What is it like to have over 500 followers and be below the age of 12? The answer is OVERWHELMING!
I recently had a parent reach out to me because their child was hiding a TicTok account with over 600 followers, and they were needing some resources on how to reach an understanding with their child as to why it was not only unhealthy to hide an account, but also how toxifying some social media has become to our society as it sucks the real life out of all of us.
Scientists have discovered that when people use social media outlets, they compare themselves to others and when spending time on social media, the outcome is ironcally an increased feeling of loneliness. Here are some quick easy tips on how to begin to detox and declutter the mind for you and your loved ones.
1. Delete all social media apps. Make it a family challenge to have 24 hours without social media apps on the phone.
It is easier said than done, but 24 hours is a breath of fresh air and I can guarantee it is very easy to reinstall the apps back. After 24 hours, reflect on how it has felt to be away from others virtually. You might discover that being away transforms your mood, sleeping habits and ability to be 'present' in other's lives.
2. After the 24 hour detox, put a rubber band around the phone.
What? A rubber band? Yes, a rubber band is a way to put a barrier between the mindless habit of just picking up your phone. Having to physically take that barrier away creates a realization of choice in habit. What kind of habits do you really want?
The more you are on social media, the more you will compare yourself to others.
3. Remember that your attention and presence is a valuable resource for yourself and others.
Catherine Price, an author of How to Break up with Your Phone shares that we are all taught from a young age to be aware of how much cash we're spending, but we don't think twice about how much time we're spending on social media. "We need to get a lot better at being protective of our attention and be aware of the things that try to take it from us. It's like how we are careful when it comes to our money, but the stakes are higher because our time and attention are irreplaceable," says Price.