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Welcome to our blog! We will periodically be publishing blog posts written by the Wellness Ambassadors featuring different topics. Make sure to check back frequently so you don't miss any.

Creating Healthy Social Media Boundaries

Rachel Freedman, Wellness Ambassador

Social media can be both a good and bad thing for our generation. So many of us use social media to connect with friends, share information, share who we are, and interact with content we love! So often I think people, especially young adults become wrapped up in the meaning behind social media and the content that it causes mental health issues from body positivity issues, anxiety, depression, and, more. So let’s look at how we use social media and set some boundaries so we’re using it in a more positive, effective way!

The first thing you can do is figure out your purpose in using social media. When asked why we use social media we usually say it’s to connect with friends and family or stay up to date on current events, which is completely fine! But make sure you’re looking at your profiles and deciding where you want to share what information, and why you’re posting what you're posting. Each app is different so you can put different focus’ on different apps, for example, Facebook and LinkedIn are places where I post about school, jobs, achievements etc. just because I know that's content that’s relevant to those I follow and who follow me there. On the other hand on Instagram and TikTok I like to share more about my social life, and my passions because my followers are usually those who are closest to me. If we examine why we’re using apps we can use them smarter.

The next thing that is honestly a life changer is to look at whom you follow. Are you still following people you don’t know anymore, do you follow someone whose posts make you annoyed, or are you just following random people? Unfollow them. Seriously, I did this and whittled my followers down from nearly 700 to around 300. Now my feed is filled with content that I enjoy seeing and from people I actually know, and I’m seeing content that connects with my passions, interests, values, and ideas. This has created a shorter feed, and less need to scroll endlessly to find something I connect with.

Another idea is creating screen-free times. This can be incredibly hard especially since it seems like we’re using a screen every other second now. A practice that I have been getting into is shutting down my screen 30 minutes to an hour before bed. I’ve been indulging in skincare and reading a non-school-related book. Studies show that doing this actually improves your sleep, because phones engage your mind, the blue light in devices suppresses melatonin, and the content of social media that alerts us can delay REM sleep. So this one actually helps your health too! Along with creating screen-free times you can set up time limits on apps. I know this may seem childish but if you find that you’ve been scrolling through TikTok or Instagram for hours it may be time to do this. On Apple devices there's a specific spot in the settings that allow you to set these time limits.

Lastly, we need to look at how we’re posting on social media. I like to think of my personal accounts as a public scrapbook for friends and family. This helps me to think about what I’m posting and if what I’m posting is going to be taken positively. I personally choose to post moments I’m proud of, moments where I’m happiest, and information and content that makes my heart happy. Also, I try not to edit photos or post unrealistic things. Being real and open on social media will help to reduce everyone’s unrealistic ideals about who they are, who they should be, and what they’re doing. We need to get to the understanding that nobody's life is as perfect as it looks in a photo, photos are just snapshots of moments, and moments are meant to be shared with others so share it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Trying these out will help to control your social media usage to become a more positive aspect of your life, instead of it draining us. We all are a victim of the social media tornado that surrounds us, but it’s time we focus on making it more of a wind storm, so it doesn’t consume us completely. Let’s just try to be social media savvy and examine what we’re doing.