5 Tips for Balancing Social Media in your Life

I have a pretty strong love hate relationship with social media. It is a fantastic tool for different platforms (like blogging haha) and it is great to connect with people you would have a hard time connecting with otherwise, but it also can be pretty draining.

In order to live an exciting and fulfilling life we have to create the right balance of social media and real life! Here are my 5 favorite things I use to balance my social media!

1. No Social Media Sunday:

Sunday is a special day and for me, a day I really try and stay off of social media. It is done every other day of the week, why not spend a day off of it? Take time to be present with your family, learn how to cook something new or develop a talent! Try and be present with God, because after all, Sunday really is his day! Let Sunday be your breath of fresh air for the rest of the week!

2. No Social Media until Noon:

This one can be hard, especially when so much time is spent at home these days! It is easy to just wake up and go straight on to Instagram! However, I have realized that the days I start on social media, are not very good days. I am grumpier, get less done and have a more negative outlook on the day. I get a lot more done if I save social media until after school and after my responsibilities are done.

3. Set yourself a time limit:

I was so glad when I discovered that on Instagram you can set reminders of how much time you have spent on the app. It makes it so easy to spend less time when I know my minutes count! I am so much more productive as well. Being aware of my time on the app makes me aware of where else I spend my time!

4. If you're not on it, Keep it off:

Whenever I don't have a need for social media, I try and keep the app off my device. If I don't have it as easily accessible, I am less likely to jump on it when I am bored. I usually find myself picking up a book instead!

5. Do a Social Media Fast:

My goal is to do a social media fast about every 6 weeks. Whenever I take a break from social media, t is challenging at first, but by the end I love it!! I usually take a break for social media for about a week at a time. It helps me put life back into perspective and fix my priorities!

6. Be Present:

Whenever I am hanging out with friends or family, I try and not get on social media. It sounds self explanitory, but I have found myself on social media more than once, when I should have been present with my friends! When you are bored it is so tempting to jump on Instagram for a distraction! However, I know how frustrating it is to try and talk to someone when they are distracted on their phone!! Don't be that person! Start a conversation and be present!