4 Ways to Manage Your Time on Social Media

Engaging with your favorite apps can be a time and energy guzzler. A social media minute goes faster than any other, am I right? One minute you’re scrolling, the next—you realize twenty have gone by. Time management and social media don’t go together if you ask me.

It can be tough to manage the time you spend on social media but worry not. Your friends at GR8NESS are here to help. Check out these hacks for taking back your time.

1. Assess Your Apps

Take note of how many apps you use. Some smartphones offer an option to view your overall screen time spent and where it has been allocated. Some apps offer the same capability. Even if it’s just an estimate, gather all the information as far as:

• What apps you spend the most time on.
• Times of day you’re most active.
• What motivates you to check them.

2. Set Limitations

Yes, this one is a lot easier said than done, but it just takes a hearty serving of self-discipline and a dash of distracting yourself.

If you can view your screen time, set a reasonable amount, and make a deal with yourself to go even lower than that. Set a consistent goal that you will meet daily, and if you go over it, temporarily delete the app for the day and start over tomorrow.

If you don’t have the option to manage it on your phone or within the apps themselves. Keep track by setting up a note in your notepad (digital or hard copy) and mark each time you are going to open social. This will help to establish awareness, as well as accountability.

3. Seek Support

If your reason for engaging in social media often is to communicate or keep up with others, let them know about your intention and goal to limit your time. Determine if there is another way to keep up with each other that doesn’t require you to participate in overindulging on the apps. Ask a good friend to help call you out if they notice that you’re going against your word. Try to figure out if you need to disconnect from social media.

4. Be Strategic with Association

Did you know that social media is proven to promote the release of the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine? This causes a positive association with receiving and exchanging notifications. This is how social media can become addicting. Most people check their social platforms passively. Sometimes it may not even be a thought despite the pool of information that is taken in upon scrolling.

Consider that you are processing things when you’re casually passing through your timeline. If you don’t exactly realize this—there’s a good chance you’re doing it without consciousness. This is when social media usage tends to become toxic. Try this to combat the effects:

• Move your social apps into a folder that does not immediately appear on your home screen and temp you to check upon simply unlocking your phone. Title the folder something like “distractions,” or whatever you feel will help you be more honest with yourself about your usage.
• Turn off notifications for each respective app so that you are not prompted to look when you would otherwise be occupied with something else. Try to reach a place where you’re only checking when planned.

Managing your time, in general, is challenging, but managing time on social media is a whole other endeavor. You know what they say, practice makes progress, and you’re already on your way. Now, time to take power over your time back.