Time Flies When You Live Your Life on Social Media
The correlation between social media usage, time and nostalgia.
I’ve admitted before that I’m addicted to my phone and social media. I think, to some degree, we all are.
How could we not be?
Every hack, recipe, review, and opinion we could ever want is available in an instant. Anytime we feel bored, overwhelmed, or just need a distraction from the chaos of life, we turn to our phones.
Everything is convenient now. You don’t need to scour libraries or sift through endless Google searches to answer even the most niche question… it’s already been explained ten different ways on TikTok.
But here’s what I’ve started to wonder: Are all these things that are supposed to save us time actually saving us time?
Take it from me: I’m a social media manager who spends my days creating, posting, and engaging for several brands. When I’m not doing that, I’m scrolling for inspiration, keeping up with trends, or brainstorming fresh ideas for clients.
My average screen time? Between 8 and 11 hours a day.
I used to rationalize this by saying, “It’s for work,” but the truth is, most of my social media usage is personal. I work primarily on my computer, so those hours on my phone? They’re just me… scrolling.
Let that sink in as I bring up my next realization: time is passing by so damn fast.
Since 2020, it feels like life has been speeding up. The seasons blur together, birthdays come faster, and suddenly, we’re watching our parents age.
Sure, scientists have suggested that the Earth might actually be spinning faster, but I think there’s more to it than that. Maybe the reason time feels like it’s slipping away is because we’re spending so much of it scrolling.
Those quiet, in-between moments, the ones where we used to simply be — are now filled with social media. Instead of twiddling our thumbs or sitting with our thoughts, we dive into TikTok, feeling a dozen emotions in the span of five minutes.
It’s not the same for everyone, of course. Some people check Instagram once or twice a day. I mean, I do too… but those two times often last for hours (joking… kind of).
Last weekend, I challenged myself to spend a day without checking social media. I wanted to see what my Saturday would feel like if I wasn’t constantly scrolling. I almost succeeded. But I still caught myself opening Instagram over 20 times out of habit.
Every time I had a spare moment — even just a fleeting thought — I reached for my phone.
I first thought to myself, “How f*cking pathetic”… Then I realized just how much I use my phone as a security blanket to life.
And let me be clear: This isn’t about saying social media is bad. There are many wonderful parts to it. You are able to connect with people you never would otherwise, educate yourself, and I’ve even built a career around it. But where it gets sticky is when we start using it as a crutch.
When we’re bored. When we’re stuck in an awkward social situation. When our dinner date gets up to go to the bathroom. When we’re winding down before bed.
But here’s the thing: Those little moments we’re filling with scrolling? They’re the ones we would eventually feel nostalgic for. And right now, we’re so consumed with the digital world that we’re not really living them.
We’ve conditioned ourselves to only find comfort in something material and that’s a dangerous habit for humans to have.
So here’s my question(s): Are we living shorter lives compared to older generations — not because of time itself, but because of how we’re spending it? Are we nostalgic for our childhoods because we had more time to simply exist without constant distractions?
Yes, we have more opportunities now. More experiences. More ways to travel and explore — All easier than ever before.
But life is passing by, whether we have social media or not.
Our parents are getting older.
We’re growing up.
Social media might help us succeed in our careers, but we need to make sure we’re succeeding at something far more important: living.
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Just something on my mind, hope you enjoyed.
Courtney xx
So happy you’re here Court 🫶🏼🤍