There is no doubt that social media has improved some aspects of society—communication has never been faster, the news has never been more accessible, and frankly, it’s fun to see what strangers are up to. However, I recently noticed a shift in the attitudes of my friends and myself towards social media, one of skepticism and, at times, even contempt. With each passing day, I become more conscious of just how much time I spend on my phone, endlessly scrolling despite a voice in my head telling me to stop and do something more productive. I’m currently trying to break the habit of consuming content mindlessly—it will be a challenge, but I know it will be worth it in the long run.
Since high school, I have taken frequent social media breaks in order to focus on my studies and social life. I can feel myself becoming entranced by the pictures and tweets I choose to open, and knowing I am actively distracting myself feels like a burden, especially because I am busy with university coursework. Deleting Instagram and Twitter periodically resets my brain—I stop feeling the impulse to click, to swipe, and to send. Yet, it’s so easy to get sucked back into the habit when seemingly our whole world revolves around social media. When I’m offline, I no longer follow current events, I don’t know what my friends are doing, and I feel a strange form of FOMO for not posting about my (admittedly unexciting) life. Platforms like Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok have created reward systems—through likes, comments, follows, and DMs—to trick one’s brain into feeling validated when they receive a notification. It’s difficult deciding to no longer accept that form of validation and find other moments of pleasure during the day.
One habit I’ve formed in order to keep myself off my phone is cleaning. Being able to focus on a physical task with visible results is one way to receive satisfaction when social media becomes tedious. Being able to keep my personal spaces clean while also cleansing myself of the desire to scroll is a win-win for me.
Another, perhaps more obvious, solution is reading instead of being on social media. After all, most of the posts I see require me to read anyway (like Tweets, for example), so why not spend that energy on a rewarding novel? I’m happy to have gotten into the habit of reading more, not only for the alternative to scrolling but for the personal satisfaction I get after finishing a great book.
One final option you could try if you find yourself on social media too much is simply going for a walk. Taking long walks in the mornings when I would otherwise be laying in bed on my phone feels good not only mentally, but physically. It’s a simple way to get exercise, discover new neighborhoods, and once again, stay off your phone.
While I am very grateful for social media and its many benefits, it can get draining incredibly quickly and subconsciously. Social media breaks can help recenter one’s body and mind; even if you’re not trying to get off social media completely, small steps might make you have a more positive relationship with it.