Social media is a great way to stay connected, share information, create content and stay up to date with current events. Social media is a huge part of everyday life because of all that it can offer. While all of these benefits are great, it is also easy to get stuck in an endless scroll cycle on social media. Spending too much time on social media can cause you to unintentionally isolate yourself from others causing your personal relationships to suffer. There are many reasons as to why social media could impact your relationships negatively.
Personalized Algorithm
Have you ever wondered why we tend to stay on social media for hours at a time? It’s because of a built-in personalized algorithm that tracks what you like to watch. This personalized algorithm makes social media addicting and can cause users to stay on social media for hours at a time. According to Sage Journals, “young adults aged 19-22 approximately spend an astounding 9 hours on their cell phone daily.” Spending many hours on social media everyday will cause you to miss out on interacting with your friends and family.
Jealousy and Fame
It is no secret that people chase after viral moments on social media. Some may even feel pressure to stay connected and on top of the current trends on the internet to get a viral moment. Additionally, it is easy to spend hours looking at random strangers’ lives online and wishing yours was better. While looking at other people’s lives online, you may not even realize that you’re missing out on your own life with the people that matter the most to you.
Set boundaries
It is important to set boundaries when it comes to daily social media use so you can continue to engage in your personal relationships. If you don’t have any boundaries set when it comes to social media, you could potentially isolate yourself from others unintentionally. This can cause your relationship with others in real life to suffer due to neglect. Excessive social media use can cause you to miss out on connecting with friends and making memories.
Tips to improve personal relationships
Here are some tips to reduce social media use every day to make sure you can be engaged in your personal relationships.
- Set a time limit on how long you can use social media for the day. This can help you to not be on social media for long amounts of time. It will also allow you to be more productive and be able to spend time doing other things.
- Turn off notifications for apps if you have them on. Having notifications on for social media apps can lead to being easily distracted and falling back into the endless scroll cycle.
- Plan time to spend with your friends and family during the day or week. It is important to plan time with loved ones to stay connected. When spending that time you should put your phone on “Do Not Disturb.” This will allow you to stay present and in the moment when you’re around them.