Using Social Media to Better Yourself

The average Brit spends two hours a day browsing on their social media accounts. To put it into perspective, imagine what you would look like if you worked out for two hours every day.

Basically, two hours every day is a lot of time. And choosing to spend that time wisely (especially when that choice happens to coincide with January), sounds a bit like a New Year’s resolution!

But, instead of attempting to change your deeply-rooted habits by making highly hopeful, life-altering resolutions to ‘work out instead of scroll through Facebook’ (which we all know is not realistic), perhaps instead, you can use a little bit of your time spent on social media to better yourself.

Social Media New Year’s-ish Resolutions:

1. Practice gratitude

People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they're thankful for experience more positive emotions, sleep better, and even have stronger immune systems. And gratitude doesn't need to be reserved only for momentous occasions; studies have shown that simply keeping a gratitude journal - regularly writing brief reflections on moments for which we’re thankful - can significantly increase wellbeing and life satisfaction.

The best part about this is: you can keep a daily gratitude ‘journal’ easily on Twitter or Facebook! If you’re worried about annoying your friends with your gratefulness, you can change the post’s visibility, or you can simply tell them to go and stick their own ‘thank you’ up onto their own feed.

2. Stop comparing myself to others

We all do it or have done it at some point in our lives: we compare ourselves to others and gauge where we are based on what we observe them to be doing. If this was simply an observation, that would be one thing. But in comparing ourselves to others, we often end up judging ourselves.

Like your ex girlfriend Jess. While she’s off gallivanting in Thailand, riding on elephants and snorkeling in the turquoise waters, you’re sitting at home with your mum eating oven pizza. And as you sit there, clicking through her amazing photos, the more resentful you become with your lot in life.

The thing about comparison is that there is never a win. How often do we compare ourselves with someone less fortunate than us and consider ourselves blessed? More often, we compare ourselves with someone who we perceive as being, having, or doing more. And this just leaves us coming up short. And unfortunately, the prominence of social media has created a new, ubiquitous medium for this kind of unhappiness.

But, just being aware of this can help you on your way to becoming less diminished by unhealthy, distorted comparisons, and it could encourage you to really appreciate that cheesy slice of pizza, warm home and your dear old mum’s efforts. And sod Jess - she'll probably come home with a tropical parasite anyway.

3. Support charities on social media

If you’re looking for a more traditional New Year’s resolution, maybe think about donating to a charity. Your social media account makes it easier than ever before to find and support the causes that are most appealing to you. And plus, supporting charities helps them and makes you feel good! It's a win-win!

So, go ahead and ‘Like’ some of your favorite charities. Share that cute PETA advert with the adorable kittens. Or better yet, click that ‘donate now’ button on their official Facebook home page.

If you’re already spending two hours a day on social media, like most of us, then maybe try to make the most of it by resolving to use it a bit more deliberately. Those two hours a day add up – use them to make a positive difference to your own wellbeing, or to the wellbeing of others in this coming New Year.

Or, maybe just look into using a social media management agency (ahem!) that can become responsible for all your accounts so that you can use your time to sculpt your very own beach-body, ready by the summer! :P

Have a great 2016, from Mel & Dan at Surrey Social Media!!!

Us in 'Frozen' form! :D