NOTE: If you think you can use your time on social media more productively, feel like you're spending too much time on it and want to stop it while you learn how to use it better for your benefit, this post is for you!

"If you're not posting it on social media, why did you even do it?". Does this sound familiar? Maybe someone asked you, or you asked this to someone. We have made our virtual existence more prominent than our realities. Be it a vacation, a party, something you achieved, or whatever it might be, we are used to posting it on social media. All for one thing; validation from others. Until very recently, I felt this very strongly too. I overused social media, posted a lot of things, and scrolled on it mindlessly for hours. What started as a way of staying connected with people while apart has ended up being the only way we are connected to people today! It has turned into a toxic environment that has set bizarre standards for almost everything that has completely changed our perceptions. This has drastically increased during the lockdowns since people are drawn to momentary satisfaction rather than seeing the bigger picture.

How social media is distracting us.

If you spend one hour a day on social media, you have spent 15 days of the year on it. If you use it for two hours a day, you've spent a whole month in the year on it. Not to mention, this is on top of the three and a half months we spend sleeping in a year. So you effectively have used up almost half of the year on nothing. Sleep is an important aspect of healthy living that shouldn't be cut down. Our lives are essentially the time we spend on this planet. So it is very important how you use your time and I myself was not cautious about this until very recently. If what you're doing on social media is not adding up to what you want to do and who you want to be, is it really worth wasting away your life (time) doing something so mundane and unworthy? Start asking the right questions to direct your life on the right path.

Why being a social media content consumer is an utter waste of time.

After I quit social media platforms, I knew I had made the right decision because literally just two friends even observed and asked why I quit on Whatsapp, which is the only way I communicate with people now. This made me realise two things:

1. We think our social media presence is a reflection of who we are and what defines us. We have set ourselves certain standards and think we need validation and acceptance. The reality is, nobody even observed that I quit, or at least made an effort to ask. This goes out to show that everyone is looking at everyone else but nobody is watching (attentively) or even care about most of the things they see.
2. While there is no use in being a constant content consumer, we are just negatively impacted both mentally and physically by something that is delusional and nobody has the time to think about. We have created a delusional toxic environment for ourselves without our knowledge. I'm missing absolutely nothing from quitting social media. This made me rethink and question my views about social media and prompted me to write this article. I can now use the same time for something productive and proactive.

If you think you're using social media the wrong way too and need to learn about how you can leverage it to make your life better, continue reading the next section with tips about the same.

How to leverage social media for yourself in a productive manner.

Having talked about all the negative aspects of social media and how we have perceived it in the wrong sense, we can definitely rethink our strategies to slightly change our perceptions and leverage it for the best results and use our time (life) more effectively in the following ways:

• Stop seeking external validation: And learn to be fulfilled internally. Do things because you want to, not because you feel like you need to. Live a beautiful life and tell no one! It is possible and something that we all did until the rise of social media. This is the most important aspect that will solve more than half of the problem!
• Become a content producer: Instead of mindlessly scrolling and being a passive content consumer, or posting things that don't matter to anybody, start producing content (written, audio, or visual) that is of high quality and value to people. If you think people are watching and care about it a lot, trust me, nobody is! If your content is bad, no one will notice. If it is great, you have the potential to build something great out of it. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain.
• Connect with the right people only: No matter what social media platform, make sure to have a group of friends or network where you're actually okay with meeting them in real life. Keeping your circle appropriate matters a lot!
• Spend the same time effectively: Whatever time you save from not using social media, read a book, connect with a friend (really! not on social media), learn a new hobby, play board games, or go out for a run!
• Remember the original purpose of social media: It is absolutely essential to have an online presence these days but in the right way and for the right reasons. Remind yourself why these platforms were created and use them to better humanity. Social media is a reflection of its users just like a country is to its citizens. Use it the right way.

Social media has numerous benefits in terms of creating a personal brand and leaving a digital footprint in this world long after you're gone in the form of your content. Use this opportunity (which no other generation had) and leverage it to lead the best life for yourself. Do what you love, be what you want to be, focus on your purpose, and don't get distracted. If you found this article useful, share it with a friend to help them have a social media detox! Have a wonderful day!