Did you catch any of the congressional testimony given by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen? She reiterated what anyone who has read my e-book Break Free From the Social Media Trance already knows. That Facebook and Instagram have deliberately engineered an experience that is addictive, can harm the mental health of the individual user as well as enable the spread of dangerous misinformation that puts us all at risk. Why? The more engaged you are on their platform, the more money they make.
Although a growing number of people are opting out of social media involvement, many are reluctant to do so and who can blame them? Those free services can be pretty darn convenient. However, I would like to offer a suggestion that can lessen their negative impact that involves intentionally restricting your usage during two specific time slots.
The half-hour or so when you first wake up as well as day’s end are periods of heightened suggestibility. Scientific literature actually describes them as hypnogogic, that dreamy place between sleeping and waking. Thoughts and images encountered at these times tend to make a deeper impression as your conscious mind isn’t fully awake. So external input goes in unchallenged. For this reason, hypnosis practitioners will often recommend that you imagine what you want to accomplish during the day ahead and give yourself positive suggestions during those times.
I’d heartily recommend that you don’t look at your phone or other digital devices for at least 30 minutes when you first get up in the morning. The same holds true for watching the news. Instead, you can do personal transformation work, inspirational reading, or perhaps get in some light physical exercise. If you can, get outside and appreciate the natural world. This also applies for the 30-60 minutes prior to bedtime as you unwind for the evening.
Changing any habit can be a challenge in the beginning. However, if you don’t control your mind, someone else will do it for you, and it is apparent the social media giants are not worthy of that kind of trust.
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