(NewsSpace.com) – Millions of people around the world use social media on a daily basis. Whether it’s posting a status update on Facebook, watching a video on TikTok, or sharing photos on Instagram, there’s a platform for everyone. It can also become incredibly addictive to scroll through the content other people post every day.
To combat the waste of time, especially during times when they need to be productive, people are now turning to new methods to cut back on screen time.
What Is Going “Monk Mode?”
If you’ve never heard the term “monk mode,” you’re not alone. The phrase simply means to rid yourself of distractions so you can complete your goals or tasks. It’s even gone viral on TikTok (oh, the irony), with the hashtag #monkmode having received around 30 million views.
While the phrase can apply to anything in your life — think television, movies, junk food — many people are now using it for social media, which is a major time suck. It’s an innovative way to put technology to use to make sure you reach your goals, whether it’s to complete a task or reduce time on technological devices.
Apps to Help
There are several apps you can use to block social media sites when you have something that needs doing and requires an intervention. Freedom is one such option. Once you install it, you can set the parameters, including how long to block social media and which sites. While you can opt to end the restricted timeframe earlier, which would come in handy if you’ve completed all of your tasks ahead of time, you can also set the lock feature, which would prevent you from doing so. That means you’d have to wait until the scheduled time is up to use those platforms again.
More than 2.5 million people use Freedom, which was developed by Fred Stutzman at a time when he said he was too focused on social media rather than his schoolwork. He’s very careful to point out that our desire to use social media isn’t some sort of “failing of our human capabilities,” but rather the work of successful social media companies that know how to manipulate the user. Freedom, he says, “use[s] technology to push back against technology.”
Other apps that fall within this same vein include FocusMe, which blocks websites and helps people focus. ScreenZen, Motion, and AppBlock are other options available.
Do you think it’s a good idea to install apps to help limit how much you use your phone or other device on any given day?
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