4 Effective Ways to Finally Reduce Your Screen Time & Engage Mindfully with Social Media

A few months ago, I decided to permanently delete my Tiktok. Well… somewhat. 

I didn’t exactly delete my account, but I deleted the app, and I haven’t been on it for about three months now.

What led to me deleting it was an overwhelming feeling of too much exposure. In today’s age, it’s normal to have various social media accounts — Instagram, Youtube, Snapchat, Pinterest, et cetera. Although these platforms are designed differently and offer different things when it comes to digital social connection, they all have one thing in common: they’re addictive. 

That’s no secret at all. Everyone is aware of this and has tried time and time again to find ways to work with instead of against this reality. However, do short social media detoxes ever work? Do the timer apps that shut off your apps really kick your social media habits? For me, they never worked. 

This led me to being frustrated with the apps and myself. Why was I wasting so much time on these apps, especially when I knew I wanted to do other things with the four plus hours I spent mindlessly scrolling on the apps? 

So, I decided to use the extra time I had after deleting Tiktok to find other productive ways to engage with other apps I use for social media. What I’m going to share with you has worked tremendously so far when it comes to a mindful approach to being on social media, so I hope these practices benefit you in the same way.

Here are four social media practices to start today: 

Identify why you use the apps & use them accordingly

Is it for entertainment? A way to destress after a long day at work or school? Or is it to find inspiration for your new room aesthetic or outfit? Is it to catch up on the news? Or all three of these? 

Whatever the reason, identify it and curate your account to serve that. A lot of the time we find ourselves clicking on Instagram or Tiktok to view certain things, but eventually other things demand our attention, leaving us mindlessly scrolling and taking in any and everything. 

As for me, I  view social media as a tool to share my work and ideas while supporting other creators I like. So I use my social media apps as that — a tool, not a pacifier.  

Delete apps that don’t serve your why 

For me, this was Tiktok. As lovely as the app and its users are, I felt I wasn’t getting any value from it. 

From a creator standpoint, Tiktok would be amazing to help build my brand, but I found myself consuming more than I was creating on the app. From a consumer standpoint, it was too much exposure and it was hard for me to curate a feed I liked because I was always drawn back to the “For You” page, which has the power to expose you to literally anything (i.e. unsettling videos) thus causing your mood to be unintentionally affected. 

If an app is causing you more anxiety or mood shifts than it is serving your why, then it’s time to say goodbye to the app. 

Become Your Parent 

No really, if you’re 18+ reading this, then you have to become your own parent when it comes to social media. In other words, if you want to develop a healthy relationship with social media, you have to make yourself do just that. 

I used to hate when my parents made me shut off my television at a certain time on school nights when I was growing up, but it benefited me more than I knew at the time. It helped my sleep schedule which is crucial for a growing child. It also fueled my love and commitment to reading. Instead of watching television before bed growing up, I started to pick up a book (without having to be told by my parents!). 

I say all that to say, it’s now your turn to decide how much screen time is good for you and actually set restrictions and stick to them. 

Introduce new activities

So, after you incorporate the first three tips, what do you do with all this extra time you now have on your hands? The answer is new activities.

In his 2019 blog post titled “The Analog January Challenge,” Cal Newport shares some digital-free activities you can incorporate after you limit or delete your social media. This includes reading, moving (i.e. taking a walk), connecting (by calling a friend), making (meaning hobbies that require you to be hands-on), and joining (whether this be a club or weekly workout class).

Avoid defaulting back to mindless social media scrolling by intentionally incorporating some analog activities.

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Do you have any exercises or practices that help reduce your screen time? Share it in the comments! 

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