How can you prevent social media addiction? Best 9 strategies!
By Antoine G Larosiliere
I was shocked to learn how high the number of people who were addicted to social media was; and became curious on how you can prevent social media addiction.
According to psychologists as of today an estimate 5 to 10% of Americans meet the criteria for social media addiction. Personally, I thought that number was high; and became concerned on how can you prevent social media addiction? I did a little research, also asked around and finally came up with 9 strategies that would help anyone struggling with their excessive use of social media.
#1 Become aware of your behavior.
The first step in dealing with a probroblem is to first determine if you even have a problem. So, before we begin to try to prevent social media addiction, we need to become more familiar with our behaviors in using social media. If you can evaluate your behavior or take a test it would be helpful. There’s a study from Iowa State University that identifies central aspects of nomophobia; which is “no mobile phone” phobia. They provide a 20-question survey measuring iPhone codependence.
#2 Use an app to track how much time you spend on social media each day.
If you don’t want to take the iphone correspondence survey, you can take matters into your own hands. Evaluate your time spent using social media on your own. Use an app, spreadsheet, calendar or any form of timekeeping to track the amount of time you spend on social media each day. Then set a goal for how much you want to reduce it by.
#3 Turn off your phone at certain times of the day.
It is very important for you to establish the moments you should either put the phone down or turn it off completely. We do not want to have an unhealthy dependency on our phones or social media. It is a way to discipline yourself to be more efficient with your time use and to be more cognizant of the time spent. The moments you should put your phone away or turn it off completely are as follows…
- In the mornings: Checking your phone cannot be the first thing we do in the morning. Avoid this and enjoy the morning preparations.
- In the movie theaters.
- When you’re driving.
- During important meetings.
- At the gym.
- While having dinner with the family.
- While playing with your kids.
- When you’re hanging out with your friends.
- When you’re in the bathroom.
#4 Don’t bring your phone or tablet to bed.
This strategy could easily have been part of strategy #3, but it’s slightly different. The point here is to not just shut your phone off, but to leave it in another room completely. Make sure the phone is also plugged in to charge overnight. This is to make sure you’re not tempted to roll over in the middle of the night and turn it back on because it’s accessible. It will also make sure your sleep is uninterrupted for the benefit of sound resty.
#5 Disable social media notifications.
If your phone is constantly going off, it can pose any number of problems. It can become a huge distraction if you’re with other people or you need to concentrate on a particular task or activity. All the buzzing, and beeping of your notifications can make it tempting to pick up the phone and break your discipline.Turning off the notifications will help you eliminate distractions and renew your focus. It will also help you be more disciplined with your time and gain better control of your habits.
“Start off by limiting your checks once every 10-15 minutes, then once every 20-30 minutes, then eventually once every hour.”
#6 Limit the amounts you check.
Once your notifications are off, you’re going to be curious about what’s happening to your social media. You’re going to be tempted to check your phone often, but do not allow yourself to become the compulsive phone checker. Start off by limiting your checks once every 10-15 minutes, then once every 20-30 minutes, then eventually once every hour. The following apps can also automatically limit when you’re able to access your phone.
- Screen Time (only available on Apple devices)
- Flipd
- Mute
- Space
#7 Remove the social media apps from your phone and disable the account.
What’s the point in removing your social media apps from your phone if you’ve already turned off the notifications? You can still go in the app and check your social media even though the notifications are off. Deleting the app completely is an important step because it will allow you to see how much you miss it. Then take it a step further by disabling the account so you can’t check your social media on the desktop or or tablet.
#8 Find replacement activities for social media?
If you’re using social media excessively, it could be because you don’t have healthier options to replace it. You could be using social media because you are lonely, bored and maybe even depressed. Find other activities that you enjoy, but make sure they are healthy, and promote your well being. Try going to the gym, playing a sport, or try learning how to play an instrument. You could even explore your creative abilities. For instance, try painting, drawing, maybe even pottery making. These activities may steer your focus away from social media while possibly revealing unlocked potentials within you.
#9 Spend more time with friends face to face.
Face to face social interactions are healthy and important for everyone. You could even use social media as the spark that leads to those in person social interactions. Meet new people on social media and build up to meeting in person. The in person interactions will bring more meaning to your life and build stronger connections. Reach out to friends you haven’t spent time with in a long time and reconnect. You’ll end up learning things that could potentially help you, or just have a plain good time. Invite a coworker out for lunch, ask a neighbor to come over and play board games, or ask a classmate to join you for coffee and conversation.
In 2017 it was estimated “210 million people worldwide suffer from internet and social media addiction.” With so many people suffering from this, it’s important to learn how you prevent social media addiction. If you are already dealing with a social media addiction, please seek professional help. I hope this has been helpful. Also visit my YouTube channel for more insight to these topics.
The Bully Experience "Daniel's Story"
Sign up for our newsletter and Read the novel For Free!
Stay updated. Sign up for our newsletter, and get the first two chapters of The Bully Experience Daniel’s Story absolutely free.