Are you worried about your social media consumption? It’s no secret that social media is a major source of entertainment, and where most of us get our news. In fact, Muck Rack’s 2023 State of Journalism reports that 78% of journalists reported that Twitter is their most valuable social media platform. However, social media can also be overwhelming and there’s a good chance you’ve found yourself doom-scrolling more often than not. Therefore, if you’re spending hours scrolling or you feel it taking a toll on your mental health, you might need to decrease your screen time.

Set Aside Time to Scroll

Rather than completely cutting social media out of your life, block out thirty minutes in your day for it. During that time you can scroll through guilt-free, being mindful of doom-scrolling, of course. Depending on your lifestyle, that could be first thing in the morning, during your lunch break, or towards the end of the day, although try to avoid it right before bed.

If you give yourself a little bit of time each day, you’re less likely to feel out of the loop, especially if you’re looking for the latest trends. Social media is where many people learn what is trendy and what isn’t. You might be worried that without using it, you’ll be out of the loop regarding fashion, beauty, music, etc., which is understandable. According to Hubspot, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are the most common social media platforms marketers use.

Social Media is a Form of Marketing

The days when social media was a place to like a friend’s pictures or invite people to your party are long gone. Today, it’s an invaluable marketing and advertising tool most brands use. After all, it provides personalized and intimate interaction with customers while promoting products and services.

Remember that sometimes you are fed promotional content when you’re scrolling. Sometimes it’s marked, but it can be more subtle than that. Therefore, remember where it’s coming from before you get overwhelmed by the content you’re seeing. Not everything you see on social media is accurate, and some of it is there to make you buy a product or service.

Stay On-Task on Certain Sites

Freelance work is a growing field, and to get freelance gigs, you should be a member of certain websites or job boards to find clients. However, it doesn’t mean you must dive deeply into your social media accounts just because you’re online.

If you’re freelancing, social media can be a way to market yourself, but don’t let that turn into you spending time-consuming random content. Instead, exclusively allow yourself on your promotional pages and save any personal scrolling for your allotted time. Remember, the freelance industry is ever-growing and freelance workers are projected to make up most of the U.S. workforce by 2027. Therefore, finding a way to stand out from the crowd will help you further your career as long as you do it smartly.

Put Away Your Phone at Night

Don’t spend all night scrolling, even if you lie in bed and realize you’re not tired or want to relax for a minute before you close your eyes. Have you ever found yourself lying in bed until the early morning hours, feeling like the world is ending because you’ve been doom-scrolling for hours? It won’t serve you and probably doesn’t naturally fit into your lifestyle. Keep your phone away from the bed so you’re not tempted.

Social media is a big part of our days, but it doesn’t have to be. Scrolling for hours removes us from the rest of the world, and reducing your time doesn’t mean you lose connection with the rest of the world. If you ration your online time and use it wisely, you can decrease your social media usage without becoming out of touch.