications are turned off, it’s time to take back even more control over your phone.

Your brain and heart will thank you for turning off your phone for one hour a day.

And no cheating here...we're not turning it off in the middle of the night.

NOPE, sister.

Choose an hour (most likely in the evening) when you're tempted to drift away in social media land and turn it off.

Not mute.

Not locked.

OFF.

Like off, off.

Now use that hour to do something you care more about than social media: read the Bible, worship, spend time with your spouse/family, take a walk around the neighborhood, or a million other ideas.

The relationships you have with the people closest to you are worth our time, focus, and full attention.

Whatever’s on the phone can wait an hour.

Engage more than you consume when you’re on social apps.

Research shows that when you contribute and engage with people on social media, it is healthier for your mind than just constantly consuming content.

When you only watch and consume what others post, your mind goes into an unhealthy comparison cycle. When you engage, the brain understands that there’s an exchange happening and relationship building.

So, by now your notifications are turned off, you turned off your phone for an hour a day and you're ready to take 30(ish) minutes to scroll social media.

It’s time to engage with your friends’ stories and posts!

Make it a goal to respond or react to at least 30% of the stories you see.

Remember: Social media isn’t always a bad thing! There are amazing relationships to be built with friends online when you engage with one another and get to know each other on a deeper level!

Social media “fasts” or “breaks” are a very helpful, critical tool.

Consider making it a goal to delete all social media apps 1 day, 1 weekend, and 1 month each year.

Even just a few days away from social media is all it takes to lift the “brain fog” that these apps tend to cast over our minds.

Don’t worry - you don’t need to delete your accounts! Simply log out (of all devices, computers, etc.) and delete the apps. Your account will still be there when you return.

During your social media fast, find something meaningful to replace that time you would’ve spent online.

In your phone settings, consider setting limits on social media apps for 30-60 mins a day.

Once you reach your limit, a notification will pop up saying something along the lines of, “that’s enough for today!”

If you need more than 30-60 minutes a day, maybe look at how much total time you spend on your social media apps and then make it a goal to cut it by 50%.

Then, in a few weeks, see if you can cut it in half again.

Comment below with any questions you have about setting boundaries around social media apps, or tips you have that I haven’t already shared in this post!

Social media is here to stay. That’s a given.

BUT, you reserve the right to decide how you will interact with these apps.

Love you, friends!