Why exactly should we declutter and cut down on social media? Social media is great. It allows us to stay in touch with friends who live on the other side of the world, collect unlimited inspiration, and nurture our passions. Via social media, we can easily connect and share information with like-minded people that we otherwise wouldn’t have met. So, what’s the problem?
Many of us – including me in the past – became so accustomed to endlessly scrolling down their feeds. Become ‘accustomed’? I probably should have written ‘addicted’.
The problem is that the fear of missing out can easily keep us from enjoying our real lives. So, when you’re struggling to connect with someone sitting next to you because you’re too busy scrolling, take it as a sign. Because this clearly means it’s time to cut down and declutter your social media life – and, as you go, add more value to it.
4 Signs That It’s Time to Rethink Your Social Media Use
You …
- continuously feel stressed and overwhelmed by the infinite newsfeed
- regularly experience FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)
- struggle to concentrate only on the fun and value-adding content
- want to move from mindlessly consuming to connecting and engaging
Whether you spend too much time on social media or continuously fear missing out on something, it’s worth to pause and rethink your habits.
How to Declutter and Enrich Your Social Media Life
Commit to Decluttering
When you decide to tidy up your social media life, do it properly. And by the way, this applies to any decluttering project you take on.
Set aside sufficient time to go through all your accounts. Of course, you don’t have to do it all at once. Still, it’s good to have a due date in mind.
Set Clear Expectations
Every social media platform has a different focus. You should be clear about what to expect. Ask yourself why and how each channel adds value to your life – then limit how you use it and resist the temptation to get carried away. For instance, you could use Twitter only for staying ahead of the news, and Facebook only for participating in groups.
It’s your turn now. Make a list of all your social media accounts and decide on how you want to use them.
I use ………………….. for ………………….. only.
Repeat this for all of your accounts:
- YouTube
- Other …
Be Selective
What you read on social media regularly upsets you? Rethink the content you consume. Social media should make you feel connected and inspired and not miserable. So, check your feed(s). Look at everything you receive and ask yourself if it adds value to your life. The content you regularly consume should be uplifting, encouraging, and inspiring. Or, at least, make you smile. Be selective! Marie Kondo’s question, “does it spark joy?” can surely help you with that decision.
Be Ruthless
Once you know what you want, stop everything else from flooding your feed(s). This means you have to go to the source and hit that unfollow or unfriend button.
Admittedly, this isn’t always easy. It might feel like offending or hurting someone. However, nothing terrible will happen if you unsubscribe, defriend, or unfollow. There’s always a way back, a possibility to reconnect. And when you plan to ‘unfriend’ with someone you know in person, explain your reasons. It’s a good opportunity to engage more in face-to-face conversations. But, when it still makes you feel bad, mute your contacts instead, so they won’t notice.
Set Limits
When you feel continually stressed and overwhelmed, it’s a good idea to set limits. Cut down on your social media time and invest it in your real life.
You can download any of these apps to help you. If you find it difficult to unplug, leave your phone in another room whenever you want to concentrate on something else. You can also set yourself a goal for maximum ‘screen time’ (can be found in phone settings) and reward yourself when you hit it.
Change Your Habits
If you find yourself reaching for the phone in the middle of a conversation, rethink your relationship with your social media feed. Struggling to connect with someone sitting right next to you is clearly a sign that you’ve become an addict. An excellent cure for your digital addiction is turning off notifications. Instead, plan in times to check on social media. Let your friends and colleagues know that you’ve tuned out. So, if they need something urgently, they have to give you a call.
How to Add More Value to Your Social Media Life
Let’s be honest. How often do we reach for our phone when we feel bored or procrastinate. Wouldn’t it be better to really appreciate the time we spend on social media platforms? And use them more effectively?
We can find true excitement and inspiration in social media when we commit to being more selective about using it. When we apply the tips above, all FOMO, stress, and pressure will disappear. And we can then move from merely consuming, i.e., mindlessly scrolling through our feeds, to genuinely engaging and connecting. And isn’t connecting and engaging with like-minded people the real purpose and beauty of social media? I certainly think it is.
And there you have it. This is how to declutter and enrich your social media life from my perspective and experience.
More Ways to Declutter, Simplify and De-Stress Life
Lately, I shared my 6 most effective ways to de-stress life. In this post, I also looked at ‘digital simplifiers’ and their impact on our stress levels.
Getting rid of clutter is an excellent way to reduce stress. Less stuff simply means having less to take care of. Here’s a collection of posts that can help:
- The KonMari Method: All You Need to Know + Printable Guide
- Wardrobe Decluttering a la Marie Kondo: Pros and Cons
- How to Declutter and Reduce Paperwork to a Minimum
Once you’ve updated your social media experience, look at these areas here, too:
- Declutter and Better Organize Digital Files in 5 Steps
- How to Declutter Your Inbox and Reduce Email Stress
And if not only digital clutter is a problem for you, but a general tech-addiction, I can genuinely recommend a digital detox:
Changing our relationship to tech stuff can be tough. So, maybe my post and workbook on how to achieve even challenging goals can help:
Getting rid of clutter is an excellent way to reduce stress. My latest post on how to live a decluttered life gives you a broader overview of the topic. This comprehensive guide explains 5 reasons why it’s worth it to declutter and shows 5 different ways to do so (KonMari plus 4 other decluttering methods). The article also dives deeper into decluttering specific areas like your personal belongings, home, and workplace. And I added tips on how to deal with mental clutter and which new habits can help maintain a decluttered life over the long run.
If you like the ‘less, but luxe’ idea, follow me on Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for more tips and inspirations. And don’t forget to join my email list to receive weekly updates plus content that’s exclusively available to my readers.
And now, my dear friends, let me know, have you ever been addicted to your social media feed? How has your real life improved once you changed your digital experience? Have my tips been helpful? Share your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear from you!
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