Social media influencers and experts tell us how to balance reel and real life

That damned phone is going to be the end of yourdquo Every Indian motherrsquos longstanding prophecy has finally come to life albeit onscreen in the Siddhant Chaturvedi Ananya Panday and Adarsh Gourav starrer Kho Gaye Hum Kahan This story of three friends and an uninvited party pooper mdash social media mdash stands out from the usual portrayals of digital addicts in its commentary on how even the most socially aware or lsquowokersquo individuals can find themselves kneedeep in an unhealthy association with virtual platforms Newage influencers and social media coaches share their hacks to ensure you donrsquot find yourself in a rabbit hole of likes shares and comments this yearInfluencing 101Take breaks and head outdoors every once in a while Draw clear lines Do not overshare online And this tip goes both ways Even on sad days I donrsquot necessarily feel like posting about it online I take my time and space to understand and cope with what caused it The line between who you are and your online image blurs when you become a public figure and so I always find time to deal with problems in real life first Stay stoic When being a creator becomes your career you are always measured in numbers mdash who you are and what you do The solution is to work with it in a way where you have control over your emotions to not feel too happy when the numbers are skyrocketing or too sad when they are down Disconnect to destress We live in times where our phones have become an extension of ourselves and so itrsquos difficult to set them aside some timesI follow some silly routines to get back to my real life such as going for a long auto ride with favourite music from my childhood organising my room playing the ukulele or putting up a solo concert for myself in my room Gentle reminders Remember that what you see on social media is a curated peek into an influencerrsquos life because we know no one wants to hear our sob stories We all have bad days and these stories usually only make it to our close friendsrsquo feedsSrishti Garg influencer srishtigarggAn artistrsquos blueprintThe film follows a closelyknit trio that falls apart following social media tiffs Pics CourtesyInstagram Stay off the grid You do not have to check in from every place you visit I ensure I donrsquot post about my usual spots like where I head for my workout wheremy friends live etc If you are an artist itrsquos easy to lose track and stray from your goals I try my best to not let my page become a log of my life Thatrsquos aslippery slope Balancing act Itrsquos easy to let numbers dictate your life and the way you work especially if you come from a background where your art was not appreciated by the ones closest to you My hack is to maintain a balance by creating one artwork for the masses and one for the artist in me This way yoursquore not hanging solely by the thread of a strangerrsquos validation Expand your circle If you hang out with influencers and content creators all the time yoursquoll naturally have the same conversations about engagements reach and strategies I hang out with friends from different industries to stay in touch with reality and to realign my priorities Choose your idols Social media has changed how wins must look Remember that a win in real life may look very different for you compared to the grand and flashy wins that influencers post There are a lot of people who are doing just fine in life without posting about it every other dayNeha Sharma artist and content creator nehadoodlesExpert adviceListening to soft soothing music at night before going to sleep can be a healthier alternative to doom scrolling Categorise your audience Compartmentalise the people on your follower list Most social media apps will allow you to create exclusive groups Be mindful about whether the group needs to be privy to the information you are sharing Digital detox Donrsquot hesitate to take a few months off when you feel like it Inform your followers and make a healthy exit Follow the 906030 digital detox hack Refrain from checking your smartphone for at least 90 minutes after waking up in the morning Dedicate a minimum of 60 minutes during the day to stay away from gadgets and social media Reserve the final 30 minutes before sleeping for activities other than checking your phone Indulge in reading or listen to soothing music Teach them young Talk openly with your child about staying safe online Play games and act out scenarios to help them grasp potential dangers Set clear rules encourage them to share responsibly This makes it interesting for both you and your childAmi Savla Hemani social media trainer and consultant socialmediatraininghub