We all have been hearing this term ‘Social Distancing’ quite often in the recent past – particularly for the past two weeks. While most of us, if not all, have been obeying the orders of the government, we have surely started to feel the heat of sitting at home in entirety. More so, because the duration remains uncertain.
A recent order of three weeks complete lockdown has further added to the anxiety – even though this lockdown was always on the cards, and is, ofcourse, in everyone’s interest.
But has this social distancing made you overactive on social media instead?
How much of the content you see on social media platforms is actually relevant? Don’t you have that urge to check that video received on the WhatsApp? That new meme your friend tagged you on Instagram/Facebook?
I have been noticing so many posts (especially videos) on social media platforms spreading so much negativity all around. Awareness about the pandemic disease is certainly important, but even that has must in some limit.
By now, most of us know what precautionary measures we need to take (best being, remaining put in our homes) or what are the symptoms of Covid-19. What else we need to know about it?
Why not focus on the task at hand – be it your office assignment or anything else you have been working on/learning? Why that urge to check the notification all the time?
It’s time to adopt Social (Media) Distancing.
What’s that?
How about going off social media for a fixed time slot during the day? Let’s try and control that urge of checking WhatsApp/Instagram/Facebook on every beep, or checking that news notification or who is online on House Party App.
I know we can’t step out of our homes but, at the same time, we can’t let social media control us. We can’t let it enslave us in the name of boredom (virtually created in our minds).
Though we already have allowed it to take over and control us. It’s pretty much evident even at social gatherings (ban for now) where we do everything, except listening to the people physically present and talking to us.
Next time whenever you have that urge, just pause and think how important is it really for me to check that notification at that point of time? Ask yourself, is it more important than the task at hand you have been performing?
Will you pledge today to make a schedule and compartmentalize your time? Start small, may be switch off your mobile data/wi-fi for just 10 minutes during the day; increase it gradually, say by 5 minutes, each day.
If you are working from home, make a schedule and stick to it. And, believe me, once you are focused (if you really are) on what you are doing, you won’t even bother to pick up the phone to switch on the mobile data/wi-fi and check those notifications.
Let’s make optimum use of this time. Remember this time would never come back again. Ofcourse, no one would want to experience such dire situation ever in their life again, but that’s not the point being made here.
I hope we all look at the brighter side and gain something from this ‘quarantine period’ – it literally could be anything ‘ worthy’.
Stay healthy, stay safe and, most importantly, stay productive.
Gratitude,
KG. .
Originally published on the author’s LinkedIn profile (https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-social-media-distancing-karnik-gulati) on 28 March 2020.