Can you remember a time when there was no social media? A time when there was no Facebook reminding us when friends’ birthdays were or a time when you didn’t feel the need to post selfies on your extravagant vacation.

Spending too much time on social media platforms, especially during times of stress such as COVID-19, can actually negatively impact your overall mental health. Here are some ways to manage your social media intake:

Unfollow Negative Accounts – While following social media influencers can provide you with entertainment, continually comparing yourself to others and the things that they have can leave you feeling down and depressed. Instead, unfollow or unfriend the accounts that don’t align with your values or personal views. If you are unable to unfriend someone due to them being a colleague, client or family member, try ‘muting’ their accounts. This will allow you to remain ‘friends’ while hiding their posts from your social media feed, depending on the platform you are using.

Mute Keywords or Phrases – Similar to unfollowing an account, most social media platforms also allow you the option to mute or hide specific words or phrases from appearing in your newsfeed. This can even include things such as ‘hashtags’ or specific emojis. You can mute these for a specific period of time or ‘forever’ so you can be sure to avoid sensitive topics for you and stay clear of the negative emotions that may arise when seeing them.

Follow the Positivity – Just as you can unfollow any account or mute any phrases that upsets you, you can replace them with something that makes you happy! Replace those negative pages, peoples and accounts with motivational or inspirational people/accounts, comedy pages or specific people that bring you joy.

Set Limits –Research has shown that excessive periods of time looking at a screen, whether it be a TV, phone, computer or other devices, is bad for your health. Prolonged exposure can lead to things such as cancer, diabetes or even severe mental health issues like depression or anxiety. These mental health issues can also start to worsen when your exposure also includes negative information that you may be trying to avoid.

Take a Break! – If you’ve found yourself trying each of the previous 4 tips and still feel the negative effects of social media, try taking a break! Many people often forget that they don’t necessarily need social media in their life. While it may be essential for some due to their work, if you are able to, try signing out of your accounts for a few days. Regroup, get refreshed and come back feeling better than ever!