These days, it can be so easy to fall into the trap of ‘doomscrolling’ and mindlessly looking at other people’s lives (or highlights of their lives) to the point where we become disconnected from our own. It’s none of our fault, all social media apps are designed to do exactly that. Thankfully, there are some ways that we can bring more mindfulness into our relationships with social media. Simply bringing more attention to areas of life where we can get a bit ‘sucked in’ can be really helpful when it comes to bettering how we spend our time.
Here are some ways that have both helped me personally, and helped other people who have shared their experiences online:
- Refrain from social media usage for an hour after waking up and an hour before going to bed. This is both good for overall brain health and emotional development.
- Unfollow influencers and celebrities that promote unrealistic standards of beauty or income. These standards are often set with a lot of deception around what is natural and what is modified through surgery, photoshop, etc.
- Set time limits either through the Apple function in Settings or through the app, “Focus’ or something similar. Having a reminder to pause is helpful when we get looped into endless scrolling.
- Do a detox cleanse for a week or so at a time to reconnect with real life and the people around us. Being on social media all day can train our brains to miss out on what’s actually happening in our real worlds, which over time, can disconnect us from ourselves.
- Define and write down clear boundaries to set with ourselves, such as only going on social media after homework/work is finished. Abiding by these boundaries can bring a higher sense of confidence knowing that we are watching out for ourselves and building healthy discipline.
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Capri Curtis is a Conscious Awareness Coach. She guides others to be more consciously aware of how situations/people/tendencies in their lives may be affecting them on the mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual levels. Utilizing pattern recognition, dynamic perspective shifting, and a deep emphasis on true self-love, she aims to guide others on a journey.