Communications Pros Addicted to Social Media Break Free – and Love the Change

Public relations professionals tend to spend a great deal of time checking social media updates. Many are former journalists and remain news junkies. In years past, they read the morning newspaper and listened to radio broadcasts and television news at the appointed hour. Instead of checking the news at certain times of the day, they now repeatedly visit online news sources and social media news feeds. That sometimes leads to excessive posting, replying and sharing that can drain away productivity and crowed out healthier activities.

In their social media activities, communications pros are exposed to a good deal of social animosity. Even if the online comments aren’t personal, abundant hateful content on social media can take an emotional toll.

Some PR pros have recognized over-checking online news and overuse of social media as a personal problem. Some have completely abandoned or greatly reduced their time on social media. They say their productivity and personal lives improved dramatically and urge others to follow their examples.

Emma Fierberg, a video producer for Business Insider, quit social media for a month. “As the experiment went on, I started to feel like there were extra hours in the day, like I was given this gift of reading time and cooking time and exercise time,” Fierberg writes. “It actually turned out to be the best choice I’ve ever made and I really encourage you to do the same.”

Steps to Limiting Social Media Time

These tips can help limit social media time.

Track your usage. Track your time on social media. Consider keeping a log. You may be surprised at how the quick check-ins add up to serious amounts of time.

Set fixed times to check. Establish no more than two fixed times during the work day to check social media (unless, of course, the checks are part of your job responsibilities). Also limiting the times you check social media during non-working hours can help control the habit. Never check social media during the hours you normally sleep.

Set time limits. When time is up, log out, regardless of what’s left. Consider using a stop watch and a log. Website blocking apps are now available.

Set breaks. Schedule screen time breaks for a couple of hours in the evening or even a full day on the weekend. Being informed does not mean being immersed. “It’s our job (as PR pros) and responsibility (as citizens) to stay current, but that doesn’t mean staying plugged in all day every day, because doing so isn’t healthy,” writes Lindsay Horan, marketing manager at Vehr Communications.

Turn off notifications. Notifications can lead to constant checking that in turn leads to “quick” digital visits. Those minutes often add up to hours.

Select networks sparingly. You don’t need to maintain a presence on a dozen different social networks when active participation in just a few will suffice. Don’t feel obligated to dedicate equal time to each.

Delete apps from your phone. You can’t check it if it’s not there. Delete one social-media app from your phone. “See if you miss it. See if it changes your life. See if you notice how much time you had been spending on that app,” Fierberg says. Then do the same with other social apps.

Find other diversions. Many people visit Twitter or Facebook because they’re bored, not because they’re seeking critical information. “Find a comedy site or catch up on news. Do you look at Instagram on the subway platform? Download a fascinating book on your phone instead! Reducing your time on social media is easy as long as you have a little forethought,” advises Sasha Graffagna at SuperheroYou.

Use a social media monitoring service. A social media listening service spots mentions of your selected keywords and sends automated email alerts. That’s much more efficient than the time-consuming task of visiting multiple social networks to monitor news and chatter about a company or brand.

New Research on People Abandoning Social Media

Research offers conflicting views into social media addiction trends.

Many young adults ages 18 to 24, an age group reputably chained to social media, are abandoning social media, according to a survey by Hill Holliday. About two-thirds had stopped using social media at least temporarily and 34 percent had deleted their social media accounts. They cited concerns about wasting time and too much negativity. They also mentioned lack of interest in the content, a shortage of privacy, and too much commercialization of content.

Pew Research Center reports that more social media users say they would have great difficulty giving up social media: 40 percent of survey participants say they would find it hard to give up social media; 14 think it would be “very hard.” In 2014, 28% said they would have difficulty giving up social media; 11% said it would be “very hard.”

A survey by Edison Research indicates that 77 percent of Americans use social media, compared to 80 percent in 2017. That ends a long-running trend. Social media usage increased at least of three percent a year, and an average of 7.77 percent, for the past nine years. Facebook use decreased most noticeably. Two-thirds of Americans used Facebook last year, compared 62 percent this year, the first decline in the network’s history.

Social media use will probably decrease next year as more young adults turn to messaging services like Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp, predicts Jay Baer, president of Convince & Convert.

“Any drop in social media usage is unprecedented, and indicates that Americans are not wholly satisfied with social in ways they may have been in the past,” Baer says.

Bottom Line: Many PR professionals, like those in other fields, suffer from an addiction to social media that consumes excessive time, lowers productivity and even damages personal lives. Those few who have restricted their time on social media say their professional and personal lives have greatly improved. They urge others to do the same and offer advice on how to break the social media habit.