Everyone wishes there were more hours in the day to get things done. The key to making the most of the time you do have is making it a priority to be as productive as possible, and one of the easiest things you can do to up your productivity levels is rethink your social media habits.
According to Sabrina Sarabella, a business coach and wellness expert, social media can be great for your business and networking—but it can also be a huge time suck. “It can be a little bit of a black hole,” she said in a webinar for Intuition. “We’re scrolling, and the next thing you know, you’re in your ex-boyfriend’s mother’s brother’s best friend’s feed.”
Because of how much time social media can take up that would be better spent doing something else, there are some rules you might want to put in place to prevent scrolling from stealing hours from your day.
3 Ways to Stop Social Media From Ruining Your Productivity
1. Set a Timer
Sometimes a timer is necessary in keeping you on top of your to-do list. “If you’re having problems being productive and social media is one of those culprits, set a timer on your phone and restrict the amount of time you spend scrolling,” says Sarabella. Once the time is up, get back to your work.
2. Take the App Off Your Phone
If there’s a certain social media app that’s making you unproductive, remove it from your phone. That way, it’s not as easily accessible. “You’ll only look at it at certain times, or only look at it on your desktop,” says Sarabella. It might feel weird not having Facebook or Instagram on your phone at first, but with time, she says it will become very freeing.
3. Turn Off Your Notifications
If you’re constantly getting distracted by notifications going off on your phone, Sarabella says to turn off the notifications for those specific social media apps. When you’re not glancing at your phone 24/7, you’ll be much more productive. And don’t worry—you’re not missing anything. Once you open the app, the notifications will be right there waiting for you.
