How to Spend Less Time on Social Media and Enjoy Life More

Do you find yourself spending too much time on social media? Have you forgotten about the simple joys of interacting with others in the real world? If so, then maybe you need to cut back on your social media usage. I use social media for work purposes, but if I'm not careful, I will get sucked into nonstop consumption of Youtube and podcasts on Spotify. Here are tips on spending less time on social media so you can truly enjoy life.

Put Your Phone In Another Room Before Bedtime

If you're prone to scroll on your phone when you wake up in the morning, then you should place your phone in another room before you sleep at night. This minimizes the social media distraction in the morning, and you can focus more on more meaningful ways to start your day such as meditating, exercising, and making a healthy breakfast.

Plan A Few Screen-Free Days Out The Week

Another thing you can do is plan some days out of the week when you're not on the computer or using social media on the phone. Delete all social media apps from your phone for a few days. Use these days to do other things such as reading good books, deep cleaning your home, meal planning, or working on your monthly budget.

Schedule Your Content Ahead Of Time

Perhaps you want to spend less time on social media but you're also a content creator. One thing you can do is schedule your social media posts ahead of time so that you're not spending excess time on various platforms. I like to use a service called Buffer. This service allows you to schedule posts to be placed on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram. If you post a lot of visual content on Pinterest, use the scheduling software program Tailwind. Tailwind lets you schedule your posts months ahead of time.

Call And Visit Your Friends

Instead of sending emails and instant messages to your friends, call and visit them. Maybe you can plan a fun outing with them on the weekend or invite them to your home for lunch during mid-morning hours. In-person interaction is more meaningful than sending messages on social media.

Get Rid Of The Notifications

Eliminate all of the constant notifications on your phone and laptop by disabling them on your devices. When you do this, it helps you to not constantly check the devices for the latest happenings on social media.

Find New And Interesting Hobbies

If your life has become dull and boring lately, then it means you're not doing enough interesting things in your life. Find some good hobbies that match your interests and skills. If you love to draw and paint, visit the library and learn new drawing techniques to improve your current skills. If you enjoy dancing, check out local dance classes at a community center.

Swap Out Your Smartphone For A Dumbphone

For those who are heavily addicted to their smartphones, it could be a good idea to swap out your smartphone for a dumb phone. When you have a dumb phone, you don't have easy access to social media and the Internet in general. This is helpful in curbing your social media addiction.

Spend Two To Three Hours Outside Daily

If you work from home, spend two to three hours outside daily. And you don't just have to sit in the backyard. You can ride your bike around the neighborhood, drive to your favorite coffeehouse, or head to the beach if you live near one. Getting outdoors is good for your mind and it has cool physical health benefits too.

Do Fun Activities With Your Family

When you spend too much time on social media, you miss out on memorable moments with your family. Meet with your spouse and kids and come up with affordable and fun activities you can do on the weekend. Make sure that these activities don't involve devices. Some ideas include:

• Making homemade desserts

• Creating a family photo album with old pictures

• Writing heartfelt letters to the grandparents

• Having a dance party in the living room or basement

Creative Ways To Earn Extra Money

Use your free time to find creative ways to increase your income if money is tight for you. Search for part-time jobs at local restaurants, retail establishments, and supermarkets. Sell items you don't need online or by hosting a neighborhood garage sale. Do some freelance writing, virtual assistant work, or data entry work for clients on platforms such as Fiverr and Upwork.

Volunteer Your Time

So many local nonprofit organizations need volunteers to assist them in reaching underserved populations. Sign up with an organization as a volunteer and offer your services once or twice a week or month.

Social media has plenty of amazing benefits, but it becomes problematic when you spend too much of your free time on it. Use these strategies to cut back on your social media consumption and live a fulfilling life.