3 Effective Ways to Set Social Media Boundaries WITHOUT Unplugging

Social media can be a bit of a double-edged sword.

For those whose work involves social media (and that’s most of us!), you know the drill. Sometimes you just wanna unplug and put the phone away for a day, but you don’t always have this luxury. On the flip side, you might get distracted by your personal social accounts and get stuck in the endless scroll.

There are some things you can do so that social media time does not take up ALL your time. Setting boundaries with yourself can be difficult, so accountability plays a big role here.

Schedule your posts ahead of time

By using an app like “Later”, you have the ability to schedule posts ahead of time. You’ll still need to get online to respond to comments and post stories, but this certainly makes a dent. Can you imagine if all your posts were pre-planned, written, and scheduled to go out right when you need them to? Amazing, right?

Set barriers to entry

If you struggle with the line between work and personal life getting blurred, you just have to get a little clever. By making the app just a little more difficult to access, you can help avoid the scroll and still get your work done.

• Try only accessing your social media from a certain device. If you’re lucky enough to have multiple devices available, make one device designated for social. You could use your computer for social media and keep the apps off of your phone or have use a “work” phone that has the apps you need on it.
• Make use of the timer limit function on the iPhone. Figure out how much time you really need each day to get your work done and set the timer limit for that app. Keep yourself accountable and don’t hit that “ignore” button!
• Social platforms are designed to be eye-catching and addictive. If you need a heavy duty preventative, turn your phone on Black & White mode when it’s not social time. Trust me, it’s a lot less appealing to scroll Instagram when all you see is gray square after gray square.

Schedule your social time

Start putting your social media time on your calendar. Treat it as an appointment, just like anything else in life. If you’re already into calendar blocking, this should be a breeze for you. Try to avoid picking up your phone whenever you have a free moment, and instead set aside dedicated blocks of time to respond to comments, post stories, and engage with your audience.