Social media can connect us to new ideas, help us share our work, and allow previously unheard voices to influence culture. Yet it can also be a highly addictive time-sink if we’re not careful about our goals, purpose, and usage.
I Ran 4 Experiments to Break My Social Media Addiction. Here’s What Worked.
Track and schedule your usage.
October 18, 2018
Summary.
Are you spending too much time on social media? If you’d like to break the habit, you can try a few different techniques. One would be to quit cold turkey for a full month. If that sounds too extreme, you can avoid social media at certain times, like after dinner or before breakfast. Blocker tools like Freedom can help you stay on track. A third approach is to try a social “happy hour” — instead of staying off social media at certain times, block out a portion of every day you can look forward to indulging in it. A fourth experiment to try is a taking a day off from social every week, like a Saturday or Sunday. This “day of rest” will help you keep your social habit in check, and make the weekend feel longer.
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New!
HBR Learning
Time Management Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Time Management. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
Make smarter, more purposeful choices about how you spend your day.