Balancing Social Media & Screen Time with Your Everyday Life
Overview
We have already established that social media can be a beneficial tool if it is used correctly. Today we are going to discuss some ways to balance the use of social media and screen time with everyday life. It is so easy to start scrolling and unintentionally waste hours of time. While there is nothing wrong with spending time on social media, it has to be balanced with homework, studying, jobs, sports, and social life. This is something that can be difficult, so I am going to give you some tips that I have found to be useful throughout my time in high school and college.
Helpful Features
Phones can be great for time management and staying organized. Apple iPhones offer features like reminders, calendar, and screen time reports. The screen time feature can be set to remind you to take a break from certain apps (social media, streaming, etc.) and this can help prevent hours of scrolling.
The calendar app is great for writing in events or dates that you don't want to forget. I often will write in exam dates, shifts for work, important due dates, and class times so I can't forget. The calendar app can also be set to give notifications as an extra reminder. This app can be great for planning out a busy week and seeing what needs to be accomplished each day. I have found it particularly helpful to plan out my bigger class assignments in my calendar throughout the week to avoid procrastination.
Productivity
Being productive with the time you are given throughout the day is very important, especially if you have a heavy course load or busy schedule. It can be tough to be disciplined with how much time you are spending on social media, so here are some simple ways to maximize your productivity.
Tip #1
My first tip for productivity is to leave your phone out of reach or turn it on airplane mode. I know that I personally tend to reach for it when I see notifications pop up on my lock screen. It is a bad habit that a lot of us have formed and this is a fairly simple way to break it. Placing your phone out of reach or turning on airplane mode removes the temptation to check the notifications and can help you focus a bit better.
It can also be helpful to schedule breaks as you are studying or working on a large amount of homework. Set a timer and commit to working until it goes off. Rewarding yourself with breaks can help increase your focus and productivity. This also can help reduce the temptation to scroll during homework or studying.
Tip #3
My final tip is to prioritize good sleeping habits and going to class over screen time. This may seem obvious but it can be incredibly tempting to spend time on social media instead of going to sleep. Getting an adequate amount of sleep helps your brain function properly and as a result, will increase your productivity during the day. Going to class and staying off your phone and social media during class will save you time in the long run because you will spend less time teaching yourself the material later.
Additional Resources
Here is an additional website with advice for balancing social media with everyday life!
This is some good advice that I should honestly do more often. I tend to procrastinate a lot and mindlessly scroll through apps like Twitter. I think setting a time limit or alarm on your phone (or other devices) is the best tip listed here!
ReplyDeleteI love the new screen time feature apple introduced. The notifications of my average screen time each week keep me aware of how much time I spend on my phone. Your tips are extremely helpful. I am guilty of letting my notifications distract me and subconsciously scrolling through social media in the middle of doing homework.
ReplyDelete