Social Media Addiction Series: Part 1
“Share your biggest time waster or time suck,” is the first activity we do in my workshop on the value of your time. “Social media” is the most common answer…by a landslide. Do you get that feeling too? Is it a struggle for you as well? If so, you’re not alone. During COVID-19, hundreds of people each month found my blog posts through internet searches on Social Media Addiction. Let’s discuss one of the first steps in improving your relationship with social media.
Acknowledgement: I recognize some people may need to spend more time on social media for business or other reasons. This is meant to help anyone who is interested in taking back the power in their relationship with social media.
Social media has been a struggle for me for years.
I was part of the very first wave of people to have a Facebook profile as Facebook expanded to more universities. I had a “.edu” email when it first launched so I was “in” back in 2004. I distinctly remember sitting in my room at Florida State University and registering for my Facebook profile, and marveling at this new way to spend my time online. Ever since then, social media has proven to be a constant struggle for people; constantly comparing ourselves to others, needing to see what others are doing, and getting lost in the ether of the scrolling. It’s not healthy. I have spent years trying to get better at it. Also, for me, I consider my time valuable, and all that time spent on social media platforms feels lost. I don’t tend to feel better when I spend hours of my time on social media. I’ve tried quite a few approaches, and I feel good about my relationship with (or really the lack of) social media in my life these days. I want you to feel better about your relationship with social media as well.
How much time do you spend on social media?
It’s time to get specific, how much time do you spend on social media? These days your phone will tell you. Do it right now.
To see screen time, go to Settings > Screen Time > tap See All Activity under the graph.
To set app limits, Settings > Screen Time > App Limits, then tap Add Limit. To set limits for individual apps, tap the category name to see all the apps in that category, then select the apps you want to limit.
Image Credit: Apple Insider
To track screen time, go to Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > menu > Manage your data > toggle on Daily device usage.
To set app timers, open Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Dashboard > select app > tap hourglass icon > set a time limit > OK
Image Credit: Friend with Android
So…how many hours do YOU spend on social media?
Do you know the number? I want you to know the number. You need a starting point. Go on your phone as described above and add up the average daily time you spend on all of the social media platforms that keep you sucked in and scrolling or watching other recommended content specifically. I don’t loop in messaging apps in this - communicating with others is different to me. I’m talking about Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, TikTok, etc. I have a hunch you know exactly which ones I’m referring to. My total when I first started this journey was 2+ hours per day.
Okay, so how much time on social media is a healthy amount?
10 minutes per application and a total of 30 minutes per day. That recommendation comes from a University of Pennsylvania study. I have tried different amounts of time based on recommendations and research, and for me, I agree with this as a good amount of time to shoot for.
So…let’s set some time limits for you, right now.
The most common problem is that people don’t have any limits. We get sucked in, and there’s nothing to indicate or remind us how long we have been scrolling. Social media platforms control our time, instead of us controlling the time spent on social media! It’s your life, you control it, don’t leave it up to the app. You can tailor the limit to your needs, but don’t just wing it. Go set some limits on your phone right now, and see how you do. I recommend 10 minutes per app and 30 minutes per day total as a guide and a goal to work toward. If you spend more than an hour on social media per day currently, I recommend coming down in increments of 20-30 minutes per week, since “quitting cold turkey” might not work for everyone. Along that journey, I’m confident you’ll find the balance that works for you.
Wait, this whole post was just about your phone, what about all your other devices? There’s More!
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION SERIES: PART 1 - How Many Hours Do You Spend On Social Media?
(**You’re Reading This One)
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION SERIES: PART 2 - Free Hacks To Fix It
SOCIAL MEDIA ADDICTION SERIES: PART 3 - Fix It With Apps And Tech Hacks
I’m Brian. At age 4, I was diagnosed with insulin dependent (type 1) diabetes and told that my life was going to be 10-20 years shorter than everyone else. Time is precious. I created Productivity Gladiator because I saw what a difference it made to share small and specific actions you can take right now, right away, to achieve better work life balance, be more productive, and live your best life right now, today, not wait until retirement. I want you to start doing the things you WANT to do, not get stuck only chasing what you NEED to do. If any of this resonates with you, I hope you’ll subscribe, and if you’re so inclined, send me a note. It brings me joy sharing Productivity Gladiator with you.