For the last few months I’ve tried to limit my social media usage hard core. I went from spending 2-3 hours a day on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest to spending less than 30 minutes a day on social media. In general, using social media often isn’t a bad thing at all. It’s a wonderful thing! Social media is an integral part of many businesses, it’s an excellent tool for staying in touch with friends and family and it’s great for staying on top of world events.

I found that I was misusing this powerful tool, though. Many times after I’d get off of Facebook at the end of the day I’d find myself feeling irritable and jealous. And here’s the thing, my feelings made no sense! We all have unique paths to walk. We’re all blessed with different skills and abilities. And we all have opportunities to grow into the people who we want to become! Even though I know these things inside, social media caused me to think less of myself, and to compare myself to all the random people I’d stumble across on a daily basis. So I started in on a strict social media diet. I gave my hubby access to my Facebook and had him reset the password so that I wouldn’t be able to log in without his help. For Instagram and Pinterest, I’ve found that I’ve been able to limit my use of those without anyone else’s help, so those apps only get attention when I’ve got a free moment.

Maybe it’s cliche, but my life has changed significantly since altering my social media habits. I’m happier, more productive and less judgmental toward others. Sure, I don’t always know the exact moment when a celebrity dies, and sometimes it takes me a couple of hours to learn about the pregnancy of a friend or the engagement of a family member (sad, right?). Ultimately, though, cutting down on my social media usage has de-cluttered my life in a wonderful way.

Do you do anything to manage your social media habits? What methods work best for you?