Your Feel-Good Social Media Guide is Here, and it’s Quite Easy to Follow
Isn’t it funny how we open our phones to escape reality and are ready to put them away by the 6th video on Instagram or TikTok? (Of course, we don’t do that, but we certainly want to.)
I was a prisoner of sensory overload long before I became an Internet junkie, and I feel like it was really stupid of me to think that I was going to forget all that was causing me distress if I subscribed to doom-scrolling. For me, the most disturbing aspect of this wicked game was the opinion tsunami. As a writer and thinker, I am only open to listening to intelligent opinions and POVs, but on the internet, if you have a social media profile and the audacity to come on camera, you’re allowed to say whatever the **** you want. And oh boy, it’s not healthy for us thinker types. I did NOT sign up to hear what Mr. Self-Obsessed has to say about feminism on a podcast which shouldn’t have been a podcast in the first place. And why am I watching an MUA, using 36 products on her face to create a no-makeup look, when I am not even going to apply 3 for the same reason?
But that’s the thing with the internet: we just can’t stop. I mean, what is the next escape? Do we have one even? So, we keep torturing ourselves by comparing our lives to the overachievers, the motivational speakers, the influencers with an $850 skincare routine, and the content creator who just bought a new house in Orange County.
Thankfully, I found a way not to get overwhelmed, at least not within the first 5 minutes. Here are my not-so-hidden secrets that I am laying out for you below:
You’re in Control
I know it sounds like an echo from a Sci-Fi, but that’s the most important aspect of using social media apps or the internet, for that matter. Believe it or not, you’re smarter than all those apps and their settings, and you can actually change them and make your feed more beneficial and less irritating with just a tap.
Seeing irrelevant ads or posts? Tap on the top right and select not interested. Just because someone is publishing, you don’t have to watch or listen to it. You can do the same on YouTube. For TikTok, press on the video you don’t want to watch, tap on the broken heart icon that says “Not Interested”.
Using this feature will also save you from viewing or suffering through similar content in the future as well. So, the real challenge is to keep this trick in mind every time you open your phone or your favorite app. Let me help you with that as well: three ways to ensure you stay in control.
- Set a reminder for every two hours for the first week & then just once a day
- Put a sticky note on your refrigerator (No, I am not kidding)
- Set your phone aside every 30 minutes; look around, take a few deep breaths, and think for a minute. Was that enough? Is there something that needs your attention? Focus on that instead. This one is most important because you have to clear your mind, think of this as a reset or that cleaner app on your phone that cleans all the junk (not sure if it actually does that)
Set Your Priorities Straight
Browsing through social media apps has become second nature. But deep down, everyone knows it’s more than that. So sit with yourself and analyze what’s the best you can extract from the internet or social media apps. Is it the latest news? Politics? Fashion? Trends? Sharing funny clips with your friends? I mean, of course, the last one is a favorite of everyone.
Once you have the answer, make it make more sense. Follow the relevant accounts with integrity, fewer or no controversial takes, light-hearted, respectful, and authentic. This is a step that will clean your feed. You will consume quality content without getting disgusted, stressed, and overwhelmed. Beware: you still have to follow the above; good content isn’t equal to unlimited content. Our brains were never built for that. Besides, you always have better things to do than overload your senses with tons of information. There is a reason curricula are designed; we are supposed to consume and process systematically. This is the only way we can make information and knowledge useful in practical life.
Set Your Internet Goals
While you’re at it, why not set a daily goal?
The best and the worst thing about the internet is that a lot of stuff is free here. It’s entirely up to you what you want to choose. And no, I am not asking you to start following some guru who will give you hilariously unrealistic advice to improve yourself. In fact, I am asking you to pick one subject that feels like home.
Spend 30 minutes on it daily. It could be a podcast, a video about origami, a documentary on the world’s highest mountains, or even a self-improvement series – whatever floats your boat. But there’s a catch: it shouldn’t feel like a burden; it shouldn’t be forced; it should be a topic that you can relate to, something that intrigues you, and that you want to learn more about without any pressure. That’s gonna be your jam. Take note of it, and after a month, assess what has changed; no matter how small that change is, it’s still a win. You can turn it into something big in a year or two, even, and honestly, who’s counting? Because, come on, you’re on the internet – might as well use it for something that actually helps you.
Final Word
It’s not always easy to follow rules for an activity that’s merely a way to experience some form of novelty in our monotonous lives. But when this activity becomes a part of your life, more than you intended it to be, you have to set rules and follow them as well. Remember, if social media has started causing you stress or overwhelm, it has already failed you; it didn’t fulfill its purpose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does social media make me feel overwhelmed?
Because your brain is processing hundreds of unrelated emotional inputs in the space of a few minutes. Outrage, envy, humor, tragedy, and no time to file any of it away. Add the endless scroll (there’s no natural stopping point, ever) and the constant comparison to everyone’s highlight reel, and overwhelm isn’t a personal failing. It’s what the design is meant to do.
What is doomscrolling and why can’t I stop?
Doomscrolling is when you keep consuming negative content even though it’s making you feel worse. It sticks because of the unpredictability. You never know if the next post is a laugh, a shock, or nothing at all, and that’s exactly what keeps you pulling the lever. Your brain is also wired to prioritize bad news, so the feed happily keeps serving it.
How much social media per day is actually healthy?
Research points to somewhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours daily, with studies showing real drops in anxiety and loneliness when people cap it at around 30 minutes. But what you watch matters just as much as how long. Twenty minutes in a comment section will wreck your mood faster than an hour of origami tutorials.
Does hitting “Not Interested” actually work?
Yes, but slowly. One tap is a weak signal. Tapping consistently over a week or two genuinely reshapes what you get served. Unfollowing, muting, and blocking work faster because there’s no ambiguity about what you’re telling the app.
How do I clean up my feed without deleting my accounts?
Unfollow or mute anything that reliably sours your mood, hit “Not Interested” on suggested content, turn off notifications you don’t need, and follow a handful of accounts in one subject you actually care about. Give it about a week of consistent signals, and the algorithm catches on.
What’s the difference between a social media detox and setting boundaries?
A detox is a temporary full stop. It’s useful for resetting your baseline, but the old habits usually come right back on day one. Boundaries (time caps, curated follows, scheduled breaks) are slower, but they survive contact with real life. Detox to reset, boundaries to maintain.
How long does it take to feel better after reducing social media use?
Most people notice better sleep and lower anxiety within one to two weeks. Your attention span and that reflex to grab your phone every time you’re bored take longer, closer to a month.
Should I delete social media entirely?
Only if you’ve tried boundaries and they didn’t hold. For most people, the problem isn’t that the apps exist, it’s using them without any intention behind it. Deleting also costs you something real: community, professional contacts, friends who live far away. Try curating first. Delete if that doesn’t work.