Breaking Away From Social Media and Time Draining Activities?

Adamc

I've noticed that I spend a lot of my free time either reading what people are up to on social media, watching and reading reviews of products I might like to purchase, or scouring forums for life advice. 

Has anyone else had this problem? It struck me a couple of years ago on Christmas Day as I saw my 7 year old nephew pick up his old tablet and watch a kid review an action figure rather than playing with the gifts he had opened only an hour ago. 

I consider my time precious and value certain things more than others. It's gratifying to indulge in social media and influencer consumerist culture in the short term but I wonder if it's really doing much for my own happiness, sense of identity, and self-improvement.  

On the other hand so many people around me do the same. Buy something, post it on Instagram, wait for the likes to roll in, etc. Is this the new normal? It seems like an episode of Black Mirror. 

Any advice for successfully breaking these habits?

Neil_Jones

Block them as per some of the tools mentioned here:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6238344/stop-some-devices-in-my-home-accessing-iplayer-and-youtube#latest

If you can't get on them the habit breaks itself

Brewer20

Take up walking, getting out into the countryside if you have some nearby.
It recharges the body soul and gives you a purpose for that day. Three times a week we go for walks, not everyday as some seem to do and maybe only 1-2 miles. We do around 6 to 8 miles each time. We found we were sitting doing not much after getting fed up of looking at social media, the TV news and stuff like that, it can bring you down some of it.
We've always walked, as long as it's dry it's a goer for us.

EssexExile

Do what you want to do, let others do what they want to do. Like Brewer I enjoy walking but others don't, so if you don't enjoy it don't do it.

forgotmyname

I sometimes watch a guy on youtube ( AvE ), he mentioned this at some point and said you need to limit

yourself to how long you spend online otherwise you will get nothing done yourself.

So busy watching others do things that there is no time left to do your own stuff.  Done the same think

watch a quick video on a task and then you get sucked into a couple more short clips and before

you know it time has flown by. Do the task late or put it off until the next day.

I don't do facebook and the likes but youtube can sap your time away just as quickly.

J_B

Adamc said:

 or scouring forums for life advice. 

You want to discuss whether we should be on forums discussing stuff? Hmm!