SAN ANGELO, TX — Research shows that many people want to cut back on their social media usage but for some it can be difficult to put the phone down and get out into the real world. Instagram just a released a new feature that tells you when it's time to take a break.
"But I think that's a neat idea to let people know when they're finished scrolling, okay you've seen everything that's new here, you can move on,” Brooke Sport, LPC with West Texas Counseling and Guidance said.
Licensed professional Counselor broke sport says people all ages use social media and some do struggle with the amount of time they spend on those platforms. Instagram says, they want to help. Their new feature tells you when you've seen all the new posts from the last 48 hours.
They say it's a way to curb the increase in time spent on the site.
To cut down on all social media usage, Brooke says it's okay to take baby steps and not quit cold turkey.
"Turn off your notifications so that way you only check your phone every 30 minutes or so. Another thing is having points during the day where you purposefully don't have your phone with you. That might be meal times, that might be if you go to a movie with someone, don't check it throughout the entire movie,” Sport said.
She also suggests reflecting on a few aspects.
"It doesn't hurt to ask yourself why you keep looking at social media. What do you get out of it? If you're avoiding thinking about something or responsibilities. It's just good to be aware," Sport said.
The new Instagram feature is already available for both iOS and android.