Social media is affecting all details of our lifestyle from communication to online business. Billions of people across the globe are spending hours each day on different social media platforms. COVID-19 and lockdowns have made people use social media even more than before and this can be a problem.
Apart from beneficial aspects of social networks, they’re blamed for being detrimental to users’ mental and physical health. It can make you less active and also isolated from the real world.
On the one hand, you might find a lot of unknown friends from different regions who you could never know in real life. On the other hand, you might lose valuable moments that you could spend with your family.
There are also serious concerns about the security of your personal information when using social media. Also, false news and conspiracy theories can easily spread via social networks. For example, a lot of inaccurate information about the coronavirus was broadcasted on social media which can impact users’ health.
So it’s important to use social media in a healthy way to prevent any irreversible impact on your life and health.
Here are several applicable tips to do that:
1. Stay away from negative people
A lot of social media content is really negative. For example, political, racial, sexual, or social accounts can make you feel tired of life.
They don’t reflect real lifestyles so by following them you’ll jeopardize your mental health. So please stay away from them. Try to follow accounts and people with positive attitudes that inspire you to tackle daily problems.
2. Limit your online hours
Social media addiction is a behavioral problem that negatively affects the mental health and relationships of people. It is actually when you use social media excessively so that you feel that you can’t live a day without it.
This behavior can really ruin your daily life and cause long-term effects. If you see that you can’t leave social apps, you need to be worried about being addicted.
The solution is to engage with close friends and family members face-to-face and gradually limit your online hours. Doing physical activities, going to movies, calling friends, reading books, and many other traditional entertainments can help you get rid of this addiction. And we have discovered the most effective way to go about this, and it is called digital detox. You might want to try it out.
3. Don’t compare yourself with influencers
Social networking sites have become a black market for influencers who want to show off their abilities to draw users’ attention. A recent survey by Social Tradia shows that the influencers’ purpose is just to make money from ads and sponsored content.
Comparing yourself with them can dent your self-esteem and make you unhappy for a while. The luxury lifestyle that many of them are showing in their posts is not real so you can’t afford to have it in real life.
Instead of following these business-oriented accounts, try to connect with genuine friends who are just like you. Try to make groups and channels for chatting and making happy moments for yourself. This approach can really help your mental health.
4. Follow educating content
You’re spending a significant portion of your life on the internet, especially social media. It’s good to take advantage of these moments and kill two birds with a single stone.
First, socializing and entertaining. Second, learning. Fortunately, there are countless social accounts that are constantly posting informative content in different niches.
So you can follow them to stay updated in your niche when you’re enjoying social media.
5. Contribute to your community
Every human being wants to be important in his/her community. Social media is a good way to share your moments with your niche community and appear like an important contributor.
Try to start with simple ideas or asking questions. Of course, with a little study, you can gain the attention of users. Many bloggers and content generators have started their careers from nothing.
This can help you increase your confidence and give you the ability to make the world a better place.
6. Don’t forget your body
When you’re using social media, you might ignore that you’re hurting your body. Your eyes might, spinal cord, and sleeping habits can be really impacted by frequent use of social media.
Try to divide your usage time into short periods and in the breaks, have some physical activity. This can help your body rest and prevent any long-term harm.
Also, try to change your position when using your smartphone. Many users face severe pain in their spine and neck because they usually stay in a single position for a long period of time.
7. Don’t buy from unverified accounts
Social media platforms have become big marketplaces. There are countless business accounts that have converted their accounts into online shops, selling their products. It’s good to know that 90% of Instagram users follow at least one business account on the platform.
This has caused several problems for people who don’t pay attention to the legitimacy of accounts. Although Instagram considers the authority of business accounts, it’s not enough to be sure about them.
For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has increased the rate of online sales of medical and healthcare products like ventilators in many countries. You can see online reviews about the companies to make sure that previous customers are satisfied with their products.
Final thoughts
Healthy social media activities can really change your life and improve your knowledge and ability. So you need to take care of your mental and physical health and the right way of using social networks to avoid hurting your life.
