3 Productive Ways To Limit Your Social Media

I previously wrote a post about why you should limit your social media time, which then begs the question, HOW?

For me, social media is a way of life. It is how I catch up with friends, meet and connect with new people and provide  help to others.
But the time spent on social media can take on a life of its own and take over your life. So what are some options to set limits? [featured-image single-newwindow=”false”]

1. Decide what the purpose of social media is for you. What are your reasons for being on social media and be specific. Figure out the purpose for each social media outlet individually. For me, Facebook is an avenue to stay in touch with my family and friends; to see what is going on in their lives and to let them know what is happening in mine. Twitter on the other hand is a venue for me to help others and gain professional development through chats and blog posts. These two social media outlets have distinct purposes for me. What’s there purpose for you?

2. Work in batches. By setting aside specific times each day to check and interact on your social media outlets you will become more focused. Batching your social media time to 2, 3, 4 or however many times a day work for you, can free your mind to get other things complete without feeling left behind on social media. By batching your time it will give peace of mind because you know you will have time to check at some point in the day.

I will typically check Facebook and Twitter in the morning, before lunch, in the afternoon, and then again late in the evening. Now that is not to say if I am in a waiting room or in line somewhere that I am not going to check. To me this could be a perfect time to interact as well.

Figure out what works best for you. Nothing is set in stone. [Tweet This]

3. Turn off notifications on your devices. This will create less distractions throughout the day. You will not be interrupted every time someone likes your status update on Facebook or follows you on Twitter. Notifications can be a real time waster.

I asked “How do you limit your social media time?” to my friends on Facebook and Twitter and received some good, funny and practical responses including:

• It helps to live in a third-world country with limited internet access.
• On Facebook limit your newsfeed to friends who matter most to you. For Twitter, create lists to help you interact with specific groups of people.
• Uninstall social media from your phone so you are not tempted to check it as often.
• If you need help with getting a break from social media or the internet there is an app for that! Here is an article about two of those apps that limit internet access.

Share your thoughts. Has social media infringed on your life? How do you intentionally limit your time on social media? What is your best practice to share with others?