Do you often find yourself in bed, endlessly scrolling, not remembering what you were supposed to do before you got distracted? Do you ever feel more overwhelmed and stressed after checking your phone? These are signs that it may be time to declutter your social media.
Although social media is essential in today’s digital age to stay connected with loved ones, for productivity, and to stay up-to-date with news, it can also be overwhelming. Decluttering can be a way to regain control of your digital environment, allowing you to remain connected but be more intentional about its use.
The Problem With Digital Clutter
Digital clutter is having overwhelming notifications, irrelevant content, and unused apps on your phone. Too much overwhelming content online can have potentially negative mental health effects.
Social media can cause anxiety because it offers too much content, constantly swaying your emotions as you scroll. One way to tell that social media affects your mood is if you continually feel overwhelmed, anxious, or negative after viewing content.
It can be challenging to let go of social media use or minimize it. Social media is the modern way to keep up with family and friends. Letting go can mean experiencing some FOMO (fear of missing out), but it may be for the better if it impacts your daily life.
Benefits of Decluttering Your Social Media
After decluttering the content seen online, you may have better mental clarity. Beyond digital apps, ads, and notifications being distracting, online content can no longer make you feel down after using it. Additionally, limiting social media use may improve sleep, further improving your cognition.
Smartphones are incredibly useful tools. They allow us to be productive on the go, provide us with essential daily functions, and keep us in touch with people. However, we often become distracted by something else on the phone other than what we should be doing. Decluttering your digital world can lead to better time management, so your attempts to be productive are productive.
A Guide to Decluttering Your Feeds
First, audit any accounts you are following. Go through each account and ask, “Does this bring value to my life?” Or “Do I care about keeping up with them?” Removing harmful, unhelpful, distracting, or useless accounts can better align what you see online with your interests.
Blocking ads on social media or any other website can prevent you from falling into a digital rabbit hole. Popups and ads often redirect us to interesting websites but don’t necessarily add value to our time.
Turn off any unnecessary notifications. Every ding you hear, and every numbered icon on your app reminds you of something else you could be doing. With intentional actions, there’s no time like the present.
Streamlining your feeds can help remove emotionally charged content. It doesn’t feel good to turn off your phone after watching a video that made you sad, angry, anxious, or stressed. Using tools like Instagram’s favorites or TikTok’s “not interested” can help streamline your feed to only show content relevant to your interests.
Setting strict boundaries about when, where, and how long you can use social media is important. Yes, these platforms are addictive, so placing strict time limits can help you not become immersed for too long. Setting up screen time limit apps can hold you accountable for the time spent online.
Maintaining a Decluttered Digital Space
Periodically check in so your feeds, notifications, and ads are relevant and manageable. As your life evolves, so should your digital space. Ensure your online content is serving you rather than the other way around.
Having a healthy relationship with the online world is essential in an increasingly digital world. Decluttering your digital space has clear positive effects: more time, mental clarity, and peace of mind.
Starting small is all it takes to make a meaningful change. Consider using these tips to create a more intentional and fulfilling online experience.
DISCLAIMER: No part of this article was written by The Signal editorial staff.
