Seeing the accomplishments of friends posted and paraded on social media during the lockdown may leave a person feeling incompetent or shameful, or despair especially when personal goals are not met or no new skill was learned or project finished.
Dr. Janae Dudgeon, a prominent family care physician at Methodist Fremont Health Family Care in Nebraska, USA, offers the following reminders—listed by the Benilde Well-Being Center—to help homebound folks cope with social media comparison while in quarantine.
Everyone responds to stress differently
Individuals handle stress differently; there is no right way to respond to the uncertainty. Some may keep themselves busy with tasks, while others may cling to their old routines in the face of new challenges. Understanding how you achieve mental clarity and well-being is important.
What you see is not always real
Social media users tend to share things that portray them in the best light. Some post aspects of who they want to be. So if you are sitting there, scrolling through a Facebook friend’s timeline, subconsciously thinking “I wish I had that life,” it could be most likely that your friend hopes for the same.
You cannot be everything
There is a fine line between doing and overdoing. Social media has pressured people to maximize the quarantine. However, too many projects at once can backfire and leave a person feeling stressed, irritable, or defeated. If you must create distraction or are feeling creative, limit your projects to one at a time. Focus on staying healthy and remaining calm instead.
Routine is important
Habits, no matter how simple they may seem, provide a sense of comfort and normalcy. Determine what you need to feel good. Turn it into a routine if you have the means.
Reframe your mindset
When it comes to productivity, it is not about unfinished tasks, it is about what you get to accomplish. Gratitude is a powerful tool that opens our minds and shifts our focus. It can make us happier and more content. This may lessen our desire to compare or compete.
