Advances in technology have exploded over the last decade, leading to more people having easier access to tech. Technology has done wonderful things for people by allowing faster and more reliable communication across various platforms.
People have jumped at the chance to stay connected to their loved ones and meet new people with ease. But, is it worth it? Read up on some of the ways that social media is impacting your life that you may not have noticed.
- Social Media Changes How You Entertain Yourself
When you were little, you probably ran to your toys when you got some free time. Older generations like to say how they were always outside before technology took over. They’re acknowledging a big change social media has caused.
Now, when you have a few free minutes, you scroll through your various feeds to see what others are posting and what’s going on in the world. It’s become so instinctual, you probably don’t even realize you’re doing it sometimes.
This isn’t all bad since you can keep up with current events, but you should also attempt to be more well-rounded in your habits. When you find yourself on social media too often, try picking up a new hobby, so that you can stretch your mind.
- Social Media Makes You Communicate Differently
Communication has always been quick to change with the times. People wrote letters, made phone calls, sent IMs and now they’re sending video messages. Social media provides multiple platforms you can use to keep up conversations besides texting or calling.
To celebrate a recent promotion, you might post on your Facebook or send out a tweet instead of calling someone. Be careful that miscommunication doesn’t occur when the main way you talk with people is through the public written word.
- Social Media Makes Your Work Life More Complicated
When you’re at work, the goal is to be off of social media while you’re clocked in, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes you’ll have a slow day or if you have a job in recruitment, you might use social media as a hiring tool. Keep in mind that sometimes, being on social media can cause your work life to erupt.
Think about the healthcare field. If you try to send a quick picture to a friend on Snapchat or want to post a rant on Facebook about your day, you could put your employment in jeopardy. Social media has complicated employment and HIPAA laws because private information can easily be publicized by accident.
- Social Media Can Make You Lose Sleep
At the end of the night, the last thing you probably do is look at your phone. You go through your favorite apps for a relaxing round of time-wasting as you grow more tired.
You might want to think about reading a book instead. Studies have shown that social media before bed prevents you from forming a healthy sleep schedule because of the bright light on your eyes right before you sleep. Consider picking up a book or counting sheep to lull you to sleep next time you climb in bed.
- It Negatively Affects Your Body Image
If you surround yourself with something on a daily basis, it becomes part of your life and of who you are. Even if you’re not the kind of person to post on social media all the time, it can become a toxic mirror, even if you’re only liking your friends’ posts. You can begin to view your body negatively if you’re seeing photoshopped pictures on social media all day long, which could potentially lead to unhealthy eating habits.
- Being Connected Heightens Anxiety
In general, there are always reasons for your anxiety to increase when you’re on social media regularly. Comparing your life to the life of someone who has something you want can make you feel despair. You’ve probably heard of FOMO — fear of missing out. It’s that feeling you get when your friends are posting amazing vacation pictures while all you’ve done in the last few years is work your tail end off.
All of this may make your anxiety rise. Be aware of the feelings running through your heart and mind while you scroll so you can better recognize when it’s a good time to put the phone down.
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Almost everyone uses social media now because everything that you can do is tied to it. While social media has brought about many societal advancements that have helped people, it’s important to realize when it isn’t helping you as much as you thought.
Pay attention to how social media is making you feel when you use it. Learn to recognize when your anxiety is spiking or when that social media time might be cutting into your sleep. And don’t let social media control something as big as the course of your career. If you know the ways that social media is impacting your life, you can better control it and reduce its influence in your life.
Featured image via Pexels
