Consider your intentions
Before you open up a social media app, consider your intentions. Why do you want to go on this app right now? What do you want to see and why? What do you want to get out of it? How do you want to feel afterward? Once you have these questions answered, your time on social media will be a lot more purposeful and fulfilling, and this approach is much better than mindlessly logging on and letting the content that’s thrown at you dictate your thoughts.
Remember that social media is not a reflection of reality
It’s important to never forget that social media is a highlight reel of people’s lives. People are much more likely to post their successes rather than failures. The majority of the pictures you see are photoshopped and edited. The content people post rarely reflects what they are going through in their daily life. For example, when you see an influencer’s 30-second post showcasing their “perfect” morning, keep in mind that it probably required a team of videographers and editors and took hours to make, so don’t compare yourself to others and feel that your life is less exciting, put-together or productive than others.
Curate a mindful feed
Visualisation is an extremely powerful tool when working to achieve your dream life, and it’s a tool we can use on social media. What does your dream life look like? What hobbies do you want to pick up? What skills do you want to nail? We often make goals in our heads and forget about them, so look for creators and accounts who embody your dreams and hit the follow button so this content shows up on your feed. For example, if you want to get better at cooking, follow a page that posts daily recipes and how-to cooking content. This way, your feed becomes an inspiring reminder of what you want to achieve.
Set limits and boundaries
You use social media, don’t let it use you. Remember that it’s a tool that you are in control of, which means you can set limits to protect your mental health and stay mindful. Set a timer so you are only on the app for 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes at night. This way, rather than getting caught up in mindless browsing throughout the day, you can actually look forward to the 30-minute sessions you’ve set. Turning off notifications is also beneficial. Not only does it minimise distraction, but it also teaches your mind to not feel excited and validated every time your phone pings because somebody “liked” your photo.
Interact more
Mindlessly scrolling through social media not only wastes your time, it does absolutely nothing to stimulate your brain or positively impact your mental health. Interacting with the content, on the other hand, can. If you see something that makes you smile, like the post and comment to let the poster know that they made your day. If you see a video of someone doing something interesting, share it with a friend and suggest trying it together. Interacting and being more present on social media allows you to spread joy and have a much more positive experience while you’re there.
As technology evolves, it becomes a much bigger part of our daily lives. It's up to us to use it in ways that benefit us rather than let it take over our lives and chip away on mental health or self-esteem. Hopefully, with these tips, you’ll have a much more positive experience as you cruise through social media.
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