Are you sad, tired, or just decided to take a short break? What is the easiest and fastest way to boost your dopamine level, distract yourself from your problems, and eliminate fatigue (false belief)? Of course, you thought, “pick up your phone, open Instagram or Tick Tock or Snapchat,” right? We totally get it. Nowadays, it’s a huge problem, and many people don’t even realize what uncontrolled access to social networks can lead to. Of course, it’s a valuable resource for socializing, for free and useful information. However, if you do not know the measure, you will experience burnout, decreased concentration, apathy, low productivity, and poor health. Thus, you sit on the couch and think, “who could do my homework for me?” because you have neither the desire nor the energy to do anything.
In this article, we will try to help you see the first signals and, if burnout has already happened, understand how to cope with it.
What Are the Signs of Burnout?
Burnout is when you spend hours using social media and end up feeling tired, anxious, and lacking in motivation and desire. It’s prevalent among students because their whole life is on social media. It’s a way to distract yourself and feel like you’re part of society. You’re obsessed with likes, views, and comments, which can make you feel even worse. You want to share what’s going on in your life and follow others’ life. You can be afraid of missing out on something interesting. It’s called FOMO, and it leads to:
- A feeling of emptiness;
- Anxiety or stress that won’t go away;
- Lowered quality of life.
So, for example, if you feel tired all the time, find it hard to concentrate even on the usual things, don’t want to do anything, and feel anxious if you don’t pick up the phone, you are most likely experiencing burnout. Moreover, as a result, your schedule and studies suffer, stress builds up, and there seems to be no way out. The main thing here is your awareness. You have to realize that this is it—this is the end. Either you stop and analyze the situation, try to understand what you need to change, or live in apathy and become on the path to depression.
Setting Boundaries
It’s important to set boundaries and stick to them. You should not give up social networks entirely because even if you manage to keep it up for a few days, it still threatens to cause a breakdown. It’s like giving up sugar. Allow yourself to use social networks 20 minutes in the morning and 20 minutes in the evening. On Instagram, you can even turn on the time limit function; the app will remind you that it’s time to close it. Even if you ignore the reminder three times, on the 4th or 5th time, you will definitely turn off Instagram.
The “No Phones” Rule While Studying
You can try to give up using your phone while studying. For example, leave your phone in another room if you are preparing for an exam. Apps to block social media at certain times can help:
It’s essential to find your balance and ensure that social networks are not a source of constant distractions but a means for socializing and relaxation.
Apps to Increase Productivity
If you have difficulty with self-discipline but are determined to start managing your time properly, download apps for effective time management. The top 3 apps we would recommend to you are the following:
- Forest – you can grow a tree if you don’t use your phone for a while, but if you go back to social media, the tree will start to dry up. Obviously, it’s not a real tree, but the visual incentive to grow a tree still works.
- StayFocusd – an extension in your browser that blocks you from visiting certain sites for a certain amount of time.
- Freedom – allows you to block both sites and apps. Its key feature is “Locked Mode,” which prevents you from canceling the lock before a set time.
Prioritize Your Studies
Determine the time when you are most productive and set it aside only for studying. Break down large tasks into subtasks to make it easier for you, and don’t get distracted during this time. If you allocate 2 hours for studying, for example, take a 10-15 minute break for social networking after an hour and go on from there.
To effectively organize your tasks, you can use the following planners and digital calendars:
1. Google Calendar
2. Microsoft Outlook Calendar
3. Apple Calendar (iCal)
4. Fantastical
5. Todoist
6. Trello
7. Notion
8. Microsoft To Do
9. Any.do
10. Calendar.com
11. Timepage by Moleskine
12. Cozi Family Organizer
13. ClickUp
14. Google Keep
15. Planner Pro
Take Breaks and Help Yourself
Realize that the quality of your life depends on your well-being. It’s impossible to feel bad all the time. It affects your relationships, self-acceptance, studies or work, nutrition, and everything. Try a digital detox – give up social media for a day or a weekend. During this time, take a long walk, rest, let yourself relax, and fill with new strength and energy. You can do your hobbies, sports, read, or just be with friends and family. Maybe you have been putting something off for a long time; maybe you want to paint, go to a park, or watch a movie. Don’t put it off, do what you want to do.
It will help refresh your mind and reduce the negative effects of excessive exposure to social media.
The Importance of Sleep
Try to go to bed early and get 7-8 hours of sleep. Sleep has a direct impact on your mental and physical health, and using your phone before bed, especially after midnight, is the worst thing you can do for yourself.
It is better to lie down, turn on relaxing music, meditate for 5 minutes, and remember what pleasant things you had during the day. Try to remember everything you did during the day, starting from the end of the day, in reverse order. This will also improve your memory.
The Balance Between Social Media and Studying
As a result, you need to find a balance that suits you and be more careful about the information you consume. If you use social media on a daily basis, let it be the content that inspires and motivates you.
