As a blogger, I spend a lot of time on social media.
And, as a creatively-inclined and opinionated introvert, I enjoy much of the time I spend on social media.
Nevertheless, I’m aware that my habits aren’t always healthy.
When I’m scrolling on my phone instead of listening intently to my husband, for instance. Or when I’m “numbing” by mindlessly double-clicking Instagram photos to avoid thinking about a stressful day. And especially when I’m not giving my full attention to my son or task at hand—those are all negative side effects of what could very well be a dependency to this pseudo-connection a majority of us have seamlessly integrated into our lives.
And, yet, I feel that social media has a positive impact on my life—and others’ lives.
For me, as I mentioned above, it’s a creative outlet.
I use it to share photos and insights that have spoken to me recently, with hopes of inspiring others, speaking up for the marginalized or misunderstood, and spreading joy.
I have “met” like-minded individuals from across the country, whom I’ve come to think of as friends or, perhaps, “pen pals.”
It’s even allowed me to discover small businesses and inspirational movements within my own community, and I love the connections we share even if I’ve never interacted with some of the individuals face-to-face.
Social media usage is a mixed bag, so here are some signals to watch for if you’re concerned your time online isn’t healthy. (For more insight, be sure to check out Erin’s guidelines for having a positive social media experience).
5 signs your social media experience may not be healthy
Does your mood crash after a scroll through the accounts you follow?
A healthy relationship with social media should leave you feeling inspired, proactive, or confident; it should never leave you feeling trapped, insecure, or unhappy with yourself.
Do you find yourself forgetting things discussed with your loved ones?
Social media should be a fun outlet; it should never be a distraction that takes away from your family life or leads you to forget important details or events.
Do you post out of a desire to share or out of obligation/compulsion to keep up?
A lot of professional bloggers owe their success to consistent and frequent content, but if you’re posting too often simply for clicks or to satisfy and arbitrary schedule, then maybe it’s time to step back.
Do you neglect your real-life relationships in order to connect with online followers?
With work and family life, I don’t get to hang out with my real life friends too often, but even so, my online time should never inhibit fostering those in-person connections. If you’re bailing on family and friends for something social media-related, it will surely cause your relationships to suffer.
Have your dietary choices, exercise routines, or other habits changed in a way that may be negatively affecting your physical health?
This is big for fitness, food, and overall “wellness” bloggers and content creators. It’s one thing to share the benefits of your healthy lifestyle and turn to others for inspiration and motivation, but it’s an entirely different thing to develop disordered eating/exercise patterns or enter into a depressive state because of the age-old “comparison trap.”
If you answered “yes” to most of these, then it’s worth considering a change in your habits.
Whether that means unfollowing some accounts that no longer inspire you (or, worse, have lowered your self-esteem), coming up with a schedule in order to limit mindless scrolling, or reaching out to your therapist, family, or close friends for support, I encourage you to make some changes.
Over the last several months, I’ve been posting more regularly to Instagram (it’s a little moment of sharing that I enjoy, usually on my lunch break), but I’ve given myself grace when it comes to blog posts. I post when I’m inspired, and not out of obligation or compulsion to keep up. And when life gets busy, I feel no shame in taking a break.
I spend much less time on Twitter, because, as I’ve shared before, too much negative news and outcry from the angry masses lead to an anxiety tailspin.
I cherish many of the connections I’ve forged on here, and I have several accounts I always turn to for encouragement. Blissful Lyss, Therapy with Kat, and Wholly Healed are 3 of my favorites.
But one thing I am going to personally work on is limiting my mindless scrolling. It isn’t necessary to have a phone in my hands at all times! There’s just too much life, laughter, and experience to risk missing out on.
At the end of the day, if you’ve seen one intricately styled, fuchsia smoothie bowl, haven’t you seen them all?
Is your social media experience healthy or harmful? Share on XSo tell me…
- Have you ever felt roped into the comparison trap because of social media?
- How do you limit your time spent on social media?
- Is there one social media account you wouldn’t choose to live without?
It seems like we are all reflecting on this lately. I find myself pulling back or being more strategic about my social media consumption too. Intentionally scrolling and then putting it away for longer periods of time is really helping me!
Yeah, I’m trying to be more intentional too. Sometimes I’m successful, sometimes not so much.
We’re working on limiting our screen time in general. It really has helped our moods and our stress levels … plus we’re getting a lot more done.
Yeah, increased productivity. I think we all could benefit from that!
This is a great post. I often wonder if I spend too much time on social media. Like you, I feel it is a creative outlet. However, I do find myself getting roped into checking how many ‘likes’ I have on a post. I think social media can be a great thing with a little self-control. Thanks for starting this conversation on your blog!