How to be more intentional with social media for enhanced mental wellbeing, according to experts

Woman scrolling on her phone

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Mental Health


How to be more intentional with social media for enhanced mental wellbeing, according to experts

By Anna Bartter

4 months ago

7 min read

Love it or loathe it, social media is here to stay. Rather than ditching the apps entirely, could cultivating a more mindful approach to social media consumption be the answer to a less stressful relationship with our feeds? 


We’ve all been there: you pick up your phone to ping a quick message on the group chat, and before you know it, you’re scrolling through a long-lost friend’s holiday snaps, enviously comparing their airport flat lay to your cluttered, chilly home office set up. It’s a recipe for disaster, not to mention a total waste of precious time. 

And while it’s tempting to go cold turkey on the apps when your willpower is lacking, new research from the University of Britsh Colombia reveals that rather than ditching social media entirely (which is probably unrealistic, right?), we’re better off cultivating a more intentional approach to our social feeds. 

But how can we do this when it’s so easy to get distracted by seemingly endless clickable content? We asked the experts for their top tips, so (in this case) do keep scrolling for their advice. 

How to be more intentional with social media 

Doomscrolling illustration

Credit: Getty

Think about the last time you vowed to take a break from social media. If you managed to go cold turkey and indulge in a few hours (or days) of blissful ignorance, congratulations, but for most of us, an enforced digital detox is a challenge. Even if you don’t need to use your beloved apps for work, there’s a haunting FOMO to not refreshing your feed every few seconds, and we all have our go-to scrolls when real life gets a bit much.

“Social media can be a double-edged sword,” says psychologist Barbara Santini. “While it connects us to communities and opportunities, overuse or thoughtless engagement can take a toll on our mental health.”

Up until now, the solution to overcoming our social media habit was a black-and-white one: delete it. But, given that the internet isn’t going to magically disappear anytime soon, what if there’s a more manageable and achievable middle-ground? Well, that’s exactly what researchers at the University of British Colombia have been analysing. The experts found that how we use social media can have an effect on mental health (and anxiety, depression and loneliness, in particular) as opposed to simply cutting it out entirely, which, in this study, increased symptoms of loneliness. 

Top tips for curating a healthier social media feed, according to experts

So, the research seems to suggest that controlling how we consume social media is just as beneficial as an all-or-nothing approach, which is good news for those of us who need to use social media for work or simply can’t imagine not using it. However, a more mindful approach to our feeds is going to require some work, and most of us will need to be committed to making changes to how we use our devices. 

1. Consider your social media purpose

Firstly, it’s important to spend some time thinking about how you generally use social media. Is it a way to wind down in the evening? Do you need it to promote a business? Are you using it as a way of avoiding real life? We all have different reasons for scrolling, but working out what you’re seeking to achieve from it is often the first step in changing your relationship with social media. 

“Firstly, I recommend defining your purpose for engaging with social media,” says psychologist Ieva Kubiliute. “Are you seeking inspiration, connection or entertainment? Without a clear purpose, it’s easy to fall into mindless scrolling, which often leads to feelings of inadequacy or overwhelm.”

2.  Carefully curate your social feeds

Once you’ve identified how you want to use your feed, it’s time to clean up your online clutter. “Curating what you do on social media is a great way to reduce the negative effects these platforms can have,” says Tamsin Hough, social media manger at Big Games Machine. “Thinking about what your intention is on any given platform will help ensure you’re not falling into the black holes of negativity or toxicity, and instead, you’re focusing on what you want to achieve from being online.”

This might look like using different apps for different reasons, eg TikTok for your love of reading and LinkedIn for your professional work. “By thinking about the ‘goal’ of your social profile, you’ll begin engaging with and creating the content that you want while also reducing the ‘background noise’ of negativity that can be present on a lot of social platforms,” says Hough. 

Kubiliute stresses that while it may not always feel like it, you are in charge of your feed. “Try actively questioning the content you interact with,” she advises. “Consider, does this add value to my life? If not, unfollow or mute accounts that evoke comparison or negativity. Remember, you are the curator of your digital space.”

3. Set clear limits for online usage 

This might sound obvious, but some of us need stricter boundaries for ourselves when it comes to regulating our online behaviour. 

“Allocate specific times for social media and try to avoid endless scrolling, especially during emotionally vulnerable moments like before bed or after a stressful day,” suggests Santini. “This creates a healthy separation between online engagement and your emotional well-being.” 

If you’re using social media as a business tool, you still need to have rigourous boundaries around it. “To use social media more mindfully in your business, I recommend setting aside specific days for content creation,” says  Am Golhar, an entrepreneur and business mentor. “For example, you could dedicate half a day on Mondays and Fridays to develop a strategy and create content for the upcoming weeks. This approach prevents the exhaustion that can come from daily content creation.”

Allocate specific times for content creation

Am Golhar

4. Wind down without your phone – especially before bed

If you’re guilty of double-screening, you’re in danger of never really allowing yourself to switch off and relax.

“When watching a new trending series that you’re excited about, put your phone to the side and give your full attention to what you are watching,” says Tom Bourlet, social media expert and head of marketing at Fizzbox. “Social media can interrupt your focus, and you will enjoy the experience much more when you are fully engaged. I know this can be hard for many people, so pick a show each evening that you will enjoy phone-free. Therefore you’re only making this dedication for a set period of time, say 30 minutes or an hour.”

Additionally, while we all know that scrolling in bed is a big no-no, many of us are still guilty of taking our phones to bed with us. 

“Avoid social media for at least an hour before going to bed,” Bourlet adds. “Scrolling through apps can overstimulate your mind, and it can be incredibly addictive, which is likely to disrupt your sleep. Reading a book or enjoying a relaxing activity is a great way to prepare for a restful night, and avoiding endless scrolling before bed can help to ensure you still get your preferred amount of sleep.”

5. Be deliberate about your engagement

Don’t forget the power of the algorithm. “Be deliberate about the accounts you follow and engage with. Social media algorithms tend to amplify the content you interact with most, so if you’re clicking on posts that stress you out, you’ll likely see more of the same,” says Tom Stone, co-founder of marketing agency Re:act. “Instead, try following accounts that share positive or mindful content. January is often a popular time for a ‘reset’, and many people curate their feeds to reflect their goals, such as fitness or mental wellbeing. This approach helps shape a newsfeed that feels uplifting, rather than overwhelming.”

6. Choose your apps wisely

This goes a step further than curating your feed, and is more akin to the cold-turkey approach, but in some cases, you will need to avoid apps that trigger unhealthy behaviours. Instead, choose apps that work for your brain, rather than against it. 

“It’s worth exploring accounts that actively promote mindfulness,” suggests Stone. “Some brands, like Calm, go beyond selling a product to promote mindfulness directly. For example, their ads often suggest taking a 10-second break rather than pushing their app. Similarly, following pages that share daily good news or mindfulness techniques can bring a sense of balance.”

Woman using her phone in bed

Credit: Getty

7. Adopt a critical mindset

Last but certainly not least, try an maintain a critical eye when you’re scrolling. 

“Equally important is maintaining perspective – remember that social media presents a carefully curated highlight reel rather than the full picture of people’s lives, complete with struggles, setbacks and ordinary moments,” notes Jem Bahaijoub, head of social media at Make Me Social. “The personalised algorithms that make these platforms engaging can also create deceptive echo chambers, serving up content that primarily confirms your existing views while filtering out diverse perspectives. This makes it crucial to fact-check information rather than taking viral posts at face value and to consciously seek out varied viewpoints to maintain a balanced understanding of topics. By combining these practical limits with a critical mindset, you can enjoy the benefits of social media while avoiding its potential pitfalls.”


Images: Getty

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