The average person spends more than two hours on social media every day.
That adds up to more than 30 full days on social media each year and is equivalent to more than 10% of your awake time!
In comparison, I spend less than one hour on social media each week. That means I have over 600 “extra” hours throughout the year (versus the average person) to invest in higher-value activities like sleep, exercise, personal and professional development, meaningful hobbies, and quality time with my favorite people.
Even if you don’t spend as much time on social media as the average person, you would probably benefit from reducing your time on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, and other platforms.
Here are three steps to cut back on your social media time:
Step #1: Remove all social media apps from your phone.
One of the leaders that I interviewed for my book Work Stronger told me he used to have several social media apps on his phone. It was tempting and easy for him to look at them whenever he had a spare minute.
So, he deleted the apps from his phone and decided he would only use them from his laptop. As a result of this simple change, he now spends significantly less time on social media.
If it seems too strict to delete all social media apps from your phone, remember that you can still visit these websites from a computer. It’s not like you must abandon social media altogether.
Step #2: Establish a Personal Policy for social media.
If you can use social media wherever and whenever you want, you will waste a lot of time on these sites. Why not establish some boundaries on how and when you will use social media?
A Personal Policy is my term for a voluntary, self-imposed guideline that reinforces your long-term interests. These guidelines provide clear directions about what you do and do not do. As a result, you don’t have to waste time or energy deciding if, when, how much, or how often you can do something.
Establishing boundaries for social media will prevent you from mindlessly using these sites whenever you get bored or have a free minute.
You could implement a Personal Policy that you will only use social media at certain times or locations.
Step #3: Unfollow most of your social media connections.
When your social media feeds are full of hundreds or even thousands of updates each day, you will waste more time reviewing them. Rather than try to resist the temptation to scroll through your feeds all day, why not remove or reduce the temptation by being extremely selective with who you follow?
Most social media posts add no value or worse.
Cut back on your social media time, and your life and career will improve dramatically.
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About the Author
Pete Leibman is a speaker and author who helps consultants, lawyers, and advisors build the energy, focus, and resilience to sustain high performance. He delivers keynotes, workshops, and webinars for leading consulting firms, law firms, and financial services firms. Pete is the author of three books and more than 300 articles on high performance. His latest book is Stronger Advisor: High-Performance Habits for Consultants, Lawyers, and Advisors.
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