Should we social distance ourselves from social media?

With a little more time on your hands, do you find yourself checking your social media accounts more often? Have you noticed minutes or even hours ticking by signifying the amount of time spent browsing your apps? Is your emotional health impacted by trolls who intentionally provoke their followers with inflammatory statements? 

In the midst of a pandemic such as COVID-19, more and more people are turning to social media for news, updates, socializing, venting, and most likely oversharing. But this is what we do as humans. We connect. We are relational by nature and it’s okay. There is, however, value in disconnecting a bit from the constant bombardment brought on by endless social media posts. It is essential to practice social media distancing for just a short time in your day. Your emotional health and mental well-being may depend on it.

A group of researchers at Harvard explored what is healthy social media use versus when it becomes problematic.  The study revealed unsurprising results in that people feel connected through social media, particularly during a time when lives are the busiest. Face-to-face time through various social media networks elicits a positive emotional response. I don’t think very many people would disagree with that finding. Of course, there are many other positive ways that people use social media like connecting to animal rescue groups or staying in contact with relatives. Many businesses rely heavily on the ability to network online and benefit greatly from doing so.

But as much as we would like to think we are merely “connecting” or “socializing,” this study, and many more like it, confirms the negative impact social networking has on us. In fact, regular use is strongly linked to an increase in depression and anxiety symptoms. One of the greatest concerns is that routine social networking perpetuates differences in education, income, social status, and even race. Many social media users make constant comparisons and measure their life achievements or lack of with what others appear to have. This type of comparison can lead to discontentment. 

Adults are not the only group struggling to detach from the power of likes, friends, or followers. Unfortunately, adolescents and teens are bearing the brunt of growing up in a heavily saturated digital age and their brains and emotional health suffer from it. The same group of researchers from Harvard cites another study that associates adolescent and teen use of social media directly with poor sleep quality, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. All of these examples are enough to warrant a close look at online practices.

So let’s backtrack for a minute. If Harvard researchers can find the good in healthy routine use of social media, then let’s focus on setting limits and parameters to help us avoid checking apps constantly or feeling the need to respond to every comment or photo posted. 

Consider these ideas to start social media distancing:

1. Turn off notifications for a portion of the day 
2. Monitor usage by setting social media limits on your devices
3. Allow yourself a set amount of time 
4. Turn your phone off
5. Leave your phone in another room
6. Think before you post: What impact will my words have on someone? Who might feel offended by my comments?
7. Remind yourself you are not missing out

So, you’ve disconnected for a brief time. What can you do to keep your mind off checking your apps? 

Mindfulness activities are a great way to allow yourself to reconnect with your mind, body, and soul. Taking time to be mindful allows us greater control over our urges to constantly check in with the world. While you are taking a break, there are some activities you might want to try. 

1. Take a walk and notice the surrounding environment. What sounds do you hear? What do you see? Look up and wonder?
2. Listen to music and think about how it moves you
3. Check in with your feelings and emotions 
4. Breathe deeply and slowly
5. Draw
6. Cook
7. Color
8. Be quiet 
9. Start a gratitude journal – write down something you’re grateful for each day 
10. Pet your dog (and try to find your cat!) 

As you move forward with weeks of social distancing ahead, ask yourself if social media is stealing your time away from family and friends. Is it keeping you from doing the things you once loved to do? I do see the irony in that I am writing about this topic while using social media as the platform to which my thoughts are conveyed. I also think it’s important that we spot each other from time to time and offer a discussion that is for the greater good. This is very much a “we” topic, as opposed to a “you” or “I” only idea. Let’s help each other to stay focused and engage in healthy social media networking.

Be well. Rest. Breathe.