Ep 22: 15 Practical Ways to Balance Social Media - Sandy Cooper-The Scoop on Balance

Nothing will mess with our balance quite like distraction. And few things distract moms in 2019 more consistently than social media. In Episode 21 I mentioned 10 problems that come as a direct result of using social media, and today I’m offering you 15 of my best tips for managing and reducing your screen time so you do not become a slave to it and instead live a more focused and less frazzled life.

Before you do anything, take a minute and figure out what you are trying to accomplish.

Ask yourself the following questions:

What role do I want social media to play in my life?

Do I want to get off completely?

Do I want to reduce the time I spend there?

Do I want to still interact there, and just have it be a more positive experience?

What kind of relationship do I want to have with my phone?

What kind of person do I want to be?

Tips and Strategies Discussed in this Episode:

Take an extended hiatus from all social media (Discussed at length in EP 21)
Do not look at your phone the first thing in the morning.
Turn off most or all your notifications.
Set specific times each day to check everything and set a timer.
Edit your social media feeds.
Decide what role YOU will play on social media.
Ban, hide, delete rude and negative comments.
Strip your phone down the bare essentials.
Maybe you don’t want to strip your phone down all the time, but only sometimes.
Use your smart phone’s built-in features to block or limit your time.
Put your phone in a time out.
If you work from home or are tempted to check work emails at home after hours, set specific “office hours” where you engage on your phone and not at any other time.
Make everything on your phone inconvenient.
Don’t read your news from your news feed on your phone.
Wear a watch.