Break Free from the Feed: Strategies for Limiting Social Media
- Cadence Becker
- 1 minute ago
- 5 min read
Do you ever catch yourself scrolling for just a few minutes—only to look up and realize an entire hour has passed? You’re not alone. Everywhere you look, people are absorbed in their screens, often missing the beauty and real connections happening around them. I have been this person countless
times, too, but there are significant risks associated with excessive screen time, such as lower self-esteem and mood (Hilliard, 2025). There’s also evidence that when our romantic partners use their smart phones more, we tend to have lower life and relationship satisfaction (McDaniel & Coyne., 2016, Sbarra et al., 2018). Constant scrolling can disrupt conversations and take away from time spent with others, thereby weakening our social connections.
To be clear, I’m not recommending anybody throw away their smart phone; there are many benefits of phone usage. For instance, messaging apps like WhatsApp can help people separated by distance to keep in touch. Apps like TikTok and Instagram help us co-construct art and culture with similar others. And even LinkedIn, toxic as it can be, can help us build professional connections. Those are great uses of our smart phones - no complaints there. But this article isn’t about those uses. This article is about the mindless, nonsocial scrolling we do on our phones, often against our will, for which the negative implications cannot be ignored. In this post, I’ll explore six practical strategies that I have personally benefited from to help you break free from the social media cycle and reclaim your time for more meaningful activities, like spending time with your friends!
1. Set Screen Time Limits
The first strategy that has really been beneficial to me is setting screen time limits directly on my phone. This has allowed me to have a clear goal of how long I want to spend on each different social media app and other apps on my phone in general. It also increases awareness of how long you have been on your phone. Even if you skip past it and continue to scroll, it will at least give your mind a break for a couple of seconds, and it will continue to disrupt your scrolling, lessening the likelihood that you won't notice an hour has passed. To set up screen limits, see instructions here for iPhone and here for Android.
2. Establish No-Phone Zones
I have made it a rule not to use my phone while in bed,
and I have strictly maintained this rule since. This rule has been critical to improving my sleep schedule, which has thereby improved all aspects of my life, as consistent sleep is essential to our personal and relational functioning (Buysse, 2014; Gordon et al., 2021). Even if I wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep, instead of reaching for my phone, I pick up a book. This helps me fall back asleep faster, prevents me from getting sucked into hours of scrolling, and from further disrupting my sleep schedule.
3. Move Social Media Apps Out of Sight
By moving my apps to places where I have to swipe an extra couple of times to access them, I have reduced the number of times I actually end up opening the apps. The trick here is to reduce the ease and automaticity of opening my phone and clicking right into my favorite mindless-scroll program. Since I incorporated this simple tip, my screen time has gone down. Additionally, incorporating this strategy only takes a couple of seconds, so it couldn’t hurt to try it out!
4. Replace Scrolling
When people stop smoking, they often find it helpful to replace it with a healthier habit. Similarly, when I get the urge to go on my phone
and scroll, I now have a list of activities for myself to do instead: I read, journal, paint, go for a walk, or work out at the gym. When I spend hours on social media apps each day, I feel like I am unable to try new things or do the things I actually enjoy doing (and that are good for me). When I consistently maintain a schedule for my hobbies, I feel less inclined to spend extended periods of time on my phone or social media apps.
5. Turn Off Notifications
Each individual social media app has an option to turn off notifications, and since I have done so, it has significantly reduced the amount of time I spend online. I have even opted to have “Do Not Disturb” on most hours of the day, and have turned off most other notifications, as every notification became an invitation for me to scroll. Notifications were designed to keep you on your phone and to increase your usage. By turning off notifications, I have more control over when I choose to go on social media apps. For more information on how social media companies capture our attention, often against our will, check out Tristan Harris’s TEDTalk here.
6. Delete Social Media Apps (Don’t Panic, Your Account Will Still Be There Waiting)
When numerous hours of my day are devoted to doing nothing but scrolling mindlessly, deleting all my social media apps is my holy grail when everything else fails. To some, this may sound extreme, but I promise that just a day of deleting apps does wonders for me; and luckily, when I redownload, everything is still right there. I always start by deleting apps for a day, but sometimes I aim higher, depending on the severity of my usage. I typically feel much more productive, energized, and just overall better about myself when I take regular breaks.
Conclusion
What could you do with an extra hour or two each day? For me, reducing the time I spend on social media apps has been vital to my personal growth, allowing me to engage in activities that nourish my brain, such as reading, creating, or spending time with friends.
While none of these strategies are foolproof, these tips and tricks have personally benefited me and improved all aspects of my life, and I hope they can help you too! Limiting social media doesn’t mean cutting yourself off from the world; it means reconnecting with it. Small changes, such as turning off notifications or setting no-phone rules, can create space for deeper conversations, improved sleep, and rediscovering hobbies you love (or picking up a new one). Start with one small change today, and you may be surprised at how much more energized, present, and connected you will feel.
References
Buysse, D. J. (2014). Sleep health: Can we define it? Does it matter? Sleep: Journal of
Sleep and Sleep Disorders Research, 37(1), 9–17.
Gordon, A. M., Carrillo, B., & Barnes, C. M. (2021). Sleep and social relationships in
healthy populations: A systematic review. Sleep Medicine Reviews, 57.
Hilliard, J. (2025, July 28). Social Media Addiction: Recognize the Signs. Addiction Center. Retrieved August 31, 2025, from https://www.addictioncenter.com/behavioral-addictions/social-media-addiction/
Thomas, C. (2022). How to reduce screen time? ExpressVPN. Retrieved August 31, 2025, from https://www.expressvpn.com/blog/ways-to-reduce-or-limit-your-screen-time/?srsltid=AfmBOorF-7z6VMS3vih-y5q7NtZluhwygThdUoy8YJ_S5wuCoJu8gj_H