How to Stop Overusing Social Media at Work

You're likely spending more time on social media than you know, whether it's looking at memes on Instagram or Facebook messaging a colleague about a funny thing your dog just did.

Whether you find social media to be uplifting or depressing, it is the major means by which many individuals communicate with their loved ones, colleagues, and acquaintances.

Many people can't even sit through a play without pulling up their phones to text or post about it. As a result, you likely use social media at work on occasion. Is this, however, a good thing or a negative thing?
 

Social media at work

Two hours of social media use may not appear excessive, especially when compared to an eight-hour workday. Imagine those social media breaks that take up five or ten minutes each, spread out over several hours — that's a break every 20 to 40 minutes.

Given that regaining your workflow can take up to 25 minutes if you're taking a 5-minute social media break every 20 minutes, you might be working without any flow at all.

If you're continually getting sidetracked — and breaking your flow — you're probably spending too much time on social media at work. However, one can sometimes utilise social media to support rather than distract from one's job efforts.

A 2016 Pew Poll provides an intriguing breakdown of why many people use social media at work and what they spend the majority of their social media time doing. Many people use social media as a "mental break" from their professional problems, while others use it to network. It doesn't matter whether their company has a policy against using social media on the job; more than 77% of employees say they use it regardless.

The following are the most common reasons why people use social media during work hours:

• While at work, 27% use social media to interact with friends and family,

• 24% use social media to make professional connections (for example, LinkedIn)

• 20% of potential problem-solving strategies are crowdsourced.

• 17% have a better understanding of a coworker or enhance ties with colleagues.

Even if you use social media to help address work problems, most of those interviewed in the Pew Poll believe it can be a distraction. Approximately 56% of individuals who say they use social media during the workplace agree that it distracts them from the task they need to complete.

Even if you start by DMing a question to a coworker or trying to network on LinkedIn, doom-scrolling can rapidly become mindless. So, how do you maintain track of your social media usage and continue to benefit from it without allowing it to drain your energy?

56% of individuals who say they use social media during the workplace agree that it distracts them from the task they need to complete.

How to stop yourself from spending too much time on social media at work

Don't panic if you've gotten yourself into a social media rut; if it's affecting your business, there are some simple solutions. First and foremost, if you're concerned about how frequently you check your phone, you have the choice to track your activities. Smartphones can usually track your social media usage, and you may use that information to determine if you're over your daily limit.

If you're finding that your social media usage is increasing and you'd like to explore other choices for de-stressing, here are some other ways to take a mental vacation without losing focus during your workday.

 

1. Go for a walk!

It's been said before, and it'll be said again: exercise is the finest method to cleanse your mind. Doing something active can improve your focus and blood flow to your brain, heart, and limbs. Some experts even claim that a pleasant long stroll can be neurochemically "similar to an antidepressant" for some people.

To gain the benefits of physical activity, take a walk to the break room, around your floor, to the local coffee shop, or just around the block if you work from home. Your neurotransmitters will be firing at optimal levels, your blood will be circulating, and you will be ready to work again when you return.

 

2. Improved communication

People frequently report using social media to discuss work-related concerns, get to know coworkers, and gain feedback on jobs. However, if your organisation has effective workflow tools, you won't need to rely on social media for communication.

When collaborative, streamlined project management resources like Hive Notes are accessible, problem-solving may stay off of your social network and in your business network. And the more easily you can communicate about forthcoming action items or deadlines, the easier it will be to get to know your coworkers in a genuine and meaningful way.

 

3. Having a one-on-one conversation with someone

While you may believe that social media keeps you linked to your pals, this is not the case; in fact, the contrary is true. Rather than learning about what individuals in your life are really up to, social media tells you about the filtered versions of their lives that they're willing to disclose, rather than their more emotional or personal issues.

Take the 15 minutes you'd be spending on social media and call a friend instead of keeping up with your contacts in a hollow way. You'll feel refreshed after your break, whether you're both ranting about your workdays or discussing the newest Great British Bake-Off episode.

 

4. Quiet time for meditation

Some people have physical constraints that prohibit them from getting out and about, while others may have a social bandwidth that is totally consumed by the numerous Zoom calls or emails they must respond to throughout the day.

Try a basic, stress-free pastime if you need some quiet time to replenish your social batteries. Knitting or painting, for example, are repetitive, meditative actions that can take your attention away from your worries and give you time to digest your day. Even if it's just a 5-minute break knitting in silence, your brain will appreciate the break from the computer.

 

Source: Hive