There’s no denying that social media addiction is real, but how big it can be? The story of every social media addict is common. People are addicted to feeling good and that’s why they use social networks unapologetically. A temporary conflict arises when social media addiction distracts them from meeting their goals.
People join social networks. They find new ways to connect with others. They meet old friends and colleagues and they keep using it without knowing where they are going. They develop a habit and along the way, they develop different theories about it. They start believing that they are using social networks in a constructive way. They believe that it is taking them where they want.
After some time, the same people decide that they aren’t going where they wanted to go. They start avoiding social networks so they can achieve what they actually want. The problem is, people still come back to it. They still want to use it. They still want to stay connected. When people deactivate a social media account or temporarily block their access to social media networks, they feel like they are lying to themselves. It’s true because they still want to use it.
Most of them reactivate their accounts and reduce the time they spend on these platforms. Some people fix a schedule for the same. But even after making every attempt to break their social media addiction, they come back to it. No matter if they are doing it for less time or more, they know they are not satisfied. They don’t feel happy about what they are doing with their life. Social media addiction is a part of internet addiction. Nowadays it becomes a very serious issue for the teenager.
It’s like deciding you will get up early morning to complete your pending works. You commit to bringing your life back on track. But later you decide you really want to watch a movie or play a video game. So you stay where you are.
How can you take your life back! from social media addiction
You keep telling yourself that it’s not an addiction and you can stop it whenever you want. But the truth is, you’re pretending that everything is in your control. The reality is different. You don’t want to believe this but you know that you find yourself doing things you didn’t want to do. Kick your social media habit and take your life back.
It’s time to cut your social media addiction. It will suck in the beginning but what you will gain will be a lot better. Here’s a master plan to break social media addiction.
Decide what’s more important to you
Knowing is not enough. Every smoker knows that cigarette causes cancer. But it’s the temporary pleasure that keeps them hooked.
At some point in your life, you will regret the decisions you didn’t make. You have to decide today, not tomorrow. Ask yourself what’s more important to you – feeling good now or feeling better in the future. As said already, knowing is not enough.
If you choose the addiction-free path you will need to practice discipline and self-control. It is the only way to achieve what you want. On the other path, you will continue to feel the same way you feel today. It looks and feels really good at this moment, but later it won’t feel good. It will get worse.
Remember that you will have to tell yourself that – I need complete disconnection for the next 15 days or maybe more. I hate this addiction, and going away is right for me. So instead of chasing temporary pleasure, I will do things which are a lot more useful, better and bigger than this.
If you can’t disconnect, do this
If you have decided to disconnect yourself from a social media network, you deserve a round of applause. It’s not possible for everyone. Especially those who use social media networks for their work and business can’t do it.
You don’t have to let go of your social media accounts permanently. In this digital age, it’s not easy for most of us and it’s not a sustainable option. Ditching social media keeps us away from enjoying the benefits of technology. Social media networks are also a great way to know and learn new things.
Social media is not the enemy; you need to change the way you use these platforms as it’s effect on the human brain.
Stick to the conventional path
Our gadgets bring us closer to social media networks so you should think about how you can limit the usage. Use a real alarm clock so you can avoid using your mobile when you wake up. Keep your phone in flight mode to avoid seeing unread notifications and messages in the morning. Don’t turn on your phone before you get ready and have a plan for the day.
Use social media blockers on web browsers. You can use apps that restrict you from using certain website. When you pick your device to do something, remember the purpose. Ask yourself if you are doing what’s right for you.
Increase your attention span
You can effectively boost your attention span with meditation. But if you can’t meditate regularly for any reason, there are many other ways to increase your attention span to break social media addiction. Social networks affect our attention span by offering so much at the same time. As a result, the amount of time we concentrate on a task without distraction has become very less. People try to focus on work. They start working on their PC and soon they feel like checking their social media account. They open more tabs on their web browser and start checking what’s new on their social media profiles. On smartphones, split view feature enables users to use two apps simultaneously. Break this habit to break social media addiction because it’s hurting you.
Stop working on multiple tasks and reduce interference. Get yourself a calm place to work and study and keep all the distractions away. Spend some time in nature. Go on short cycling trips and get yourself busy in activities that keep your hands busy. Something like cycling can be great for health. You should erase yourself from internet as it’s a part of social media addiction, or else it will be a major problem.
The board game method
These days, board games have become obsolete. We have chess, monopoly, risk, and many puzzle games on our mobile phones and PC. Bring some real board games home and start playing. If your family members are also suffering due to social media addiction, ask them to join you.
Such activities will not only give you the chance to relive old memories, everyone will be forced to keep their phones away. Even if it keeps you away from social media for one hour daily, it’s a big achievement if you can make it a routine.
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