How many times a day do you engage in social activities online? Have you phoned or sent a text to a friend today? Or perhaps you've been on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, or Snapchat?
Social media is a great way to keep in touch with friends and family, play games, find out information and learn new things. However social media can also be time consuming and can have a detrimental effect on academic performance. It increases distraction and decreases imagination and creativity. Social media can also present an opportunity for negative online communication through cyber bullying.
There is a time and a place for social media. Often it becomes such a routine part of daily life it is easy to forget what life would be like without it.
So challenge yourself to switch off from social mediafor just one hour each day. Doing so may help:
- Improve your concentration and academic performance– Spending more time being focused on a task without the distraction of social media will establish longer patterns of thinking. For example, turn off your mobile phone while you work on an assessment task, read a book, play an instrument or do something else creative that you enjoy.
- Re-charge your friendships and family relationships– Have face-to-face conversations with the people you care about, arrange to meet up with school friends and work together to get homework and assignments done or just enjoy each other's company without the use of social media. This will help you build stronger relationships. Your friends and family will appreciate the time you have put aside to spend with them. It will also strengthen your verbal communication skills.
- Remove conflict and stress– Choose not to engage in cyber bullying. Don't bully others and protect yourself from being on the receiving end of cyber bullying. Research shows that people are more likely to make unpleasant comments online than when face-to-face. By reducing the time you spend on social media you also reducing the opportunity for others to involve you in stressful or negative communication.
- Finally, make goals and support them with your actions– Being social develops essential life skills. However, achieving your dreams also involves hard work and effort. Switching off from social media, even for a short time each day, gives you some distraction-free time to work towards your goals.
Kylie Pursche, Peel High School School Project Officer, kylie.pursche@hnehealth.nsw.gov.au
Tristan Jones, HSHF Liaison, Peel High School
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