How many times a day do you check your email, numerous messengers, and social networks? Do you feel connected and actively participating in people’s lives with these activities? You’ll be shocked to find out that, in fact, constant online presence deprives you of a meaningful, rewarding social life and only creates an illusion thereof.
Just fancy: an average user spends more than 6 hours online daily. That’s the lion’s share of your free time during the day. So, if you deduce the time for daily routines like taking a shower and eating meals, you have only a couple of hours left for productive work, self-development, or communication with people you love.
Heavy use of apps, websites, communication channels, and social networks is the vice of modernity. People get captivated by the everyday whirlpool of events they think they need to track, react to, and discuss with hundreds of virtual friends. In reality, this online hassle turns into the greatest drain of time, focus, productivity, and attention you could only imagine. These actions give little value and distract you from things that matter every day. As a result, people live senseless virtual lives instead of having a cup of coffee with a friend in a local café or going on a hike during the weekend.
A way out of this vicious circle is to become more aware and intentional about the amount of time you spend online. Be careful in selecting apps and networks for your digital portion of pastime, analyzing them objectively in terms of tangible value and potential for digital addiction. Refuse time-draining apps and uninstall social media from your devices to avoid clutter. Set specific hours for using social media and messengers, so they don’t absorb you for half of the day. Try to reserve online tools for work, while relaxation, communication, and entertainment should be done offline. Find other tips and tricks for becoming a more responsible digital user in our infographic about digital minimalism.
