Getting off the Hamster Wheel: Bringing Mindfulness to Your Social Media Usage
This week I, like most of the country it seems, watched the Social Dilemma on Netflix. I can't say I was particularly shocked by any of the information, but it did drive home the need for BALANCE when it comes to social media. Though I can lapse into very black and white thinking, I do my best to see all sides of a story. There is no denying the scary effects coming out of our collective addictions to social media, especially with the young girls in our country and the overwhelming political polarization impacted by the imbalanced information we get on the various platforms. But, it's not all bad. There can be inspiration and joy and creativity and connection. I've experienced all of these myself. But most importantly, it isn't going anywhere and we need to adapt-- this is where mindfulness can come in.
Taking Our Power Back
I have had to do a real investigation of my own social media habits. While I'm not a teen anymore, I can be just as susceptible to the 'compare and despair', 'grass is always greener', and 'not popular enough' feelings that can come with the mindless scrolling. It seems to me that none of us, adults or children, are wired (or evolved) to take in that much content and all of the connected emotions without reacting! This is a real addiction that I could see was having a negative impact on my life and I set out to take my power back.
About a year ago, I instituted some mindful habits around social media and they have made a world of difference:
Want to Build Meditation Practice But Don’t Know Where to Start?
Sign up below to receive a FREE copy of my 8 tips to help you start (or finally stick to) a meditation practice and get meditating today!
Turn Off Notifications
This has been the number one game-changer for me. After hearing a teacher of mine share about turning off notifications and the freedom it allowed her I did the same thing. I started with Instagram. Not getting the message every time someone sent me a silly meme or liked my post, which I would then absentmindedly click on to see it, gave me what feels like hours of my life back. So much so that I turned off notifications for most apps on my phone. No more text or news alert popping up to distract me every few minutes. This gave me my power back. The power to choose when I want to engage. Not to be mindlessly pulled into whatever pops up on my phone. I encourage you to try it out, start with one app, and see what it feels like to make the choice to check in on it when the time is right for you.
2. Only follow accounts that make you feel good.
Check-in with yourself and your feelings as you scroll through your feed. If you notice that seeing the content of a specific influencer, acquaintance from high school, or celebrity makes you feel bad about yourself or any aspect of your life, see what it's like to unfollow them. You could also mute a person you feel you can't flat-out unfollow, which will let you stop seeing their content without them knowing! Fill your feed with images and people that inspire you with creative or informational content and/or make you feel good about yourself. Why not?! This is another great way to take your power back. Change up your feed and see if it changes how you feel!
3. Be Intentional
Do you ever find yourself scrolling on Instagram or Facebook and don't even remember opening it? These habits can be so unconscious that we open them without even choosing to. Use the practice of mindfulness to stay present. If you are choosing to log on, maybe check in with why. Are you looking for some entertainment? To check-in with your friends? To laugh at some memes? Whatever the reason, stay aware and let that intention guide how you are engaging.
And if the reason is that you are bored, maybe play around with just being bored. We don't have to fill each moment of our lives, and we can often miss out on rich moments of creativity or real-life connection if we are just trying to take up empty space.
You can also stay mindful of how long you are choosing to engage on social media. Set a timer for whatever time feels good or makes sense with your schedule, and when the timer goes off, log off! Honoring your intentions and boundaries is another great way to take back your power.
These are small things, but in my experience can go a long way to make social media feel less ‘icky’. When we can stay mindful of our habits, we remain active participants not playing into the games of these companies who have little regard for our mental health.