The Balance of Social Media & Screen Time

It’s January 22, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve been pretty good at sticking to those resolutions I made last December. While my gym membership has been getting a workout (finally) and Coca-Cola’s profits might be feeling the pinch with my exit from their customer list, there’s still one area I need to tackle and that’s my relationship with my screens.

Thankfully, we’ve got Jules Brim on the YOMU team, and she’s here to explore the art of mindful social media use because she’s the expert in these things. With practical and relatable tips, Jules shows us how to reduce screen time without losing touch with the world around us. This isn’t about strict rules or red pen edits, it’s refreshing guidance and a reminder that small changes can lead to big wins for our focus, well-being, and overall balance.

Over to you, Jules…

If, like me one of your New Year’s resolutions is to spend less time glued to your phone you might be thinking, how do I do that without missing out on your friends, family and of course those reels that never fail to make us laugh when we are having “one of those” days.

Whether we like it, or not social media has become an integral part of both our work and personal lives, however the constant feeling of being “on” and being bombarded with notifications and a never-ending stream of content can put us in to a state of fight or flight leaving us feeling overwhelmed and struggling to focus. In some cases, this can also disrupt our sleep quality and impact our overall wellbeing.

But I firmly believe we can achieve a better balance so here are my tips to help you reduce screen time without feeling like you’re missing out:

Audit Your Screen Time

The first step to mindful social media use is awareness. Most smartphones now have built-in tools to track your daily and weekly screen time. Take a look at where your time is going. Are you spending hours scrolling through reels or checking emails late into the night? Identifying patterns will help you target areas for improvement.

For example, I had fallen into the trap of checking my phone as soon as I woke up, not only did this stop me from waking up in a calm way it also really started to impact on my productivity throughout the day.

When you know where you are spending your time you can set app-specific limits on your phone to help you cap the time spent on them. I personally allow myself 1.5 hours across the apps (don’t judge me I do manage socials as part of my job) and I have also given myself a 30 min limit on shopping apps to (Vinted is addictive) and 60 mins for emails (again as it’s part of my job I can’t be to savage with myself on this one.

sometimes I ace it and some days I hit that ignore button but I find the limits make me more aware of what I am doing and if I am being intentional whilst using those apps or if I am just faffing.

The main thing to remember is that this isn’t about going cold turkey or cutting yourself off from the work it’s about setting manageable new habits that you can keep up in January and beyond.   

Schedule "Focus Blocks" for Work

I rely on social media for my work so I can’t resolve to delete the apps and be a non-social media butterfly. But rather than constantly pick up my phone for a scroll I now schedule focus blocks, where I allow myself to head to the platforms but I have a strict list of actions and things I want to achieve. I find setting the intention before I log on to the app helps me to stay focused on what I need to do

For example in my work feed, I’ll take that time to reply to DM’s, engage with fellow self employed folks, see how my clients content has landed etc. Having my list of actions helps to keep me focused on what I need to do and less likely to head off on a doom scroll or end up watching completely random reels.

When it comes to my personal feeds I allow myself a certain amount of scrolling random stuff and sending memes to my fave people (a.k.a pebbling) but mostly I try to only go on for a certain reason, for example inspo for interiors, ideas on how to keep a 3 year old entertained when you are completely out of energy that sort of thing.

Which brings me nicely on to my next tip …

Curate Your Social Media Feeds

Mindful social media doesn’t mean cutting it out entirely—it means making it work for you. I think we are all guilty of following accounts that make us compare ourselves, that no longer resonate with us and that we just followed to enter a competition a few months back.

Taking time to unfollow accounts that don’t bring joy or add value to your life leaves you with a nicely curated feed that is full of people and brands that inspire or educate you.

By intentionally shaping what you see, you create a more positive and mindful experience that encourages you to engage consciously rather than get lost doomscrolling or like happened to me over Christmas seeing someone drinking coffee through an enema.

Worried about upsetting Sharon in sales or that mum from baby group who always looks well rested and loves talking about how they make every single meal from scratch and that their kid has never had a meltdown? Most apps have a “mute" or "hide" feature, so you can tailor your feed without causing offense.

Set "Digital Detox Days"

There are generally two camps on this, those who can do a detox day to start their new habits and the ones who need to build up to a day away from socials. 

Whichever camp you fall into having a digital detox day not only gives you time away from your phone but you a chance to reconnect with friends, spend some time on hobbies or going out in nature.

I’ll be honest I haven’t managed a day yet as the lure of Instagram was just too much, but I’ll get there.

Create "Tech-Free Zones"

Now this one is a little bit trickier as so much of our lives is on our phone, photos, heating apps, baby monitor, fitness logging etc however having a  tech-free zone can really help you to reduce your social use and mindless scrolling. Replacing it with time for self care, space to upskill or even some time to reconnect with your partner or family.

In our home we have started off small, by no longer allowing phones in the dining room, this means we are spending more meaningful time together at mealtimes and it helps us to start our wind down routine before bedtime.

Don’t forget the big screens  …

Whilst we are focussed on social here, it’s worth noting that any focused screen work can strain your eyes and drain your energy. Sometimes it’s not always possible to get up and wander around the garden or go for a walk, deadlines need to be met and inboxes need clearing (even if it is only for 20 mins or so).

When I’m busy I find that the 20-20-20 rule helps me to feel less like I live online and more in the moment. This is basically the habit of every 20 minutes, look away from your screen for 20 seconds, and focus on something 20 feet away. My fave is to look out the window at the tree across the road and focus on the wind blowing the leaves or the birds nesting in it for that short space of time. Extra points if you take the opportunity to do some lovely deep belly breaths to keep you feeling calm and centred.

Give yourself credit

Reducing screen time is a journey, all the small steps you make will add up. Rather that giving yourself a hard time if you hit that “ignore app limit” celebrate the fact that it’s the first time you have done it that week. Celebrating the small victories such as making your way through your “to be read” book pile, or finding a new hobby you love will help to keep you on track and remind you why you set this resolution in the first place.

Good luck and enjoy reclaiming your time and focus!

Jules

If you’re looking to find balance in your business, Jules offers a range of resources to help you thrive.

Check out Small & Mighty, her membership designed to give small business owners the tools, community, and confidence to grow. For a more tailored approach, explore her Strategy Sessions, which are perfect for getting clarity, mapping out your next steps, and making your marketing efforts work harder for you.

Jules Brim

Social Media and Marketing Expert

https://www.julesbrim.co.uk