I wake up to another morning in quarantine and my phone screen lights up my face. My phone is usually the first thing I see just when I wake up and the last thing I check before going to sleep. My social media feed seems different from the usual snaps of socializing and travelling. Everywhere I look, people have started discovering hidden talents and succumbed to new ventures like hairdressing and cooking. I guess that’s how all of us are adjusting to the new normal.
Due to this pandemic, all of us had to, very quickly, become accustomed to Social Distancing, but there has definitely not been any Social Media Distancing. I’m sure that just like me, others spend their time and energy on different social media applications, jumping from one notification to the other. After all, it’s the only way we are able to stay connected to the ones who are in places far away from us.
But has social media only helped us, or has it interfered in our lives to the extent that our routine is determined by it? Needless to say, it’s natural for the time we spend on social media to increase in this pandemic. But in my opinion, we’re crossing the boundary of usage from what's necessary, to compulsive.
To worsen the situation, various online handles have become a platform for misinformation i.e. inaccurate news and content. Since social media provides us a way of expressing our opinion about anything and everything freely, a lot of influencers and even regular users are guilty of sharing incorrect news. This can have grave repercussions, as being wrongly informed, more often than not, is even worse than not being informed.
A solution for this challenging problem is a technique developed by the Mental Health Association of the United States called the TGK technique.
‘T’ stands for turn off. The ‘G’ is to go beyond the headline. Really look beyond the attention-getting headline on a Facebook post, Tweet or Instagram. And ‘K’ means know what your source is. Make sure that it is a reputable source and someone you can trust.
Another negative side to social media would be the unhealthy habits that we tend to indulge in regularly which usually includes the constant comparison of our lives with others as well as the difference in our productivity. For many, aimless browsing seems harmless and completely natural but excessive use can also make people feel lonely.
Even if we cannot control what is happening around us virtually and offline, we can always control our behavior and the content we have access to. Here are some healthy habits which we can practise to learn and grow better and at the same time not be overwhelmed by the present crisis.
Learning more about everything you’re interested in on social media.
Using it as a medium to discover people with similar skills, interests and passion.
Following people who inspire & motivate you.
Staying close to the ones who make you happy.
Sharing memories of moments close to your heart.
Setting Daily Reminders and taking breaks
I believe that in this turbulent situation, it is necessary that we as a society consume legitimate content. We need to be aware of what’s going around us but not at the cost of our own health. We need to distance ourselves from Social Media to be closer to ourselves. It’s necessary to stay in touch with your friends and family but don’t let social media skew the relationship you have with the internet. Don’t become a slave to your screens, know when to pause.
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