22Mar

12 Signs You Need to Cut Back on Your Social Media Use

 

More and more people are getting hooked on their smartphones. Just as many people are wasting precious hours on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. While social media offers many benefits, you need to evaluate whether it is indeed empowering you or if it is causing you to lose control. Such loss of control can have negative effects on your life that you simply must avoid. Luckily, condo living offers plenty of diversions from the toxic environment of the online world. Learn about the signs you are spending too much time on social media, and the ways you can find a healthy diversion in your DMCI Homes condo.

 

You rely on Facebook to keep you company

When alone in a public place, you find yourself browsing through Facebook to feel less awkward. While this may be the most convenient thing to do, this could also have you missing out on the opportunity to mingle with other people. Learning to be more socially adept is not always easy, but this is a skill you need to build. In the absence of social media platforms that serve as your emotional crutch, you would have no other choice but to talk to the people around you. This will eventually build your confidence. In time, you could become more of a social butterfly than a recluse. So go get yourself some practice. You can start with baby steps, such as hanging out at your DMCI Homes condo’s pool area and talking to your neighbors.

 

You’re starting to feel you’re not good enough

You keep throwing a pity party for yourself, because you feel you are not good enough. You open your Instagram and you see your peers having the time of their lives. You see them splurging on travels and the finer things in life, and you imagine they’re at the apex of their career.

People have a natural tendency to gauge their own worth by doing social comparisons. Social media channels have only served to magnify this human tendency. You can avoid falling into this trap by keeping in mind that social media only shows you a highlight reel of people’s lives. You don’t get to see all the mess of everyday living and the struggles behind the luxurious vacations and career achievements. One of the ways you can start to feel better about yourself and your life is by practicing mindfulness. You can cultivate this mindset by engaging in yoga or daily meditation. So head over to DMCI’s garden atrium, and start feeling one with yourself again.

 

 

You are annoyed with your friends

Do you have a short fuse when you are with your friends? Are you easily annoyed for no particular reason? Sometimes the highlight reel you keep watching on social media can cause you to feel envious towards your friends. This then boils over to frustration and anger. You start to feel angst that seems to come out of nowhere. Feeling worthless is bad enough, but taking it out on your unwitting friends is even worse. Get a grip of your illogical thoughts and feelings. And spend less time on social media! Head over to the pool instead and swim your angst away.

 

 

You keep procrastinating

Do you find yourself constantly checking your Facebook while working? This is not necessarily a bad thing. As studies have shown, short breaks can boost creativity and productivity. The problem starts when your ten-minute break turns into thirty minutes as you get lost on social media. People have a tendency to misjudge the time they spend on things. This gets even worse with social media platforms that are designed to catch your attention and keep it.

Find other ways to spend your break. You can start weaning yourself from social media by spending time away from your phone, or a least from an Internet connection. Head over to a quiet condo gazebo and bury your nose in a book. You can also head over to the basketball court and shoot some hoops instead.

 

 

You get all riled up

Do you get all riled up while browsing through Facebook? This social media channel can expose you to a lot of negativity. People have a biological tendency to spot the negative. This is because of our instinct to protect ourselves and stay safe. The problem arises when our survival instinct starts to spill over to the mundane. We unnecessarily feel attacked by a friend’s post and start getting all defensive. It is important to be aware of this natural tendency and to learn to rationalize it. One of the ways you could address the unreasonable hostility is by interacting with your friends in person. Seeing them in person will put things into perspective. Invite them over for a drink or two by the pool, and rediscover the things you have in common.

 

 

You can’t stop scrolling

One sign you’re spending too much time on social media is when you are virtually unable to stop scrolling. Facebook is designed to be addictive. Oftentimes, you will have to keep scrolling to find posts you truly enjoy. Much like a slot machine, Facebook can fill your brain with chemicals when you spot something that entertains you. And these stimulating things appear randomly, so you have to wade through countless posts to find one you like. Getting random payoffs is a recipe for addiction. You can avoid this by spending less time online. Spend more time in your condo gym instead. Your brain will be releasing chemicals as well, but in healthy ways. You’ll love your dose of endorphins, the happy hormone.

 

You’ve made Facebook your main source of news

Sure you’ll find a lot of reliable news source on Facebook, but know that the platform is just as rife with fake news. Go back to the good old newspaper instead. Make sure you have at least one publication delivered to your door every morning. You can then hole up at your veranda, and feed yourself with your daily dose of news. This time, it’s from a worthy source.

 

You’re starting to feel indifferent

It’s not as easy to see things from other people’s perspective when you’re interacting through the screen. And it’s much harder to feel empathy for other people when you don’t understand where they’re coming from. Without empathy, we don’t have much incentive to offer a helping hand. Reignite your empathetic self by getting active in your condo community. You can initiate charity drives with your DMCI Homes neighbors.

 

You don’t spend quality time with your family

One of the greatest sorrows of the modern world is people’s tendency to pay more attention to their phone than to the people they care about. Stop the cycle by proactively scheduling quality time with your family. Sometimes this can be as simple as hanging out by the pool together or having a little picnic at the garden atrium. Whatever you do, make sure you keep your gadgets out of sight and out of mind.

 

You are oversharing

You know you are overdoing it with your social media use when you have too much of your personal life plastered on your timeline. To avoid this, you must get to the root of the problem. Oftentimes, this is a sign you have pent up feelings you need to release out to the world. Why don’t you spill all the beans to a trusted friends instead? Invite your bestie to a pajama party at your DMCI home, and just talk and talk until the wee hours. Make sure you’re ready with your wine and pizza!

 

You rant way too much on Facebook and Twitter

Still another sign you’re getting way too comfortable on social media: you let off steam on Facebook or Twitter! This will only put you in a bad light, painting a bad impression on the kind of person that you are. The last thing you need is people thinking you’re a negative person. Next time something makes you angry, head over to the gym instead and concentrate all the angst on those heavy weightlifting. You’ll feel better after.

 

You keep stalking people you don’t know

And here’s something real social media addicts do: stalking total strangers online. You are probably just bored with life and are eager to get to know new people. Why don’t you go IRL with this instead? Head over to the poolside and strike conversations with condo neighbors you’ve never met before. As you are bound to see them again, you’ll get plenty of opportunities to get to know them on a deeper level. Nothing beats connecting with people in real life.

The tips above are especially helpful if you are just trying your hands at independent living. Make the most out of your time away from the protective clasp of your family. Get to know yourself and always aim to be a better version. This can’t happen when you spend too much time on social media. So start acting on the tips above and build a better you. Wean yourself from social media and get busy with other fun and interesting activities. Sometimes, all it takes is stepping out of your condo unit and enjoying the building amenities!

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