How to use social networks with benefit? 5 tips for those who are tired of wasting time
Miscellaneous / / February 11, 2022
1. Analyze what you use social media for
One third of Russians comes in on the Internet immediately after waking up, and a quarter read the news at breakfast. We reach for our smartphone during dinner with friends, even if we are not expecting an important message. And at work, instead of focusing on completing a task, we refresh the news feed every half hour.
Think about the benefits of constantly being on social media. Are you really at risk of missing something important if you don't go there for a couple of hours? Train yourself to use social media for a specific purpose. For example, open VKontakte or Facebook only when you need to contact a specific person. And go to Instagram to be inspired by cool ideas. For example, if you are planning a renovation, you can search there for photos of different interiors and apply the details you like in your apartment.
2. Read people who inspire you
If your page is several years old, then outdated subscriptions have probably accumulated on it. Sometimes it's hard to remember how a person turned out to be a friend! Unfollow such people, or at least hide their posts in the feed - many social networks have this option. Instead of users whose lives you are not interested in, subscribe to those who can inspire you or teach you something new. You can start from common hobbies: let it be fitness, books, photography, or any other areas that interest you.
Sometimes people deliberately engage in hate following - following someone who makes them angry or annoyed. If you are prone to this behavior, think about its reasons. People are more likely to seekIn A Bad Mood? Head to Facebook and Find Someone Worse Off / The Ohio State University in social networks of those who are considered less attractive and successful when they are in a bad mood. Against their background, they try to feel better. But such comparisons are unlikely to help improve life in reality.
3. Control the time you spend on social media
Average person holdsDaily time spent on social networking by internet users worldwide from 2012 to 2020 / Statista in social networks 145 minutes a day. Multiply this number by seven, and it turns out that it takes almost 17 hours a week to read the tape and correspond. They could be spent on something important - take a part-time job, take up a new hobby, or just pay more attention to loved ones.
Select the time at which you will go to VKontakte or Instagram. Let's say in the evening after work and only for 30 minutes. You can even set a timer. Use special applications for this: Rescue Time, Toggl, MyAddictometer, aTimeLogger and the like. Some trackers fix the time automatically. In others, the timer must be started manually when you start working with the application. And also, in order not to be distracted by social networks during the day, turn off notifications.
If it's still hard to resist, install an app blocker. For macOS, SelfControl is suitable - the program will block access to certain sites for up to 24 hours. Before the time expires, access cannot be returned, even if you restart the computer. There are also multi-platform programs, for example Freedom.to. With it, you can block access to applications on your laptop and phone at once.
Try going a day without internet. This will help distract from the informational noise and devote time to something interesting. Although, if you cannot imagine life without social networks, you are not alone: half of Russians checks them every day. Preference is given to domestic platforms: 53.5% of users go to VKontakte daily, 36.9% go to Odnoklassniki. Only 27.4% of those surveyed regularly follow updates on Instagram and 8.2% on Facebook.
4. Be careful what you like
Social networks are interested in users spending as much time there as possible, and they try to offer the most interesting content for them. Algorithms select recommendations based on your subscriptions and likes. For example, if you commented on each post of a certain blogger on Instagram, then it is his photos that will appear in the recommendations. If you don’t want to constantly wonder “Why am I seeing this post?”, don’t like everyone in a row.
In addition, in some social networks you can subscribe to page updates. For example, if you do not want to miss the news of your favorite VKontakte community, find the bell icon and turn on notifications.
5. Keep track of what you post
It is important not only to avoid toxic people on social media, but also not to be such a person yourself. Don't post too personal content, like details of a breakup with an ex, or photos from wild parties. Refrain from harsh statements and quarrels in the comments. It’s not uncommon for potential employers to browse social media, and you might miss out on a great job offer just because of questionable posts.
Share good books and films on social networks, talk about your work and hobbies. You can remember a funny incident from your life and ask for advice from subscribers. Use social media not to follow people, but to make and maintain real connections.