Social Media: How to Block it Out to Get Stuff Done

Laptop Trackpad

We can all agree that in this day and age, the technology we have is nothing short of amazing. Not to mention useful, indispensable, unbelievable, and a thousand other adjectives.

And social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, and more are just as phenomenal and groundbreaking. Finally there is an easy way to stay in touch with family and friends you don’t often get to see in person, share your thoughts, pictures, and favorite things, and often even start new relationships with people in different cities or countries.

But often times, social media can get in the way of other things, like school work, real life friendships, and sleep. It’s hard to be productive when you turn on your computer to type an essay and are immediately bombarded with notifications, chat messages, and the compulsion to check every account you own. And suddenly just a quick peek at your new feed becomes hours spent in the online wasteland of hashtags and trending topics.

But now you really, truly need to get down to business and write this paper, or risk a failing grade or sleeping through your 8 am class the next morning. So how do you block out all the social media hullaballoo and focus on your studies? With these tips, you’ll be whizzing through your essays in no time flat, and be able to spend as many hours as you want Snapchatting with friends and reblogging posts to your heart’s content.

  • Practice willpower. Do your best to avoid getting on Facebook or checking your emails. Believe it or not, you do have the power to NOT click the login button! When you turn on your computer, open a Word document directly, and don’t even connect to the Internet at all if you don’t have to for your assignment. If you do have to do research online, make sure you don’t get sidetracked. Stay focused and on track for your assignment.
  • Reward yourself. If you have a hard time simply quitting social media cold turkey (even if only for a few hours), then schedule breaks in between work times. Set goals for yourself, and once you’ve completed them, reward yourself with 15 minutes or a half an hour of social media downtime. Just don’t let that half an hour turn into 2 and a half hours! If need be, set a timer on your phone so you know when it’s time to get down to business again.
  • Unplug. If you don’t need your phone/tablet/computer for your homework assignment, then don’t turn them on! It’s really as simple as that. If you’re reading a chapter out of your textbook, then you probably don’t your laptop open and sitting within arm’s reach. Even if you want to listen to music, you can always dig out your old iPod or just focus on the text instead of the new One Direction track. This way, the temptation is out of sight, out of mind while you do your work.
  • Get some help! No, not professional help, some from your friends. If you must use your computer for the assignment you’re working on, and you really find that you just can’t seem to stay away from your Facebook or Pinterest account, then have a trusted friend or roommate change your password for you. Make sure to choose someone you can trust not to mess with your account while you’re busy working, but also one that won’t cave if you beg or demand them to change it back.