How To Pull Yourself Out Of A Social Media Blackhole At Work

How To Pull Yurself Out Of A Social Media Blackhole At Work Got five years to spare? Thats about how much time youll probably spend on social media in your lifetime.The scrolling and the clicking and the liking it adds up And its seemingly harder and harder to disconnect. Something that once started as a great way to keep in touch with faraway friends has morphed into a one-stop shop for information overload, with multiple hours worth of content on any subject your heart desires right at your fingertips, 24/7. Thats pretty powerful stuff.It makes sense that employers are growing mora and more concerned about how much time their employees spend on their smart phones throughout the workday. Like it or not, social media can be a bit of a time suck. Sure, it can be a really lovely, meaningful time suck at times, but often, its a lot of mindless wandering and exploring otherbei peoples highlight reels. I mean, raise your hand if youve ever gotten lost scrolling through InstagramThe next thing you know, youre fully up to speed on what your boyfriends cousins ex-boyfriends coworker did on her 2016 summer vacation. Yikes.And if that was, say, while you were at the office, theres a good chance that your time could have been better utilized by completing tasks on your to-do list, or interacting in in person with colleagues.Now thats not to say that using social media to take a mini breather during the middle of a stressful day is negative, because it can be a helpful release, and an easy way to turn the page in our brain for a moment. But for some of us, it can become a tempting distraction thats tough to ignore. especially when were staring into the face of another spreadsheet, or fighting anxiety from a client email.If you feel like youre losing yourself to social media during the workday, here are a few easy ways to impose some discipline and create new habits1. Delete your favorite social media apps from your phone.This is probably the easiest way to avoid social me dia during the workday, like ripping off a bandaid. It forces you to go cold turkey unless, of course, you feel comfortable visiting the sites from your work computer. Word to the wise thats probably not the best option regardless of wasting time, especially if its a computer issued by your company.2. Create boundaries.Decide ahead of time for how long and when youll check your personal social media accounts. For example, maybe youll only check them on your lunch break plus once in the afternoon, during a five minute break to step outside.3. Put your phone away.Simple, right? Leave your phone in your bag, or place it in a drawer at your desk. Out of sight, out of mind. You could even go so far as to turn it off, unless you have other responsibilities that require it stay on (children, a job that necessitates receiving and making calls, etc.).4. platzset calendar reminders for work tasks.Use your work calendar to strategically remind you about priorities or projects you have to work on during the day. If you happen to be perusing social media when they pop up, youll be reminded of the millions of other things you have to do, boss lady.5. Use a timer.If all else fails and you feel like you must see whats going on over in social media land, use a timer (such as on your phone) to keep track of however long of a break you want to take, whether thats five minutes or 15. Once that buzzer goes off, though, its back to the grindstone.Trust us social media will still be there when your workday ends.--Joelle is a writer, editor, and registered yoga teacher living in southern California with a passion for celebrating the messiness of life through storytelling. She holds a MA in Journalism from New York University and loves a well-written sentence, brunch, and staying active. To read more of her writing, visit her websitewww.joellezarcone.com.