Social Media Influence
We live in a world where everyone uses social media for personal and business purposes. We also have heard, "if there isn't a picture than it didn't happen."
How many of us have given thought to how much influence social media has on our lives? I have thought about it, and I'm here to share some tips on limiting the influence social media has on our lives.
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We all know social media is good for so many things like making connections, keeping up with family, friends, and promoting your business and events.
Even with all of the good, sometimes it can become overwhelming and harm us.
Take a Social Media Break
You know how we will turn off our phones, unplug our computers and other electronics so that they may start working correctly again. Well, social media is the same way.
We have to break from social media to regroup, recharge, rest, and get back to reality. Now, the break is going to look different for everyone.
Some people may decide to take a couple of hours, days, weeks, or months. You should also determine if you are taking a break from all social sites or just a few.
You may want to decide if you will remove the apps from your devices until your break is over or will you disable notifications.
It would be best to remove the devices because out of sight, out of mind works best.
It is also vital that you track some things during your break. You may want to keep track of your mood and how productive you are. Keeping track of these things will help you see if social media is helping or hurting you.
You can journal at the end of every day during your break. For this journal, you want to start a couple of days before your leave.
What are you, journaling? You are journaling how you feel at the end of the day. You start a couple of days before your break because it gives you a starting point and something to compare your "break" feelings.
Create an Intention or Purpose for Social Media Use
Yes, I know most of us get on social media to pass the time while waiting in between tasks. But how many of us go on social media intending to spend 10 minutes on Instagram/Facebook and then get off. If we are honest, most of us get on and ultimately get lost.
Regardless of what you are getting on social media for, you need a set plan. This plan could make sure you have your content already planned and scheduled to post at a specific time. If you are scrolling to catch up, setting the timer is extremely important.
Scheduling allows you to plan and keeps you from continually having to go to different sites to post. You may need to answer some questions regarding your post but even then, be sure to give yourself a time limit.
Setting a timer may help keep you on track with being intentional. Once the timer goes off, you get off of social media and get back to whatever you were doing before you went to answer questions and engage in a post. This task may be something you repeat a couple of times a day.
Creating the habit of being intentional on social media will not only help you in your business. It will also help in your day to day life.
Everything we do should have a purpose, and hopefully, the goal is to help you be better than you were the previous day.
Unfollow People who put Down Instead of Uplifting
Unfollowing people should be a no-brainer, but in these current times, some of us are focused more on follower count than how we feel.
How many times have you gone down your timeline and seen something that doesn't sit well with your spirit, or it upsets you? Did you unfollow the person, or did you keep scrolling? Do you have a friend that is always negative matter what is going on?
Unfollowing does not just apply to social media. It applies to real life as well. There is no reason to subject yourself to something that is going to make you uneasy or sad.
You cannot control what people do with their social media, but you control what you look at and engage.
Unfollowing someone does not mean you no longer are friends. It just means that you are protecting yourself from unnecessary negativity.
Keep Your Social Media Content on the Positive Side
Think about it this way, just like you do not want to see negativity, other people do not want to see it. Try to maintain the positivity on your page as well in your interactions with others on social media.
I know we all have those moments where we want to vent, but social media is not the place for it. Remember, when you post, it will be there forever.
We are supposed to be on the road to changing our behaviors and thought processes anyway, including changing negative thoughts and feelings into positive ones. Using this tip is an excellent way to practice surrounding yourself with positivity.
Social media is for entertainment. Sometimes, we get caught up in what people are posting and take it as reality.