The world is more connected now than it has ever been, with the rise of technology.
The world is more connected now than it has ever been, with the rise of technology. One of the great things technology has given us is the world of social media—Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat – many of us have an account on at least one of these social networking platforms.
Just like any good thing, the danger of it is becoming too addicted. Here are seven ways to prevent yourself from becoming too attached to social media.
1. Avoid documenting your life
We all know these kinds of people. They will take us through every minute of their day, every day, without fail. When these people come up on our timelines, it leaves us thinking whether the person ever puts down their phone. The desire to treat social media as a minute-by-minute diary is a dangerous trap which leads to addiction.
One way of tackling this issue is to think about a couple of things before you tell the world your life story: is it interesting? Does anyone care? If the answer to any of these questions is no, then that tweet or status update is best left unsaid.
2. Stop instagramming food pics!
If you are posting photos of every part of your seven-course meal, then there is a big problem. Unfortunately, the saying “take a picture, it’ll last longer” doesn’t really apply here.
Putting your phone away when you are eating at a restaurant doesn’t only allow you to socialise more, but reduces the time you are using social media for.
3. Use your phone less
With social networking websites now extending their services to those on the go, we can now access social media wherever we are, via our phones. To walk into a room full of people glued to their phones, tweeting and snapchatting away is one of the most annoying situations you can find yourself in—stop being antisocial and put your phone away.
4. Stop bragging
Ever opened up your Facebook to find that one of your friends has posted a photo of their many Versace shopping bags? Boasting about your amazing life over social networks annoys friends and also makes one look overly self-indulgent.
5. Music
Many of us use social networks because of the satisfaction it gives, for example, receiving a funny Snapchat from a friend. Despite this, we can find pleasure in listening to music instead.
There are many music apps out there to explore, with some even offering free songs. Instead of logging into Facebook, try listening to some music and see how it works as a substitute.
6. Turn your notifications off
Some phones are set to sound whenever one gets a Snapchat, receives a Facebook message, or gets retweeted on Twitter. For most of us it is the most difficult thing to hear our phone go off and not get it out to check if we have a message.
Really, it’s not essential to instantly know if someone has liked one of our Facebook photos. By turning your social media notifications off, you only open these apps when you want to, rather than to check your latest updates.
7. Get up and do something!
The root cause of social media addiction is idleness. When you are idle, the tendency to tweet increases greatly. It may be worth going for a jog or trying your hand at a new sport. In doing this you can discover a new hobby and meet new people. Just remember to take their phone number and not their Snapchat username.
Becoming addicted to social media is definitely a possibility, looking at the world we live in today. Everywhere we go we see it, with social media being almost essential to our lives in one way or another. Some people more than others feel that they need to stay connected, but this can be dangerous. As with any potential addiction, the key to avoid becoming hooked is to use it in moderation.
