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Come to think of it. A microscopic virus has shut down schools and offices, stalled businesses and kept us all locked at homes for weeks. And, what are we doing in this seemingly unending stagnant phase of life besides working from home and
completing our all-too-necessary chores? Well, many of us are pursuing our hobbies, working out, motivating others to stay positive through social media, so on and so forth. But is the COVID-19 lockdown making us do something that we need to relook at? Probably yes. A recent Indian survey is sure to make us sit up and rethink.
Conducted by Hammerkopf Consumer Survey, it finds that amidst the lockdown, we are spending more than four hours every day on social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp. Before the lockdown, the figure hovered around 2 and a half hours. The survey also found that people are mostly watching news and communicating with friends and family.
It is understandable that social solidarity becomes more important when physical distancing becomes a compulsion and platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp help us maintain social intimacy at a safe distance. But the big question is how much of it is healthy? Is it necessary to draw a line somewhere?
The emergence of these platforms happened at a time when we were feeling increasingly lonely, thanks to our hectic schedules, estrangement from friends and family due to distant job locations, etc. Their relevance has probably multiplied in these testing times of self-isolation, triggered by COVID-19. But surprisingly, recent research says that social media platforms have made us lonelier. The findings of a study published in the
American Journal of Health Promotion suggest two startling facts: Negative social media experiences can deepen your sense of loneliness while the positive experiences are unable to make you experience do not give you the feeling of being connected. Apart from this, social media addiction has been linked with other challenges like depression, jealousy, Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) and even eating disorders.
A research published in Current Opinion in Psychology suggests that envying your FB friends can lead to depression. Well, let's admit it. We do get jealous of them at times because we end up comparing our lives with theirs. As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side. "This comparison hits our self-esteem, which, in turn, makes us lonely and unhappy," says Dr. Barmi, Delhi-based senior child and clinical psychologist.
In the enthusiasm of creating a picture-perfect social media profile, we alienate ourselves from our own reality while making others feel low with the dazzle of our altered reality.
Not yet convinced about the necessity of a digital detox. Well, studies say, that COVID-19 germs linger on mobile phones for long.
Digital detox doesn't mean strict abstinence, it means moderation. You won't find it difficult to go off social media for a while. In fact, you'll feel good. Try our suggestions.
Avoid carrying your phone everywhere. People nowadays are so obsessed with having a phone in their hands that they have started taking it to the washrooms with them. If you do it too, then this is the best time to stop doing it. Also, fix a timeslot for every day when you and your phone will be in two different rooms.
Ironical as it may sound, technology will only help you stop misusing it. Currently, there are several apps which will help you keep a track of the time you spend on some apps including the social media ones. Set a time limit for yourself and detach from these platforms at the end of the set time.
Sometimes even when your phone is away, the beep of a message or notification can tempt you to pick it up again. All these can distract us from our present moment or a task at hand. These distractions alienate us from ourselves and the real world. Therefore, try turning off all the social media notifications so that you don't feel triggered to check your Insta or FB.
Sounds impossible? Not really. Designate one day a week when you won't touch your phone. It's easier to do it now, as you are home. Choose your off day for switching off your mobile. It won't affect your official communication during this work-from-
home phase. When you are free from mobile phone distractions, you'll have the time and mindspace to do someting you love to.
With inputs from Sanyukta Baijal