Smartphones can be incredible tools. Nowadays, phones are used for much more than calling and texting. From getting directions while driving to managing your bank account, you can do just about anything with your smartphone.
Unfortunately, some people seem to spend practically the entire day glued to their screen. The reason? Social media. It’s estimated that 10% of Americans (or 33 million people) are addicted to social media — and 40% of those are between the ages of 18 and 22.
Even for people who aren’t truly addicted, the way social media platforms encourage an instant gratification mindset and endless scrolling can cause us to lose hours of our day. Fortunately, this doesn’t mean you need to throw away your phone entirely.
You can take steps to curb your social media addiction …
And even use your phone to help.
Use Time Tracking and Blocking Apps
One of the most popular ways to restrict social media use is to install apps that allow you to block certain apps or websites, or limit the amount of time you spend on a particular app each day.
There are several different types of these apps you could use. Some of the most common features include setting daily usage limits for social media, blocking social media apps during certain times of day or only allowing you to use social media for 10 minutes at a time.
These tools are especially helpful if you need to keep your phone with you for work. It helps ensure your phone is only used for the things you actually need, and that you don’t get distracted.
Designate a Specific Time for Social Media
One strategy that some people find useful for cutting social media use is designating a specific time each day when they can use social media — and not using it at any other time.
A case study by the Harvard Business Review found that setting a “happy hour” for social media use at the end of the day actually helped reduce how much time was spent on social media. Even with a full hour to use social media apps, the author found that consolidating social media use made it feel less exciting — and as a result, she was often done within 20 to 30 minutes.
The previously mentioned time tracking and app blocking tools can help maintain this strict timeframe for using social media. The case study author actually decided to manually delete and reinstall her social media apps each day to ensure she kept up this commitment.
Trade Out Social Media for Mindful Gaming
Social media use often results from “mental fidgeting.” Scientists say that physical fidgeting is often a response to stress or boredom, and is done to relieve stress or try to regain focus on a task. Mental fidgeting sees a similar response, but instead of physical actions, the person turns to social media.
One way to address the mental fidgeting aspect of social media addiction is to find an activity that is more productive for your brain. Installing a gaming app like Solitaire on your phone offers an opportunity for mental fidgeting with a set end point. When you finish the round, you’re done — no endless scrolling.
In addition, studies of adult gamers have found that their gaming activities actually improved emotional and psychological wellbeing. Replacing social media with something that is healthier for your brain can go a long way in changing your habits.
Become Aware of Your Social Media Triggers
Just like with other forms of addiction, excess social media use typically has “triggers” that lead someone to start mindlessly scrolling. The dopamine hit offered by social media means many people turn to social media when they are dealing with feelings of stress, anxiety, sadness or boredom. Others start using social media when they are procrastinating a task at school or work.
Mental health conditions like depression can also worsen social media addiction.
Becoming mindful of situations that lead you to use social media is essential for developing healthy coping strategies. You can use your smartphone to take notes of your feelings or the situation you were dealing with that led you to use social media. As you become more aware of your triggers, you can then come up with an action plan for alternative activities.
Turn Off Notifications
Part of what makes social media addiction so hard to escape are the pervasive notifications. In fact, a study by the University of Michigan found that teens receive over 200 notifications from their phone apps each day.
Each time a notification arrives, it serves as a powerful trigger for the user to open up the corresponding social media app to check it. And more often than not, that initial check then turns into an extended period of social media use.
Manually turning off push notifications from all social media apps can help limit this trigger. This will also make it easier to maintain other goals, such as only using social media during a specific time.
Conclusion
Social media can offer a great way to stay connected with friends and family. But without mindful use, it can easily become a massive waste of time and even an addiction.
Using your smartphone in the right way can actually be a powerful tool for eliminating social media addiction. With time tracker apps, a designated time for using social media, changes to your notification settings or even using your phone for other activities that help you engage your brain, you can get away from mindless scrolling.
