Addicted to social media? Try an e-fasting plan

In this cross-posting from The Conversation Ritesh Chugh of CQUniversity Australia explains why scheduling time away from social media will make us not only more productive but more balanced.

Social media is a double-edged sword, providing both benefits and drawbacks.

In order to stay connected, many of us are becoming captivated by these pervasive tools. A social media report by Sensis in 2015 reported that nearly half of all Australians access one or more social networking sites every day.

The report also found that Australians now spend an average of 8.5 hours a week on Facebook alone, with 24% checking social media more than five times a day. Seven in ten people used a smartphone to access their accounts.