freedom.to Open in urlscan Pro
2606:4700:10::ac43:1ab7  Public Scan

Form analysis
2 forms found in the DOM

#

<form role="search" action="#" autocomplete="off" aria-label="Search form">
  <input aria-label="Search input" type="search" class="orig" tabindex="0" name="phrase" placeholder="Search here.." value="" autocomplete="off">
  <input aria-label="Search autocomplete input" type="text" class="autocomplete" tabindex="-1" name="phrase" value="" autocomplete="off" disabled="">
  <input type="submit" value="Start search" style="width:0; height: 0; visibility: hidden;">
</form>

Name: options —

<form name="options" aria-label="Search settings form" autocomplete="off">
  <input type="hidden" name="filters_changed" style="display:none;" value="0">
  <input type="hidden" name="filters_initial" style="display:none;" value="1">
  <div class="asl_option_inner hiddend">
    <input type="hidden" name="qtranslate_lang" id="qtranslate_lang1" value="0">
  </div>
  <fieldset class="asl_sett_scroll">
    <legend style="display: none;">Generic selectors</legend>
    <div class="asl_option" tabindex="0">
      <div class="asl_option_inner">
        <input type="checkbox" value="exact" aria-label="Exact matches only" name="asl_gen[]">
        <div class="asl_option_checkbox"></div>
      </div>
      <div class="asl_option_label"> Exact matches only </div>
    </div>
    <div class="asl_option" tabindex="0">
      <div class="asl_option_inner">
        <input type="checkbox" value="title" aria-label="Search in title" name="asl_gen[]" checked="checked">
        <div class="asl_option_checkbox"></div>
      </div>
      <div class="asl_option_label"> Search in title </div>
    </div>
    <div class="asl_option" tabindex="0">
      <div class="asl_option_inner">
        <input type="checkbox" value="content" aria-label="Search in content" name="asl_gen[]" checked="checked">
        <div class="asl_option_checkbox"></div>
      </div>
      <div class="asl_option_label"> Search in content </div>
    </div>
    <div class="asl_option_inner hiddend">
      <input type="checkbox" value="excerpt" aria-label="Search in excerpt" name="asl_gen[]" checked="checked">
      <div class="asl_option_checkbox"></div>
    </div>
  </fieldset>
  <fieldset class="asl_sett_scroll">
    <legend style="display: none;">Post Type Selectors</legend>
    <div class="asl_option_inner hiddend">
      <input type="checkbox" value="post" aria-label="Hidden option, ignore please" name="customset[]" checked="checked">
    </div>
    <div class="asl_option_inner hiddend">
      <input type="checkbox" value="page" aria-label="Hidden option, ignore please" name="customset[]" checked="checked">
    </div>
  </fieldset>
</form>

Text Content

Be more productive: Block distracting websites and apps on all your devices with
Freedom - try Freedom today

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content

Post Type Selectors


 * Why Freedom?
 * Download
 * Features
 * Log in

Sign Up


HOW TO DEVELOP HEALTHY SOCIAL MEDIA HABITS IN 2024

February 20, 2024 by Freedom

When you see a beautiful sunset, feel lonely, or eat at a great restaurant, do
you find yourself pulling out your phone to document your every emotion and
experience on social media? While your deadlines loom closer, do you notice that
you can spend hours scrolling as if you have all the time in the world?

Social media can have a pervasive influence on our lives. Its overbearing
presence over time can lead to deteriorated relationships, work performance, and
a lack of satisfaction with quality of life. So how can you develop healthy
online habits that allow you to engage in all the positives of social media
without falling into compulsive use? 




SETTING THE FOUNDATION FOR HEALTHIER HABITS



Setting a solid foundation for your online goals will help you better achieve
your desired internet habits. First, observe how you spend your time. A Gallup
study found that teens spend an average of 4.8 hours per day on social media
platforms. Does this look similar to your online habits?

 * Set specific time limits for daily social media use. Many phones have data
   metrics that demonstrate how much time you spend on particular apps, so
   create a customized goal based on your own usage statistics. For example, if
   you spend around 3 hours a day on social media, cut it down to two to begin,
   and then see if you can drop it farther. 
 * Americans check their phones 144 times a day. By disabling non-essential
   notifications, you’ll also remove an external pressure to compulsively hop
   into your online networks of choice any time someone makes a new comment or
   like. 
 * Find something to do instead. What can you do in real time to replace that
   hour of social media? Consider an activity that gives you quality time with
   yourself, like cooking, painting, exercising, journaling, or meditating. 




CURATE YOUR DIGITAL SPACE



Now when it comes to being online, assess your current connections across
platforms. Be mindful of the kind of content you’re consuming. What kinds of
platforms do you follow? What kind of digital space do you want to curate for
yourself? 

 * Unfollow accounts that negatively impact your mental health. Perhaps a
   particular fitness inspiration account makes you feel more ashamed than
   motivated. Maybe you find yourself judging the posts of a high school
   acquaintance. These digital interactions aren’t adding anything to your day.
 * Follow accounts that leave you feeling inspired. There’s no harm in following
   a cooking account whose recipes you often try to recreate, or your local
   community farm whose posts about volunteer opportunities and fresh produce
   sales get you out in your neighborhood. 
 * Consider what you want your life to look like, and follow accounts that are
   living the life you want to live… as a jewelry business owner, an organic
   homesteader, a fiction author. Sometimes seeing other people living your
   dream can help you feel your goals aren’t impossible to achieve. 




POSITIVE INTERACTION STRATEGIES



When you’re engaging with others online, are they generally constructive
interactions? Do you tend to lift others up or tear others down? When you create
posts, are they met with vitriol or productive conversations? 

 * Social media has become a place where others are sharing their most
   vulnerable moments, critical thoughts, and political stances. All of these
   instances also lead to arguments that fall into name-calling and personal
   attacks. If you find yourself in these situations, it’s time to stop
   unnecessary conflicts. Unfollow accounts that engage in blatant trolling and
   hate. 
 * Instead, encourage positive conversations. If you notice a point of conflict
   on your posts, take the time to calmly and kindly explain your viewpoint
   while listening to other perspectives. Release the idea that you have to
   change someone’s mind, because there’s a chance you won’t. But by engaging in
   positive conversation instead of delving into negative arguments, you’ll
   leave the comment sections feeling calm instead of frustrated.




TAKE A BREAK



Every once in a while, take scheduled breaks from social media. Would you be
able to keep your online usage down to a few minutes at a time? A study found
that college students experienced a positive change in mood, reduced anxiety and
improved sleep during and in the immediate aftermath of a social media
detoxification period. Do you think you could set aside a week each month to
take a total social media detox?

 * Set up notifications in your phone’s app settings that send you an alert when
   you’ve passed 10 or 15 minutes on a social media app. These can help you see
   exactly how much time has passed to encourage you to take a break. 
 * Try to take social media detoxes that last a few hours, a day, a week, or
   even a month. Define the goals of your detox. Do you want to stay off your
   phone for the first hour of the day to improve your focus? Do you want to
   quit social media altogether while you focus on starting your side-business?
   Your goals will help guide you for longer periods of time.
 * The key to making your breaks bearable is to find new things to fill your
   time. Read an interesting library book or call a friend on your work breaks.
   In longer periods of time, start (or finish!) a creative project, learn a new
   language, or take a pottery workshop. Take a weekend to totally disconnect by
   going camping or hiking, or renting a cabin to immerse yourself in nature.




BUILDING REAL-LIFE CONNECTIONS



One of the best things about social media is that it connects us to friends and
family across time and distance. Lowering your social media activity doesn’t
mean all these connections will suddenly be severed. In fact, by focusing on
enhancing all your relationships in life, you’ll be able to interact with social
media in positive ways.

 * Prioritize face-to-face interactions. If you feel short on time, remember not
   every get-together has to be dinner at a restaurant. Maybe you can run
   errands with your mom, walk your dog in the park with a friend, or try a new
   exercise class as an interesting date. Sometimes doing the “mundane” daily
   activities suddenly becomes more interesting when you’re in the company of
   someone you genuinely love.
 * Social media in itself can enhance your real-life connections. Many
   organizations post about upcoming events that are an opportunity for
   real-life meetups. Now you can learn about bar trivia nights, local farmer’s
   markets, and political rallies that get you involved with your community
   through a variety of ways. Once you find events, send them to your friends to
   make future plans.




STICK TO YOUR GOALS



Now you’ve made all these goals for your social media habits: no internet usage
after 9pm, a weekend immersed in nature once a month, finishing a book and
meditating in the morning, no social media during work hours. So how do you hold
yourself accountable to these goals? 

 * Download digital wellness apps. Apps like Freedom block distracting websites
   and applications for a period of time. Users are able to create customizable
   lists of sites and apps to block for a recurring period of time to better
   manage screen time and distractions. 
 * Customize the digital wellness apps to align with your desired schedule. With
   the Freedom app, creating a Morning Workout blocklist can prevent you from
   accessing your email, social media, everything except your fitness apps, for
   an hour. Your Workflow blocklist will knock off any news and entertainment
   site along with social media. 




STRATEGIZE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA HABITS



This year, you’re taking back control of your time and setting healthier social
media habits to take a break from digital information overstimulation. By
acknowledging social media can still add to your life through inspiring
accounts, positive interactions, and enhancing real-life relationships, you’ll
be able to redefine the ways you interact with these platforms.
As you begin to lower your engagement with social media, implementing new time
limits, disabling notifications, curating your feeds, and scheduling long and
short-term breaks, any combination of these strategies will help you have a
healthier relationship with social media. Downloading digital wellness apps like
Freedom will create the scheduled blocks that eliminate distractions so you can
focus on sticking with all your goals in 2024.

Written by Lorena Bally




ABOUT FREEDOM




TOPICS TO EXPLORE

 * Productivity


RELATED POSTS

5 PRODUCTIVITY METHODS TO IMPROVE YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

February 21, 2024

UNLOCKING YOUR CREATIVE GENIUS: THE POWER OF DISTRACTION-FREE MOMENTS  

February 19, 2024

HOW TO CREATE A SCHEDULE THAT WORKS FOR YOU

January 26, 2024


 * GET STARTED
   
   * Start a Free Trial
   * Freedom Premium
   * For Companies
   * For Schools


 * DO MORE
   
   * Get Perks
   * Partner with Us
   * Become an Affiliate
   * Learn


 * SUPPORT
   
   * Contact Us
   * Downloads
   * Knowledge Base
   * Troubleshooting
   * How to Block YouTube
   * How to Block TikTok
   * How to Block Twitter
   * How to Block Facebook
   * How to Block Instagram


 * COMPANY
   
   * About Us
   * Blog
   * Podcast
   * Careers
   * Press

© Freedom.to 2011–2024
Privacy Policy Terms of Service
 * Podcast
 * SoundCloud
 * Twitter
 * Instagram
 * Pinterest
 * YouTube
 * LinkedIn
 * Medium