How To & Why We Should Be Using Social Media Intentionally

The average person spends 147 minutes on social media every day. But what are we really doing with that time? Are we using it to connect with friends and family, build relationships, and share interesting things? Or are we just scrolling through our feeds mindlessly, getting caught up in the drama of other people’s lives?

Social media is one of the most powerful tools that we have at our disposal. It can be used to connect with people all over the world, promote our businesses, and share our ideas.

But social media can also be used to manipulate the emotions of others.

In this blog post, we’ll look at how using social media intentionally can make a difference in a way that can benefit you and those around you.

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How has social media affected us

It’s safe to say that social media has had a major impact on our lives over the past decade. For better or for worse, it has completely changed the way we interact with each other and consume information.

Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have become a central part of our lives.

On the plus side, social media has made it easier than ever to connect with friends and family all over the world. We no longer have to wait for letters to cross the oceans; we can simply post a status update or send a tweet and our loved ones can respond immediately.

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Social media has also given rise to a new generation of citizen journalists, who are able to share news and events with a global audience in real-time.

However, there are also some negative aspects to social media. For example, it’s easy to get caught up in comparing our own lives to the seemingly perfect lives of others that we see online. It can also be a major source of anxiety and stress, as we constantly check our phones for likes, comments, and notifications.

Ultimately, social media is what we make of it. It can be a powerful tool for good or a destructive force in our lives; it all depends on how we use it.

So how can we use social media in a way that is positive and beneficial? Let’s take a look at some ways to do just that.

Ways to use social media intentionally

#1 Focus on relationships rather than numbers

One of the biggest mistakes that people make on social media is focusing on the wrong things. We get caught up in comparing our number of followers to others, and we measure our self-worth by the number of likes and comments we receive.

But what if we reframed our perspective and started looking at social media as a way to build and nurture relationships?

Think about the people you interact with on social media. Do you actually know them, or are they just people who you’ve seen around online? How much do you really care about them?

Now imagine that you only had 100 friends on social media. Would you interact with them any differently? Would you be more selective about who you follow and what you share?

When we focus on quality over quantity, we naturally start to use social media in a way that is more intentional and beneficial.

#2 Connect with people who inspire you

Social media gives us the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world, including those who share our passions and interests.

For example, if you love hiking, why not follow some local hiking groups on social media? This can help to build your skills and give you access to information and advice from people who know what they’re talking about.

Social media can also be a great way to connect with inspiring and successful people in your field. By following these people, you can learn from their experiences and be inspired to pursue your own goals.

Ultimately, we should use social media to surround ourselves with people who lift us up and help us grow as individuals.

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#3 Share your ideas and thoughts in a mindful way

Social media is a great place to share our ideas and opinions with the world. But it’s important to do this in a thoughtful and constructive way, rather than simply venting our frustrations or ranting about current events.

One of the best ways to do this is by sharing articles and other content that you find interesting or thought-provoking. This can help start a conversation with people who may not agree with you, and it can also help to educate others on important topics.

It’s also important to remember that not everyone needs to see everything we post. We don’t need to share every single thought or opinion we have; sometimes it’s better to keep certain things to ourselves.

By being thoughtful about the content we share, we can use social media to start important conversations and make a positive impact on the world around us.

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#4 Take a break when you need to

There’s no shame in taking a break from social media. In fact, it’s often necessary in order to avoid burnout.

If we find ourselves constantly scrolling through our feeds and comparing our lives to others, it might be time to take a step back. This doesn’t mean that we need to quit social media altogether; instead, we can simply take an extended break for a few days or weeks. Even a month.

It’s also important to be mindful of the amount of time we’re spending on social media. If it’s starting to interfere with our work, school, or personal relationships, then it might be time to cut back.

Don’t be afraid to take a break. By stepping away from social media on occasion, we can recharge and refocus, and come back to our feeds with more perspective and understanding.

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#5 Silence notifications and give yourself some space

One of the best ways to use social media more intentionally is to silence our notifications. This can help us to avoid getting sucked into the never-ending scroll, and it can also help us to focus on other things.

When notifications come through, we tend to drop everything else and ignore the people around us, even if we don’t really have time for it.

One solution is to simply turn off notifications altogether – or at least for the apps that you tend to check the most. This can give you more space to focus on other tasks without being distracted by the constant pings and buzzes of social media.

It’s also important to give ourselves some space from social media. This means setting aside specific times to check our feeds and interacting with others, rather than spending every spare moment getting caught up in the chaos of Facebook and Instagram.

By setting boundaries, we can use social media more intentionally – and get more out of it as a result.​

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#6 Don’t strive for perfection

It’s important to remember that your social media account doesn’t need to be perfect. In fact, perfectly curated feeds and perfectly edited photos can sometimes seem disingenuous and inauthentic.

Instead of striving for perfection, we should focus on simply sharing ourselves with the world – warts and all. This means embracing our flaws and quirks, and not being afraid to share the messy, imperfect parts of our lives.

What you see on other people’s social media accounts isn’t necessarily the whole picture. In fact, it’s often a carefully curated version that shows only their best moments, without any of the struggles or setbacks along the way.

So don’t strive for perfection on social media – instead, simply share yourself with others and be true to who you are. In doing so, you’ll build genuine connections with people who can appreciate and relate to you, flaws and all. After all, that’s what makes social media such a powerful tool – being able to connect with others in meaningful ways.​

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Summary: Using social media intentionally

Using social media intentionally can help us build relationships, connect with others, share our passions, and more.

While it can be easy to fall into the trap of spending hours scrolling through our social media feeds, if we use social media intentionally, we can get so much out of it.

By being mindful about what we share and who we connect with, we can make social media work for us instead of against us and make a positive impact on the world around us.

What are your thoughts on using social media intentionally? Are there any other tips you would add to this list?