Duncan Kariuki

Scrolling through Instagram? Reading posts on Facebook? Oh, you’ll be surprised at the amount of time we spend on social media The digital age is well and truly in full force in the World and Singaporeans have not been left behind. This has been confirmed by recent statistics which has revealed that Singaporeans are spending a whopping 12 hours (and 42 minutes) on their digital devices. Now, that’s big considering that employees spend a maximum of eight hours only at the workplace per day. “We are social” is the mantra and a good percentage of the mentioned time is definitely on social media with the same estimate putting it at about 3 hours daily per user. Leading Social Channels in Singapore Overall, Singapore is one of the most digitally social nations in South East Asia. The country has about 3.2 Million users on Facebook alone with Instagram and Messenger bringing the figure to almost 4 million as at the turn of last year. Whatsapp, Messenger, and Wechat also seem to command a significant following. Over-indulging Social Media isn’t Likable Well, while being digital savvy is good in the digital age, spending too much time on social media isn’t too cute an idea - at least according to experts. Scholars have been having a heated debate about the effects of prolonged social media use for some time now and haven’t really arrived at a defined position. However, it’s so far clear that besides the cute laughing cat photos, comical hashtags, retweets, likes, and favorites, social media can lead to new anxieties. For instance, everyone looks happy and triumphant on Facebook leading some to feel as if they are missing out and potentially resulting to depression. There are even some more damning accusations against social media; Users experience lower self-esteem A research conducted by two German universities on social networking indicated that one in every three users felt lonely, angry, or frustrated after spending more time on Facebook. Users were especially affected by what they saw from their friends’ profiles as most seemed to be doing better than them. Social media blinds independent thinking Another study found that peer pressure was more pronounced within social networks. Subjects showed a higher likelihood of changing their minds about “Loving” certain things given enough time. This means that subscribers fail to see the other side of the coin when online and just follow what’s trending to avoid annoying their pals. Social Media Can Induce Overeating “Food porn” photos tend to stimulate the brain’s reward nerve center and prompts viewers to overeat. One survey suggests that even merely sighting food images after mealtime will still trigger hunger. Users Develop a habit of Overspending Marketing research has also concluded that due to lower self-control, heavy social media involvement could lead to increased spending. Facebook often bombards its subscribers with tens of unsolicited ads each time they’re online. More advertisers are joining the platform in droves so the problem is set to become worse. Social Media Time Saving Tips So, how can the fervent followers flee themselves from the ‘social media slavery’? 1. Users should Create a timetable (sort of) By checking for updates and comments at a specific time of the day, enthusiasts will have time to attend to their more important matters. 2. Tracking the time spent on social media. Relying on a diary or a time tracking app. would also help to ensure time discipline. Users should endeavor to record each and every moment spent on social media before comparing it with the set target. 3. Disabling Notifications One of the factors that contribute to the social media addiction is the notifications. Yes, they can be handy reminders but truth be told, they can be irritating. For them, the most effective solution is to turn them off. 4. Teaming up with an Accountability Partner Since most people fail in minimizing time wasted on social media, hooking up with a friend or relative can help keep one on track as they battle the addiction. Such parties keep them accountable for their actions and can go a long way in overcoming the challenge. 5. Uninstall the Apps Another reason why people cannot hide from social media is the ease of access. Once installed, the platforms sit there on the screen as if to urge users to login and see what their friends are sharing. In the end, more time goes down the drain as the user is often swamped with updates. Deleting the apps makes it harder to access the sites reducing the frequency of logging in. Wrapping it up: Social media is a fantastic innovation and Singaporean users have really taken to it as evidenced by the increased time they are devoting to social networks . It may ,however, cause issues such as poor self-esteem, overreactions, in addition to interfering with rational thinking. As such, it should be used in moderation. Users can also take drastic actions including quitting social community apps. completely, if that’s what it will take.