This post is all about how to stop wasting time on social media without having to burn your phone!
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We turn to social media whenever we’re bored, whether we’re standing in line at Starbucks or sitting in a boring lecture.
But it can be too much at times. I mean, have you ever looked at your screen time and wondered how you spent 5 hours on your phone? Because same!🙋♀️ According to a study, the average screen time worldwide is 2 hr 27 mins.
We always complain about not having enough time to be productive, but imagine having two EXTRA hours every day!
But I know how hard it is to actually put your phone down and get some work done. In fact, sometimes putting my phone on Zen mode is the only way I get anything done.
And, as embarrassing as it is to admit, I’ve taken those 5-minute tiktok breaks that last an hour. Or avoided leaving the house because I’d rather watch YouTube.
The point is, I get you!
That’s why I’m not giving any cliché ‘delete Instagram’, ‘burn your phone’ advice (We all know it’s not happening anytime soon!).
But if you’re wondering how to stop wasting time on social media, here are some practical tips that’ll work for you!
Why is social media so addicting?
I recently read a quote that said,
“We used to visit the internet, now we live here.”
I remember, being in 7th grade, having one hour allocated to use Facebook. Now, we’re here trying to schedule one hour to stay away from it.
We got so addicted to social media so fast, we didn’t even realize it!
And the main reason is the dopamine rush that social media provides. The happiness that you get from that one like, the meme shared by your friend, or after watching an influencer’s stories, even for a split second, that’s what we seek.
It gives you a dopamine rush, and that gets you hooked.
But what we don’t realize is that these same likes, comments, and influencer grids are the source of our dissatisfaction, anxiety, and low self esteems.
The only solution is to consume less and create more. Humans are creative beings in nature. Have you ever noticed how happy you are when you’re dancing to your favorite tune, or cooking for your loved ones? That’s utter happiness and that can’t be replaced by emojis.
When you create more than you consume, you feel more fulfilled and satisfied.
how to stop wasting time on social media
1. no phone mornings
Your mornings are supposed to be FOR you. But when you wake up and start scrolling through Instagram, your mind immediately goes into reactive mode, i.e, you start thinking how you need to react and respond to other people’s mails and messages.
Instead of spending time thinking about how YOU want your day to look like.
Seriously, don’t pickup your phone for the first hour in the morning. Your emails, dms and to-do lists can easily wait an hour. In fact, keep your mobile phones outside the bedroom and use a natural alarm clock to wake up.
Related Post : How To Start A Morning Routine You’ll Stick To!
2. put your screen time on your home screen
NOT to make you feel bad about it. But because, awareness is the first step to change. So now, every time you’ll unlock your phone when you’re on a “break”, you’ll see how much time you’ve already wasted.
Because most of the time you think you’ve been on your phone for 15 minutes, but when you check, it’s been more than 3 hrs.
3. remove easy access to all apps
Remove all social media apps from your home screen and add app passwords. This will add resistance to your habit of unconsciously opening Instagram (or any other app).
When you have those extra 10 secs while opening the app, you’re able to catch yourself in the middle and realize, “you’re doing it again”. Then it’s up to you whether or not to continue.
I tried this and removed Instagram from my screen. And was astonished to see the number of times I caught myself unlocking the phone and trying to open it without even realizing.
4. unsubscribe from UNPRODUCTIVE content
We all have our guilty pleasures – accounts that you know are toxic but still keep checking on, reality tv shows that we know are trash and still go back to watch another episode (and it’s never just one episode, trust me, I know).
There’s a lot of content on the internet (good AND bad) and it’s up to you to choose what to consume. Make a conscious effort to unsubscribe from anything that makes you unproductive. Rather, opt for content that inspires and motivates you to work on your goals.
5. have focus hours
If you’re constantly distracted by phone’s notifications, focus hours are your answer to how to stop wasting time on social media. Schedule 1-2 hrs every day, where you’re not doing anything else but work.
Don’t rely on willpower to get things done, use the freedom app to block all apps and notifications on your phone for the focus hour.
Also, your brain will throw a 100 urgent tasks at you during this time, write them down in a notebook and tackle them later.
Related Post – How To Be Productive When You Get Distracted Way Too Easily
6. fill the void
You can’t just quit social media and leave yourself to sit there, getting bored.
If you’re following the “no phones in the morning” tip, start a simple morning routine that you get excited for. If you’re not using your phone after work, pick some hobbies to indulge in, or plan some fun stuff with your family.
You need to fill the void.
7. guilt free social media time
This might sound contradictory, but the more you make yourself feel bad for using social media, the more you’ll indulge in it.
Because, guess what? Social media is our favorite way to buffer our feelings.
Make sure you’re not getting distracted by social media while working. And once you get things done, you can do whatever you feel like.
And you’ll notice that when you have that guilt free break time, you’re automatically more mindful of how you want to spend your time.
8. digital detox days
I did a digital detox day last month, and it was the most relaxing break ever! But again, the trick is to not leave yourself for boredom. Make a list of things you’d want to do, like, reading a book or hanging out with friends. Maybe even ask your partner to join you!
Here are some fun ideas for a social media detox day.
9. turn off notifications
I turned the notifications off for all social media apps (except watsapp) one year ago, and I’ve never felt the need to turn them back on! I mean, why does everybody has constant access to you? And why do you need to see every single like, comment and DM right away?
If you’ve watched Social Dilemma, you’ll know it’s the first piece of advice that all tech engineers give. Notifications are the first thing that pull you inside this infinite scroll spiral.
10. close the 10 tabs
DO NOT keep social media tabs open in the background while working on your laptop. It’s bad enough you have your phones creeping around.
And having 100 tabs open in your browser is not the most functional way to get things done.
You can use apps like freedom to turn off all the notifications on your desktops, or even block some websites that you don’t want to visit while working.
11. app that reminds you to stand up and stretch on laptops
Constantly looking at a screen can strain your eyes and also cause fatigue. It’s important to take frequent breaks to stand up and move around a little. It might break the momentum in the moment but will keep you productive for long.
Use apps like Healthier: Break Reminder that’ll send you reminders to take breaks and stretch throughout the day.
12. reward yourself
Reward yourself for sticking through your screen time limits. It’s important to understand that it’s NOT an easy task, and appreciate your efforts.
You can also use apps like forest to reward yourself. Basically, you plant a virtual tree inside the app, and that tree keeps on growing if you don’t touch your phone for a certain amount of time. If you leave the app to use your phone, your plant dies.
13. don’t carry your phone to your washroom
Thankfully, I don’t have this habit. But seriously, what do people do there for 45 mins? Maybe it’s your way of taking a break from work but because of this a) you end up taking twice as long, and b) you break your momentum.
It also goes back to the fact that why can’t we just sit with ourselves without our devices, even for 5 minutes?
14. mindset
You can put your phone locked up in another room, but if all you’re thinking about is what stories your friends are uploading, you’re never going to break out of this cycle. This is the most important tip on how to stop wasting time on social media.
You need to understand that the only place where life is happening right now is the present moment. So, focus on NOW. And if there’s something actually important, people can call you.
It’s hard to learn how to stop wasting time on social media in the beginning, but once you start noticing the difference in your productivity and mental health, you’ll automatically become more conscious of your choices.
This post is all about how to stop wasting time on social media without having to burn your phone!