Can I be Happy on Social Media?

Ever wonder how you can be happy on social media? We all know how draining social media can be. In order to protect your mental health, I have some great tips to make your social media feed more positive!

Social media is a blessing and a curse. It can have great information and entertainment, but it can also be filled with negativity that we do not need. It is important to take care of our mental health, even online. If social media is affecting your mental health in a negative way, please take a break. If you have a social media addiction like most of us, there are a few ways to make social media more positive.

Set your phone to have timers.

Trust me when I say, I have learned to love my timers. Both Apple and Androids have these options and I will have directions on how to do it below. I recommend slowly cutting to whatever your goal is. If you currently are on Twitter for 2 hours a day, cut back to an hour. Cutting social media time in half can help you achieve whatever it is you need to do. If for some reason you NEED to be on social media longer, you can add 10 minutes at the end of the day.

iPhone directions here

Andriod directions here

2. Change what you see

Remember how I told you to cut the time? Now you only have time for positive. Unfollow drama-filled blogs, people, and other things that bring you down. I know there were certain pages I had to unfollow because in a world with tons of bad news always hitting you, I didn’t need it on my Instagram. I started following Podcasts, Youtubers, Bible Quotes, Affirmations, and other positive content. So not only do I see my gorgeous friends but I see positivity all around me. If I want to be nosy now I have to search for a page to scroll down it and not just have it come on my timeline.

This also applies to following pages that make you feel bad about yourself in some way. Please remember that a lot of bodies (not everyone) on social media have been enhanced in some way, whether through photoshop or surgery. Also, if you are under 30, your body is most likely still developing. You once looked like a baby, a toddler, a child, etc, so as a teenager you still have time to develop your adult body. Make sure if you are following pages you are conscious of this. If you still don’t feel better a simple unfollow can help greatly!

3. Limit when you check social media

Checking social media right when you wake up, and before you go to bed isn’t the best idea. If you really feel like social media can affect your mood, don’t start or end your day that way. When you check social media right when you wake up, you don’t get the chance to make your own decision about how you feel that day. If you instantly see what others are feeling or thinking, it can affect you. The same principle applies before you go to bed. Try to center social media in your day checking it late morning-evening.

Something I started doing is instead of running straight to social media, I will check my emails or open a game on my phone. I still get the feeling of using my phone but I am in more control of what I see.

4. Delete apps

If you have a laptop, desktop, or tablet you can use, you might want to just get rid of apps altogether on your phone. I haven’t gotten there yet, but I have had times I’ve had to delete the Twitter app off my phone for my mental health. Just like you’d change the channel on your TV, delete those apps!!

5. Delete accounts

Even more extreme than the former, you can delete social media accounts. Just Google how to (because I have found these companies love to change those settings). Anything that you do not use is not necessary and can be deleted. I promise with the way social media works you will not miss anything.