We now live in a world where it’s almost impossible to escape the grasp of social media.
The majority of people now have access to smartphones, which means more and more people are joining social media every single day. A healthy social media relationship is key.
According to We Are Social, there are 3.8 billion social media users as of January 2020, which is 9% higher than last year. Social media has the potential to enhance our lives, but only if we use it in the right ways.
Utilize the Follow/Unfollow Button
Social media is all about connection, but with billions of people using the platforms every single day, there’s bound to be negativity. When thinking about how to be a healthy user of social media, think about why you are following the people you do. Are they giving you some type of benefit? If the answer to that question is yes, then keep following them, but if they are making you feel bad about yourself, it might be time to hit that unfollow button.
One simple thing you could do is a social media “audit,” which involves going through all of the people/pages you follow and asking yourself “does this account make me feel good about myself or does it invite negativity?” By doing a sort of social media “cleanse” your feed will ultimately be a more positive environment, which will help you have a healthier relationship with social media overall.
Connect with Others
Taking the time to connect with others based on similar interests and/or hobbies is truly what is at the core of social media. Truly taking the time to connect with genuine people who are also trying to have a healthier relationship with social media rather than comparing yourself to others will teach you how to be a healthy user of social media and its various platforms.
Most times, people see social media as a place of comparison where everyone is competing for attention and be better than everyone else at the same time. If you try shifting your mindset to a place of connection rather than comparison, you might begin to see social media in a whole new light.
Use Screen Time Limits
Sometimes we all get caught up in the endless scroll, and it’s okay! It’s nothing to feel ashamed about. If you’re an iPhone user, there’s a handy-dandy setting that can help you set app and screen time limits, so you’re more aware of how much time you’re actually spending on individual apps. This might be helpful if you want to be on your phone less, but use the time you are on social media more effectively.
About Peek Counseling
Katie Bisbee Peak is the founder and sole practitioner at Peek Counseling. Her passion and drive is to support, encourage, and empower the people she works with. She specializes in working with youth/adolescents, individuals, life transitions, and offense specific treatment.