Ever fall into a Facebook hole? Get some keen insight into the real reason why social media can be so enticing and addictive.
Why do we get “sucked in” to social media so easily?
I might go on Facebook to wish someone a happy birthday, and if I’m not careful, I’ll come to my senses thirty minutes later and wonder where the time went.
And…
I may not have even done the task I went there to do in the first place.
There is a totally valid reason based on our human need for pleasure. The truth about social media is that it sucks us in like this. It’s because we actually get a squirt of dopamine every time we see that someone liked one of our posts.
Dopamine is a feel good chemical.
Ever notice the impulse to check out social media (or check out on social media) when you’re feeling frustrated, tired or bored?
It’s simply because you are looking for a little dose of something that makes you feel better.
It’s important to understand the psychological dynamic around the social media addiction.
When you are aware of the why of the situation, you are better equipped to find a more constructive way of dealing with it.
If you are someone who spends more time than you would like on social media, the first step in a more constructive self-management strategy is to acknowledge what you are gaining from it.
Then you can start to identify other (perhaps healthier, and more productive) activities for getting your “fix.”
Another course of action may be to set a timer when you go on social media.
This allows you to get the feel-goods from it, but helps keep you from going down a rabbit hole, only to return having wasted much more time than you originally intended.
I, personally, put time on my schedule for social media.
I don’t set a timer, but I am aware of how much time I have allotted on my schedule.
This way, I am conscious of the time I am spending.
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