The Impact of Social Media on Productivity

As time passes by, we are constantly being introduced to different types of distractions such as a new social media platform, a new iPhone or that new Netflix show that everyone is watching and you just “MUST WATCH” and the list goes on. These factors can make it very difficult for some to stay focused in the midst of trying to be a productive member of society. Although we can’t completely tune out everything going on around us, there are certain measures we can take so that it doesn’t get the best of us. The first step into a more productive life is writing down a list of everything that you want to accomplish in a certain amount of time. It may help to write these goals down in the order of urgency to complete the task. The most important goals will take place at the top of the list.

The ones that you could possibly get way with by doing them another day will, naturally, go at the bottom of the list. By doing this, you are creating a visual. Humans, by nature, are visual creatures. This cancels out all that time spent wondering, “What should I start with?” When you have a plan, it is easier to take the initiative. Our phones are great at keeping us in touch with family members or keeping us entertained with music, videos, social media and games but they can be horrible when we are trying to get things done. When you have a million things to do and find yourself scrolling through Instagram looking at pictures of Stacy’s “Wonderful Summer Vacation” you are wasting time that should be spent meeting your goals on that list you wrote down earlier. It is best to just turn the phone off until you get it done. Lock it up if you have to. Stacy’s post won’t disappear, you can go back to looking at the pictures later. And you might actually enjoy scrolling through social media more, knowing that you got all you needed to get done first.

After all, we should always put ourselves first. The measures mentioned above are important when trying to be more productive, but nothing is more crucial than having the right mindset. Anything is possible if you have the right mentality to accomplish the task at hand. In this case, our mindsets need to be shifted into a state of realizing that looking at social media, watching pointless videos on Facebook or YouTube will never get us where we need to be. Realizing this, will release dependency from these social media platforms. I believe most of our obsession with social media comes from the fear of missing out on whatever is being uploaded onto it. Why not have the fear of missing the chance to get your goals in place and being the most productive individual you can be. By following these steps and shifting your mentality, you too can become a goal-reaching machine. I am not saying social media in itself is our enemy. I am simply stating that social media also has a place on your list and it shouldn’t be at the top. Think of it as a reward, although by the time you’re done you might think you deserve something better.