A lot of times, people have been asked if they can stay without social media for one week. Most of them respond with: “I can’t stay away from social media for a day” or “I can’t even stay without my phone for an hour.” Social media is now like an addiction to both the youngsters and the elderly.
The endless contents that may range from funny videos and memes to intriguing stories told in posts, serve as an unlimited means of entertainment to everyone. Yes, social media serves as a platform for its users to interact with a lot of people globally. However, it has some disadvantages that are cringe-worthy when pointed out. This article will point out those disadvantages, I will also explain to you why you need to take a rest from your social media and how to manage the time you spend on social media. A little tip will be given on how to see private Instagram accounts with SimplyGram as well.
One of the major disadvantages of social media is the depression and anxiety that comes with it. If you didn’t know that something as entertaining as social media can cause depression, then you are in for a big surprise. For some people, viewing the flashy lifestyle and the acclaimed wealth of other Instagram users leads them to depression. And this is not because they are jealous of those wealthy social media users, but because they cannot decipher the natural pictures from the artificial ones. For instance, all thanks to apps like Snapchat and other virtual reality apps, people, especially women, can now post pimple-free pictures. Most people know that Snapchat exists to edit pictures, but will they believe that the people in those pictures have acne and pimples? This is when depression and low self-esteem comes in. Believe it or not, it happens.
Furthermore, people tend to compare themselves with other people when they are always on social media. Do you remember why Instagram removed the ‘like’ feature in some countries? People tend to measure their social worth with the number of likes and engagement that they get on social media. They also look at the wealth and properties that other users claim that they have and start doubting themselves. Honestly, social media is one of the primary tools that have influenced some youths to start making money through illegal means. All in the name of trying to meet up with what’s trending.
Another major disadvantage of social media is the promotion of a fake lifestyle. Social media is a platform where people claim to be what they are not. They only show a version of themselves that they want people to see. Amidst all the benefits of social media, it is a medium for a lot of negativity and fake news.
Now that I have pointed out some of the disadvantages of social media, I will now tell you why you need to put a limit on the amount of time you spend on social media. But before I continue, I would like to tell those that say that they cannot stay without social media; that our ancestors stayed without social media, and they achieved a lot of things. I personally don’t think it will be a difficult life without social media for a week.
Why it is important to take a rest from social media
- To spend more time with those your care about: addiction to social media – or maybe not an addiction, just an attachment – can break a relationship. I’m not just talking about a couple-kind-of-relationship; it may be your relationship with your family, with your friends, or even with your colleague. It is understandable that you are always on your phone if you are a social media manager, but what excuse do you have if you aren’t a social media manager yet you can’t make two sentences of a conversation without replying to a message or checking a trend. It is indeed annoying if you are having a conversation with someone you care about, and he or she is busy with his/her phone. As I said, it breaks relationships. You can try and spend some real-time with people you love by making it a rule to put your phone on silent mode or to place your phone face-down on the table. You can also spend time with the people you care about by having social media free days. It could be the weekends, or once a day, whichever it is, make sure that you spend quality time with your family without the interference of social media.
- To be able to achieve your dreams and goals: the study has revealed that most people daily waste at least 2 hours on social media. These two hours don’t include the productive time you spent looking for quality content to post on social media. It includes the time we spend when we are carried away by trends or when we are responding to comments. If you don’t regulate your use of social media, you might lose the valuable time that you need to further your career or your dreams. Being carried away by social media can make one procrastinate. And there is no worse career-killer than procrastination.
- For privacy reasons: to sign in or register to most social media platforms, you need to input your phone number, email, or any other personal detail. And although most of these social media accounts will keep your details safe, have you ever thought of what might happen if your details mistakenly get into the wrong hands? Because of the danger of identity theft and other crimes, some social media platforms like Instagram, have come up with a feature that gives its users an option to choose if their social media accounts should be private or public. You can learn how to see private Instagram accounts by requesting permission from the account owner. This, you can do by requesting to follow the account.
How you can make your Instagram subscribers grow without actually being online.
Most business owners find it challenging to keep up with the ever-changing social media algorithms to keep their viewers entertained always. Well, the answer to growing your Instagram subscribers without actually being online is by employing an Instagram growth service. While you are at it, you are advised to contact an Instagram growth service provider that uses organic methods to grow accounts. One of the best Instagram growth services is SimplyGram. They will increase your Instagram engagement without you having to lift a finger or even being online.
How to manage your time and personal information while using social media
There are some apps whose task is to keep you focused on real life while distracting you from your life on social media. Some of these apps include Offtime, AppDetox, Stay on Task, and a lot of them. Coming to personal information on social media, you can manage and protect your personal information by regulating the number of private pictures, posts, and stories you tell about yourself on social media. The pictures posted on a social media platform, especially in a public account, can be used for online scams.
In conclusion, social media came to bring us one step closer to people from all parts of the world. It also delivered worldwide news to our doorstep, but our addiction to it might damage our physical and mental health. Take note of that.