While there may be upsides to connecting online, finding balance with the constant flurry of input from friends, family, celebrities, and brands constantly vying for our attention can get out of hand. Remember, your mental health is more important than your likes or if your cute post is trending. So, what do you do instead?
When you step away from the screen, there’s an endless array of options depending on your needs. Here are some suggestions from healthline.com:
If you find you reach for your phone when you have a little down time, consider swapping for these options instead:
• Take a walk around the block.
• Put on some music.
• Bake something delicious.
• Play with a pet.
• Look at old photos and reminisce.
If you find yourself longing for some human connection and the desire to check your feed arises, try these activities instead:
• Call a friend or family member.
• Invite someone over for dinner or coffee.
• Bake something and offer it to your neighbours, lingering to chat when you deliver it.
• Volunteer at a local food bank or other organization.
• Join a community group, like a church, nonprofit, or club.
Instead of memes and 30-second videos, try these suggestions for entertainment:
• Go see some live music.
• Learn an instrument.
• Take a dance or martial arts class.
• Take a trip to a local museum.
• Try your hand at gardening.
• Listen to a podcast.
• Gather some friends or family and play a board game.
While taking breaks from social media is great, it’s important to be realistic about your use. If social media is a part of your life, that’s OK. There are ways to lessen the negative effects and enhance the positive effects of social media, even while you’re using it. For example, you can:
• Unfollow accounts that have a negative effect on your mood or self-image.
• Remove photos from your own profile that trigger self-judgment.
• Delete any negative DMs, trolling, or spam.
• Unsave posts that encourage you to compare yourself to others.
