4 simple ways to protect your mental health without deleting social media apps!

We all know the culprit of the century is social media. Social media has become an irreplaceable part of our lives. It is vital to take steps to make sure that they are not negatively affected by them. A Forbes article lists the top 8 side effects of social media. If you think abandoning social media completely is the solution, think again! Nobody feels the need to catch up anymore because everything can be found on the internet. There are a few steps you can take to protect yourself from the side effects.

How does it impact?

I am sure most of you must know the “track your time on social media” way but there is another one that works wonders. You clean up your followers and following lists. This is the most subtle exercise that yields the greatest benefits in the long term. It might be a bit tricky to notice the peace this trick brings at the beginning. But trust me, it works!

Remember, social media is supposed to be for your entertainment and to inform you. Followers don’t matter as much as your mental health. The aim is to reduce the stress caused by social media.

Followers list

Go through your following/followers list and note 10 people that fall into any one of the categories:

1. Influencers- that promote perfection over authenticity

2. Toxic friends- judge you and don’t make you feel confident about yourself.

3. Exes- It is not a mature thing. Stop making excuses to cut them off.

4. Strangers- who have opinions opposing yours

5. The somebody that you used to know- people with whom you had a falling out and never worked through your issues.

A simple exercise will tell you

Open your social media and find these people, then mute them/ take a break from them (depending on the social media). It’s a wise idea to hide everything, including their posts, stories, reels, etc.

You will start seeing a difference within 10–15 days. It might take a little longer to forget a person depending on your relationship with them. It might be possible that you forget about this exercise and that is how you know that it worked! Come back and let me know ;)

Conclusion

Social media connects the world. It is a source of entertainment, a means of catching up, showcasing one’s talents, or even a job. It is impossible to abandon it completely. No matter what you use social media for, you can make conscious efforts to protect your mental health.