Besides the actual addiction that digital technology is creating and scientific research coming out (here and here) proving that glowing screens actually have a dopamine-activating effect as strong as sex, it would be wise to discipline one's use of it.
Yet the constant access to social media platforms can also lead to many spiritual obstacles in one's interior life, be it from creating a greater difficulty to pray to the commission of sin.
Let's face it: You and I could all use a little less of it.
Anyway, here are 10 simple ways for you to practice mortification with social media.
(Remember, the two "pillars" of your interior life are prayer and mortification. Prayer is a simple uplifting of the heart and mind to God, as St. Therese of Lisieux put it; prayer fills us with God's grace. Mortification is action we take - or accept and embrace in the circumstances and situations of our life - to "die to self" so that we may create more room for God to dwell in our souls and pour out more of His life in us. Simply put, prayer "fills" us with God and mortification "empties" us of self and our sinfulness; it also gives us strength to fight our disordered passions and "appetites" for sin and the world so that we may orient these things to God alone).
Without further ado...
1. Deny yourself the impulse to check your notifications next time you see that red notification button.
2. Don't take that selfie next time it crosses your mind.
3. Resist the urge to vent on social media.
4. Unless it is a serious matter where clarification is necessary for the greater good, let yourself be misunderstood in a comment you left, a caption you made, a post you wrote, or tweet you...twit? Is that a word?
5. Limit your opinion-sharing or long-windedness. Too much can be a source of pride and loquacity. Two words: Temperance and prudence.
6. Create a "rule of life" where you only check at a particular time(s) of day (and limit the time you are on the social media platform...maybe 10-15 minutes). You could even just drop social media for the day.
7. If you shared something on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/etc...already today, resist the urge to share something else for that day.
8. Try to limit the number of times you use "I" in your posts/tweets/pictures/etc...
9. If someone tags you in a picture and you think it is a hideous picture of yourself and that you look like a horse in mid-chew, leave it tagged.
10. Every time you desire to share something, ask yourself: "How will this give glory to God?" and "What are my intentions and hopes in sharing it?" Seek the end of God's glory alone.
Maybe you could pick one of these to start with and do it for a week. Stick with that, or the following week, try mortifying yourself in another way. These are all little acts of self-denial that anyone can do to keep "dieing to self" so that the life of God may live more fully in you.
Happy dying! :)