My #1 social media tip might surprise you, but it’s made SUCH an impact on my life:
Other than Instagram, I choose not to use or have any other social media apps on my phone.
Instagram is my real-life, behind the scenes fun social media platform that I use for personal and business use. I don’t see it as business, though, because I love it so much and it brings me so much joy!
With this platform, I’ve chosen to only follow a handful of people so that I can engage at a deep level with those people and not get overloaded with too much information, posts, and online clutter.
I don’t have Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, my blog, or e-mail on my phone. I only update those platforms from my computer, because I want to be able to designate work versus non-work time.
This keeps me from being tempted to check-in, update, and engage in comments on my phone. I don’t want to have this distraction when I’m doing real life.
This decision helps me compartmentalize my life so well. When my computer is open, it’s work time. When my computer is shut, it’s personal and family time.
It helps me not feel like a slave to social media or like it’s controlling my life and it takes away that sense of urgency from all of the notifications.
4 Ways to Quiet the Social Media Noise
If you’re overwhelmed with social media, try setting some boundaries. Here are some suggestions for ways to quiet the social media noise:
- Have regular times where you unplug. Schedule times to be completely offline every week. Turn off your phone. Turn off electronics and just soak in the quiet. Take a walk. Bake. Talk to a friend. Read to a child. (I don’t blog on Sundays and I try to be mostly offline after dinner every night and until after I’ve read my Bible and journaled in the morning.)
- Unsubscribe from everything that you don’t need or love. If it’s just cluttering up your inbox, click the unsubscribe button and free yourself from the extra email clutter! (Read more how I keep my inbox uncluttered here.)
- Turn off notifications on your phone. You don’t need to know when someone likes your Facebook post or comments on your Instagram post or follows you on Twitter. The world will not end if you turn these notifications off. Try it and see! (The only notifications I have on my phone are for when someone texts me or calls me. That’s it!)
- Turn off all notifications via email. The same goes for email. Stop getting notifications when someone interacts with you on social media. Have designated times to check in on social media every day and catch up on the new comments and posts and engagement and then untether yourself from it for the rest of the time.
How do YOU keep social media in check and not let it take over your life? I’d love to hear!
P.S. Watch this very short scope here on Why You Should Consider Quitting (or Cutting Back On) Facebook.
Jeannie says
Ditto. I do not even have Instagram on my phone but Imdo have Pinterest? Makes a big difference!!
Ashley says
Ha! I had JUST deleted Facebook and Candy Crush off of my phone this past weekend and it has been amazing for keeping me focused and productive! I had convinced myself to keep Facebook on my phone for a long time because I like being able to post pictures instantly but I can just do that through Instagram. I never find myself scrolling endlessly on Instagram so I’m fine leaving that on my phone. Now I’m only checking Facebook 2-3 times per day. Hope I can keep it up!
Kim says
I challenged myself to not using my phone, internet, or TV until noon. I can’t tell you what a difference it made! The house felt more quiet and peaceful, and I got so much more done. I’m going to be doing it much more often.
Gina Poirier says
This was a really helpful post for me! As a relatively new blogger I have been struggling with being way too connected with my phone and all the social media opportunities. I read this yesterday and turned off all of my notifications and my mind is already clearer. Thank you!
Karen H says
How do I keep social media in check? I don’t use it! I don’t do Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (although that is the only one that could possibly interest me), Twitter, Pinterest, etc. I have two email address. The main one is the original email address I set up in 1997 and that’s the one I always use – and it is NOT on my phone. I do have a google email address that is on my phone. I will forward emails for restaurants, Bath & Body coupons, etc., that I may need while I’m out shopping, or an order that I’m picking up. My phone is mainly used for actual calls and the calendar.
Linda says
I am a fan of the “Hands Free” lifestyle, especially for moms like me who have small children. I have determined to show my children that THEY are far more important to me than a phone or a computer. Besides, we can all put crazy pressure on each other to throw fancy parties, dress up our children, and keep a Martha Stewart house by presenting only our best moments on social media. When I realized (with horror) that my biggest concern about celebrating my daughter’s first birthday was that I’d have impressive photos of the event for my blog, I permanently closed my blog.
I have stayed off FB and other social media traps except for a private page that my family uses to plan holiday gatherings etc. Thankfully I have many friends in real life, and those friends frequently come to my house for a cup of tea or coffee that lasts two hours. I wish we moms could all encourage each other to hone old-fashioned social skills – mail someone a hand written card, talk face to face, and teach our children by example how rude it is to stay glued to our phones when in the company of other people.
Please preach it, Sister! 🙂
Danica says
I’m a big fan of the third way of quieting social media … I turn off notifications on pretty much every app on my phone. I think I have Periscope notifications on (so I see you pop up often as broadcasting) in addition to phone and texting. Not much other than that, many are just the badge on the icon. Thank you for the tips!
Christine @ The (mostly) Simple Life says
I’m working on this. I’ve realized that if I spend too much time on social media, by the end of the day I’m grumpier and really lack contentment. When you spend too much time looking at other people’s “highlights”, you start to not like your own life as much. I’m trying to set limits…
Shu Bredthauer says
This is such an encouraging post! I just quit Facebook 2 weeks ago and was struggling over whether it was the right decision. However, I think I’m like you that I had to just cut it off so I don’t give it any opportunity to suck me in. I also got your tip for owning a business page without personal page, and I will sure share that with my other friends who keeps FB for business. 🙂
beth says
Several months ago I was sitting in the living room of someone’s home with a group of people. My “dumb” phone sat in my purse, turned on silent. I have no need to be on it all the time, and I think it’s rude to go over to someone’s home and be attached to your phone. I sat and twiddled my thumbs while I watched every other single person in the room mess with their smart phone. It was awkward. We can play games and socialize with someone all across the world, but no with the person sitting right next to us. End rant 🙂
Melissa says
I prioritize the blogs I follow by using categories in my feed reader, like “1 Must Read” and “2 Next Best”. Then I can start at the top and work down depending on how much time I have. The most useful category is called “Trying on for size” where I put new blogs until I have had a chance to see if I like them or not.
Rebecca @ everydaytreks says
I deactivated my FB January 2015, and I haven’t missed it at all! A lot of my family is on FB, but it gave me a lot of insecurities, so I gave it up. As a result of deactivating my FB I ended up forgetting about my blog too. The only people who read my blog were my FB friends, so when I stopped sharing my posts to them, I stopped writing.
It took a while for them to realize I wasn’t on FB anymore, one of my best friends from high school only just realized a few days ago! After my family tried to get me to go back on FB I wrote this post: http://www.everydaytreks.com/why-im-taking-a-break-from-facebook/
In attempt not to loose ties to all my friends I have recently started using Instagram more, and I started sharing my blog posts on Twitter. I have 8 whole followers on Twitter (I don’t really know what to do with it yet!).
Jessica says
I don’t have a smartphone. I have a “dumb” phone that makes and receives calls. I don’t always need to be connected to the internet. Because I work from home as a copywriter, I’m online quite enough. I am frequently the only parent at my kids’ activities who is not sitting there texting or swiping on a phone. Instead, I am there with my knitting or crocheting, watching the kids play.
Crystal Paine says
I LOVE that!
Danielle says
I am the same way (no smart phone). And it works awesome to keep the boundaries. But I LOVE the ideas Crystal has shared here, because it is a real way to keep boundaries in life for the many who do have smart phones. I hear a lot of people talking about the need for this (and I see it more and more when I’m out around town).
Kat says
Crystal,
Do you still get Internet on your phone? If not, how did you filter that out? If so, do you just discipline yourself not to check blogs, fb, etc that way or what? I’d really like to limit that for myself and have thought about actually getting rid of my smart phone so that my Internet *is* limited to an actual computer session, but I use apps for coupons, work, recipes etc so kicking the phone altogether is not a good option…I purposefully don’t use apps for all these other things but it doesn’t help me so much since I can still get everything on my browser! Would love practical advice from anybody beyond “be more disciplined ” though i acknowledge that really is the core issue 🙂
Crystal Paine says
I do have internet on my phone… but I don’t really use it except for a few apps, Periscope, Instagram, music, email, and texting. I’m not really tempted to use it to check blogs, etc. — just because I’ve never used my phone for that.
Maybe some other people have some suggestions?
Maryalene says
This is totally my problem! I took the FB app off my phone but find I just visit FB in the browser instead. Argh! I gave up FB for Lent and am hoping that will help me break the habit but I’m not horribly optimistic.
Kat says
Maryalene–I have done “FB fasts” before and actually I did find it helped for a period of time–broke the habit, so to speak. So I hope that helps you!!! My issue is that I do actually use FB for meaningful things, actual connection with family and friends and several accountability groups for fitness, church, and scripture memory. So I don’t always want to go cold turkey! But it is sooo hard for me to keep away from the slippery slope of checking out everybody’s blog links, feeling like i need to be a part of all the conversations, etc, and pretty soon I’m right back where I started :/
I will say a few things that have helped are: 1)really being intentional about NOT pulling it out with my kids–just putting my phone away while I’m with them unless we’re calling somebody or a truly time-sensitive email or something; 2)unfollowing VERY heavily, so that what shows up in my feed are mostly the people and groups I’m actually truly keeping in touch with. That has helped. I’ve been debating doing a weekdays-only “fast” for a while, and allowing myself the weekends for social catch-up, and see if that helps or even if it’s workable as a permanent pattern…probably need to just up and do that. It really is an addiction and it really does feel good when I can remember that “I don’t need it!”
Maryalene says
Great tips Kat!
I’ve been charging my phone in my office instead of my bedroom at night, and that has helped a little. I really need to do better about putting the phone up when the kids get home though. I always say I’m going to put it in my purse or in the bedroom so I’m not tempted, but somehow it always ends up in my hands!
Like you, I do rely on FB for some meaningful connections. My husband died a few years ago so I feel like FB is my one and only way to have adult interactions most days. At the same, I find it makes me feel a bit down sometime because I see other people’s lives and think ‘I want that.’ My head knows I’m seeing everyone at their best and real life isn’t always that way, but heart still longs for a bit of what others have.
We’ll see how I feel after 40 days without FB. I’m hoping it’ll force me to be more intentional about connecting with friends on a level that’s deeper than chatting on FB. If nothing else, I’m sure getting a lot done during the day without it!
Jody says
I am very much like you. I took the apps off my phone and then was just going thru the browser. Here are some things that have helped me tremendously:
1) My husband has my Facebook password (at my request) and I don’t know it. For several years I could only go on when he was home and he signed me in and was there to help me not spend too much time on and get sucked in. Several months ago I deactivated my account and he still has the password so I can’t go reactivate it on a whim myself.
2.). I use the restrictions feature on my phone and will set it up so I can’t get onto the Internet without entering a password. This helps me pause and think if it’s what I really want to do instead of just mindlessly wandering on.
3). In the same vein I have restrictions set for certain websites (Instagram, Twitter etc) so that when I am on the Internet on my phone I have to enter a password or go into my settings to un restrict those sites to get on them. Again it makes me really pause and keeps me from just mindlessly wandering around sites endlessly.
All three of these safeguards has really drastically cut down my phone/internet usage and is aiding me in cultivating more disciplined habits with my phone. It’s a tough habit to overcome! I hope this helps in some way.
Kat says
I like these ideas, especially the password restrictions –sometimes just that check “is this really what I need right now” might be what it takes. Will have to look into that, thanks!
Keelie Reason says
I use Facebook to keep up with my friends, so I get those notifications. I’ve never really gotten into Instagram, but I’m trying- again. I’m not really a Pinterest gal either. I do get email on my phone, but I don’t think it is a problem really.
Honestly, I don’t really feel overwhelmed by my notifications or social media anymore. I just try not to mindless read stuff. If I swipe through a feed more than 7 or 8 times, I get off.