The dark side of social media
The pitfalls of social media
Social media.
Some criticize it, some praise it.
Let’s face the facts, social media has become a part of our daily lives. It’s the primary method we use to stay in contact with our loved ones and it’s normally how we meet new people. It has grown to have billions of users worldwide. It also allows us to escape from the rigorous responsibilities we have in this rat race we call life.
Although social media has its uses and benefits, people are seldom aware of the negative impacts of social media on their mental, physical and spiritual health. One impact, often leads to another, causing a chain reaction that is prone to drag you down into a pit that is very hard to get out of.
Today, I’ll be introducing you to 5 important negative impacts of social media:
5 It kills your confidence
We all form the habit of idealizing the people we see on our Instagram feeds. I’m talking about that gorgeous girl with the perfect skin or that guy with the nice car. You know exactly who I’m referring to.
These people make us question the quality of our lives in the sense of how financially successful we are, or how our bodies are built. We feel the urge to become just like them. We lose confidence because we don’t have nearly as much as they do, or don’t look nearly as good as they do. The truth is, we shouldn’t let other people’s idealized lives affect how we feel about ourselves.
4 It gives us a false perception of reality
This links clearly with point number 5 above. More often than not, the lives that people portray on their social media platforms, are not what their actual realities are like.
Every one of us always tries our best to portray the best versions of ourselves, so that other people won’t think that we’re inferior or not good enough. We find joy in the fact that others think highly of us because we have seemingly “ideal” lifestyles.
However, this false perception that people create on their social media platforms is misleading the younger generations into thinking that they always have to be perceived as perfect. This corrodes their self-confidence and makes them extremely dependent on the opinions of others in everything they do in life.
People need to realize that the most attractive trait you can possess, is being proud of who you are. How you structure your life shouldn’t be based on how other people live theirs.
3 It distracts us from our responsibilities
Whether you’re studying for an important test, preparing for a life-changing interview, or planning your day, social media is bound to be your biggest distraction.
All too often I see people on their phones while trying to be productive. 10 minutes on the phone becomes 20, and 20 becomes 30. Before you know it, you’ll find your productivity significantly dipping due to your lack of focus. When busy with an important task, place the phone in a separate room for at least an hour before you take a break.
2 It messes with your social skills
Good texters aren’t necessarily good communicators.
Speaking to someone via social media messaging, and speaking to someone in person are two completely different things. Texting does not allow us to improve our communication skills if we’re shy or a quieter type of person. You have to, therefore, in my opinion, limit the amount of texting you do every day. I find that allocating “social media’’ time schedules throughout your day helps to prevent you from staring at a screen all day.
I know it might be hard at first, be the fact is that your productivity WILL increase.
1 It can become an addiction
We all know at least one person in our lives who are constantly glued to their phone or their computer. The fact is that social media can take over your whole life without any warning.
As soon as you find yourself constantly scrolling through Instagram or Facebook for hours on end, you have a problem. I have seen all too many people fall victim to this scenario, and let me tell you that it is a difficult situation to get out of.
Please, use social media wisely. DO NOT let it consume everything you do.
Final thoughts
Although there are a lot of negatives concerning social media, there is a positive side.
Social media enables us to promote our business, meet new people and stay in contact with those we love the most. All we have to do is use it wisely.
I strongly believe that if you can control the amount of energy you spend on social media every day, you will prevent yourself from falling victim to its potential pitfalls. So, go ahead and make that tweet, have that 10-minute conversion, and browse that feed you wanted to, but NEVER allow it to devour who you are!
What’s next?
Make sure to check out our Deals Page for deals exclusive to The Billionaire Blog! If you enjoyed reading this post, I recommend that you check out the following:
–> “Time management“
–> “Unlocking your winning mindset“
