Our Post-Pandemic Future: 6 Ways to Manage Social Media Usage to Help Overcome Fear & Find Purpose by Jeff Krasno

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of adults with symptoms of anxiety or a depressive disorder increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, and people are still struggling. As more and more Americans are vaccinated, the nation looks hopefully toward a post-pandemic future, yet many feel paralyzed by fear, anxiety and grief. There is a way out.

Social media is the source of much of the anxiety, fear and political division Americans are facing today. If there is any remote hope of finding reconciliation, we must collectively eschew our addiction to social media. Here are my top tips to manage social media usage:

1. Actively cultivate in-person, face-to-face time whenever possible.
2. Engage in nuanced, respectful conversation, especially with folks you do not agree with.
3. Find ethical sources for news that rely on legitimate experts and multiple sources, independently fact-check, have minimal biases and publish corrections.
4. Read or listen to long-form content that can capture nuance and expand attention span.
5. Be aware of modifications and radicalizations in your own behavior and ideologies.
6. Limit your social media time. Turn off the Wi-Fi at night. Put phones in a basket during dinner.

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