Ways to stay grounded while using social media

So I don't know about you, but I have a really hard time staying grounded and present when I'm using social media (actually, it's Instagram for me).

Even though I practice mindfulness, body awareness and have lots of ways to stay focused and grounded - I am under no illusion that I have it nailed when it comes to social media. I am human, and social media is designed to keep humans addicted and mindless. So, I really have to watch myself and be intentional when I'm using it. Instagram is part of my work, and there are lots of benefits for me, AND if I'm not mindful, it can leave me feeling stressed, depleted and with a compulsion to keep checking it! - 'Ooh I'll just have another check to see if anyone has commented or messaged me...'.

So if you get trapped in the cycle of compulsive checking and doom scrolling, here are some ways to help you stay focused, grounded and regulated....

Intention

As you reach for your phone, pause and ask yourself 'Why am I checking in?, 'What am I looking for?' 'How do I want to feel?'

This interrupts the automatic, mindless phone grab, and gives you chance to be more intentional about what you are going to do on there.

Breathe and look up

Catch yourself mid scroll, look up from your phone and take 1 deep breath.

Look around - what can you see, hear, and touch. Coming back into the immediate environment reminds us that we are here and not in the lives of others. It also helps regulate our nervous system - which often gets activated on social media. When I do this I often notice I'm holding my breath or have hunched shoulders - check in with your body!

50/50

When you are using your phone, see if you can keep 50% of your attention in your body and surroundings. Practicing the point above will help with this. Keep pausing and checking 'Can I feel my feet on the ground?'

Timer

Set yourself a timer - how long do you plan to stay on there? When your time's up, check in again - 'Am I enjoying this? Do I want to continue?'

Parent yourself

This might seem patronising - but treat yourself like you would a kid that you care about. If they were compulsively checking their phone, feeling stressed and getting distracted, how would you want to help them? As a healthy adult, what would you do for them?

We may think that social media and phone use is a 'young people's' problem, but honestly we are all susceptible to this addiction. That is what it's designed to do. It plays into our unconscious, emotional, irrational parts, so it doesn't mater how old, wise or intelligent we think we are - we all need boundaries!

These practices can be applied to lots of situations..

Food

Watching TV

Alcohol

Conversations with others

It's what I call 'somatic self-care practices' (mixed in with some practical strategies). Ultimately, it's about being able to stay connected with ourselves and our surroundings so that we can make choices that are good for us and that protect us (and to also to check if we are actually enjoying what we are doing!).