How to Break Free From Social Media at Work

Social media is fun. It’s a great way to stay connected with family and friends. But like most things, too much time on social media is not a good thing. In fact, many people are addicted to their smartphones and their social media feeds. According to Computerworld, social networks are highly addictive and most people don’t have any idea how much time they are spending on social media.

There’s a good reason why social media is so attractive. The major social network companies are working hard every day to make their networks so addictive that you can’t resist them. At work, that can become a problem. That’s why you need some strategies to help you break free from social media during the workday.

Track Your Time

How much time do you usually spend on social media in a day? Monitor and mark down every time you login to Facebook. Do it for a week. Then look back over your week in social media. How much time did you spend using social media at home and at work. If it’s a lot, or a lot more than you thought, make a plan to cut back.

Schedule Your Social Media Breaks

At work, you probably shouldn’t be on social media, unless you have a specific reason. Why not treat it as something special, like your mid-morning coffee break. Check your social media before you clock into work; then check it again at break time. The truth is not much is going to happen on social media in the few hours in between. You can see what you missed at lunch time.

Log Off for a Weekend

If you are really hooked on social media and want to get off, or at least cut back, try going cold turkey on the weekend. Or try not using it all for just one day, like Sunday. See what it feels like, and what triggers you to log back on. If you don’t make it all the way through your plan, don’t worry. You will learn more about your problem and be closer to a solution.

Have a Reason to Log On

Most of us go on social media because we’re bored. That’s not a good enough reason, especially at work. So, before you log on, think about what you want to see or find out. If you don’t have a good enough reason, think twice about logging on. You can always go for a walk or talk to your co-workers if you are bored.

Disable Your Addiction

Social media has a lot of tricks to keep you interested. One thing you can do is disable all alerts and delete addicting apps. At work, you can also block the internet temporarily using software like Freedom ($10, freedomapp.us) or Self Control (free, selfcontrolapp.com).

If you are looking for a job in light manufacturing or the auto industry, talk to the experts at HCR Personnel Solutions. We don’t just make promises. We deliver results.