What better time to clean up your social media feed than springtime? I promise it’ll take less time than scraping the gunk out of the bottom of your fridge (gross!), and it’ll leave you feeling so much better overall.
We all know social media isn’t real. And yet, its impact is profound and very real. That’s why an awareness of our social media consumption can be so impactful. Why not take 20 minutes to refresh your feed with content worth consuming?
I’ve gone through times when I was so overwhelmed by social media that I’d deactivate my accounts for a few weeks, hoping the break would fix things. Then I’d log back on and be instantly bombarded with feel-bad content all over again. Ugh.
These days I’m less quick to deactivate. Instead, if social media starts dragging me down, I take a closer look at who I’m following and how I’m spending my time online. With a few tweaks — like muting accounts, setting app limits and following more therapists — I start feeling more uplifted and inspired again.
You can feel this way, too, by taking a look at my advice for spring cleaning your social media feeds.
Questions to ask that will help clean up your social media feeds
1. Does the account bring you joy?
This sounds very Marie Kondo of me, but seriously, do you enjoy this account’s content? Are they sharing information of value? Are they a close friend that has a lot in common with you? Or is it some random person you took French class with in high school?
If unfollowing someone seems too harsh, try muting their content instead. You’ll still remain on their follower list, but you won’t see what they’re posting on a regular basis.
I’d also encourage you to reflect on what’s stopping you from unfollowing someone, especially if their content is making you feel bad. Is the relationship so important that it trumps your mental health? Relationships change over time. It’s okay to have your following list fluctuate with the ebs and flows of your own personal growth.
Learn more: Why You Should Marie Kondo Your Social Media Feed
2. Do you actually know these people IRL (in real life)?
Personally, I stay away from following a lot of celebrity or mega influencer accounts. Their lives are so, so different to mine. It’s only natural to compare, but do I really need to compete with someone who has a personal stylist, make-up artist and trainer? The answer is no.
Instead, I hit ‘follow’ on more therapy and mental health accounts. I’ll take content on unpacking trauma over shopping hauls any day! (You can check out my recs for mental health accounts in the link below).
That’s not to say that knowing someone IRL makes them worthy of a follow. We all know that person whose feed looks flawless, nothing but sunshine and rainbows. However, in real life, they may be someone so fixated on their social media presence that they miss out on face-to-face conversations.
Learn more: 50 Instagram Accounts to Boost Your Mental Health
3. What purpose does social media serve you?
When you open up these apps, are you commenting and interacting with friends? Are you happily sharing and creating content? Or are you tapping through hundreds of IG stories and swiping mindlessly through the Explore page?
When going through periods of increased anxiety and depression, I notice that I become a social media ghost. Meaning I don’t really comment, interact or engage. I just watch others live their lives while feeling bad about my own. In those instances, social media serves no purpose besides furthering my low moods.
There’s even been research showing platforms with a visual image focus (like Instagram or TikTok) can worsen body image, more so than ones that are less focused on images (think Twitter). Play around on a few different apps, checking in to see how they impact you differently.
Learn more: Social Media Is Tanking People’s Body Image
4. How do you feel after scrolling your feed?
Before I cleaned up my feed, I’d often feel envious, triggered or downright bad about myself. Some advice that resonated with me is to ask yourself these three questions before checking social media: What for? Why now? What else?
So for example, as I’m writing this blog post, my phone is within arms-reach. It’s tempting to grab it during writing lulls. But if I do this exercise, here’s what comes up:
What for? To find inspiration, is what I tell myself. But really, it’s just to look for distractions and entertainment.
Why now? I want a break. (Seriously?? I just checked my phone 8 minutes ago …)
What else? Okay fine, I could keep writing and slot 15 minutes later for a phone break, once I’ve finished my blog draft.
Another trick that I love is setting screen limits for certain apps, which you can usually do through your phone’s settings. Right now, I have a 15-minute limit for Instagram and when time’s up, a message announces I’ve reached my limit. (You can also ignore the limit, but the reminder usually does the trick. I’m much more aware of how much time is sucked up by scrolling!)
Learn more: Coping with Triggers on Social Media
Remember that a photo is just a photo. It’s a very surface-level snapshot of a brief moment in time. Try this experiment: look at your own personal feed to see what you posted in the past year or so. Is it an accurate reflection of your everyday life?
On the flip side, when I look back at old journal entries, I get a better idea of what was going through my head and behind the smiling face. Visuals don’t tell the whole story.
For most of us, social media is unavoidable. You want to stay connected and keep in touch with friends, and this is where everyone is hanging out. It doesn’t need to be a toxic place that causes constant harm to your mental health and self-worth.
It can be a cozy, inviting place where you pop in every once in a while, say hi and move along. This spring, join me in decluttering our social media feeds.
It’s the virtual equivalent of throwing out ill-fitting, itchy clothes and replacing them with fresh ones that make you feel fabulous. Happy cleaning!
I love this article! I started doing so a couple of months ago. I feel so much better for doing so. Thanks for sharing!
So glad to hear! It’s amazing how much of a a difference cleaning up your social media feeds can have.