At all times, we take a look at Instagram to see what our friends are doing. A quick read of a text about politics on Facebook, like in a new dance on TikTok. On WhatsApp, friends send funny stickers, while corporate groups discuss activities and meetings. This happens before, during and after work. Attention: your mental health is being affected by so many stimuli, what can harm your professional performance
Brazil is the 3rd country that uses social media the most in the world, with an average of 3 hours and 42 minutes per day. When considering all countries, Brazil is behind only the Philippines and Colombia, that spend an average of 4 hours and 15 minutes and 3 hours and 45 minutes, respectively. These data were revealed by a study released by the platformValidCoupon.with.br, that compiled information from Hootsuite and WeAreSocial about global social media usage. We are also above average in the percentage of the population that uses social media: 70% of Brazilians, what represents more than 150 million users. Globally, more than 4 billion people, or 53,6% of the population, use social networks
It is undeniable the importance of social media today for entertainment, communication and work. Its impact on the individual's mental health is also clear and has been increasingly studied. A study conducted by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) of the United Kingdom, in partnership with the Youth Health Movement, pointed out that the most used social networks have positive or harmful effects on human health, depending on how they are used. Furthermore, are described as more addictive than cigarettes and alcohol
This new communication universe can affect professional performance in various ways. Firstly, generating lack of focus and concentration. The addiction to staying connected to various networks at the same time already has a name: FOMO, acronym for the expression in English "fear of missing out", which in Portuguese means something like "fear of missing out". Like any addiction, the constant need to know what is happening on social media takes away concentration and focus from work, hinders reasoning and reduces productivity, what can result in delays in delivery deadlines and distractions that even pose safety risks, how to use the cell phone while driving
Thus, it is true that another effect of the abusive use of social networks is anxiety. The impression that other people's lives are more interesting, complete, colorful and important as your own, and the speed at which images and texts follow one another, give a feeling of helplessness — at the same time that a successful post can cause instant euphoria. There are many ups and downs at the touch of a cell phone
The excess of negative news and unpleasant comments are constant stimuli that affect mood and the sense of security. At the same time, social media exerts pressure for optimism, success, consumerism and for an impossible perfection to achieve. This inconsistency is a sure trigger for cases of depression
Photo-sharing apps are especially harmful to self-image, creating a false reality of a perfect life through edits of the best moments of ordinary lives. Instagram itself, knowing that 70% of young people revealed that the app made them feel worse about their own self-image — a number that rises to 90% among women — changed the display of the number of likes in 2022
Intellectual and professional losses are not limited to distraction. All this load of frustrations, wishes, anger and fear come to the surface in daily life and can be taken out on coworkers, friends or family. The avid social media user does not rest the mind and becomes an anxious person. It is essential for companies to be aware of this scenario and promote this dialogue in the workplace, creating safe spaces for employees to share their experiences and seek help when needed. Furthermore, it is necessary for organizations to establish a protocol for the use of cell phones during work, in a healthy way, favoring everyone without the workers losing focus or feeling uncomfortable and repressed. Leaders and managers can act as facilitators in this process, identifying areas of concern that need adjustments, how the excessive use of work groups on WhatsApp
We have prepared some tips that can help leaders and teams develop a healthier relationship with social media, thus protecting your emotional health
- Make a self-critique about your presence on social media. If you think it is harming your productivity, do a detox: turn off your phone notifications, choose only one network to consult during the day and do this during break times
- Stay focused and put your phone aside during conversations, meetings and other interactions. Look into the eyes of the person who is speaking, write down your instructions by hand, listen carefully
- Find out about the limits of social media use at your workplace. You could be risking even your dismissal. Do not exceed these limits
- If your company requires the use of networks like WhatsApp, discuss with your team about limits, how the need for conversations outside of working hours
- Avoid responding to conversations that are not work-related
- Do not use the corporate email to receive social media notifications
- Practice physical activities. Endorphins can bring as much pleasure as a like
- Look for meditation and mindfulness practices
- Try to spend some time with yourself without needing to know what is happening with others: read a book, watch a program, listen to music
- Rest deeply: disconnect from electronic devices at least one hour before sleeping. Establish a sleep routine that promotes tranquility: have a tea, read a book, take a relaxing bath
Detaching from social media is also self-care, it is to take care of your mental health. When disconnecting for a few minutes, you can start to see a universe of possibilities around you. Over time, you can find a balance for a life with more well-being and harmony
