Like we have a dry January, why not have a Dry Social Media month? Let’s all consider a new New Year’s goal of putting our phones away and focusing on ourselves. It does seem like an insurmountable task. I’m not sure I could do it but I definitely will try! We spend far too much time mindlessly scrolling on social media. Social media is a major distraction and impacting the health and mental well-being of children and adults alike.
During my interactions with clients, I listen for social media influence and how much time my clients spend on social media. When clients come to me, thoroughly confused about what to eat, how to exercise, or ask questions like, “should I stop eating at 6 pm?” Or “I heard you shouldn’t drink water during meals…” Or “I heard that you shouldn’t eat certain foods together, is this true?” All these statements suggest that my clients may be spending too much time on social media. So, I probe further…
The conversation goes something like: So, how many hours do you think you spend on social media? I get responses like, “Hmmm, I’m not sure” or “I’m not a fan of scrolling; I may spend 30 minutes at the end of the day”. For those that have no idea, I consider that they may be spending more time on their phone than they think. So which camp do you fall into? I bet you don’t really know. Indulge me for a moment. Pick a day – one typical day during the week then another day on the weekend. Document each time you pick up your phone to scroll. Document the start and end time and keep track for 24 hours. I think you’ll be surprised as to how many hours you spend scrolling mindlessly. Truth is, unless we track it, we really have no idea how much time we spend scrolling.
Next, think about what you could have done with that time. You could have:
- Gone to the gym or for a walk
- Called a family member or friend
- Volunteered at your church or local shelter
- Decluttered a closet or drawer
- Read a book or a magazine
- Learned a new language you’ve been dreaming about
- Honed a craft or started a new hobby
- Played a musical instrument
You get my drift. I’ll be the first to admit, that I spent several hours on my phone each day right after I retired from the corporate world, primarily playing games. Looking back, I was distracting myself and using it to decompress. Once I put my phone away, I used that time to reflect and eventually found my purpose in life. Mark Twain said, “the two most important days in your life are the day you were born and the day you find your purpose”. I can confidently say that I have finally found my true calling and am loving what I’m doing!
As much as I don’t want to, I need to check social media periodically for the growth of my business. I follow other Registered Dietitians to hone my craft and get business ideas. I also follow “Nutritionists” – I want to hear what messages they are communicating. It helps to keep my finger on the pulse.
I hope this message inspires you to track how much time you’re mindlessly scrolling on social media. May you have a healthy start in 2025, and a future filled with self-love, compassion and good health.
P.S. I always have goals in many areas of my life (spiritual, family, health, career and volunteerism). For 2025, I’ve decided to add a new area called Creating Social Platforms. Follow me to learn more about this and how I’ll bring it to life.
To your health!
Maria Karalis, RDN