Navigating social media with purpose
Have you ever felt stuck in a cycle of deleting and re-downloading social media? Does Instagram or Tinder feel like a poison that you are perpetually running from? You may claim that we are better off ridding the world of social media. And though I understand where this view comes from, I’m here to argue that social media is not a poison. It’s a tool. It is our choice whether we use that tool to help or hurt ourselves and others.
To navigate social media strategically, we must first understand the algorithms behind it. Content recommenders find patterns in our behavior to show us posts we are likely to resonate with. Ad targeting recommenders use topics in our history to show us relevant products. For example, if we have liked posts of dog tricks, we are shown ads targeting pet owners, like dog food or toys. Essentially, these algorithms are a feedback loop. We interact with certain topics of content, so similar content appears to keep us engaged. By recognizing this, we can actively control our feed and view social media as a rapid climb as opposed to a slippery slope.
Some harmful effects I see on social media stem from overstimulation, comparing lives with idealized views of others, and avoiding problems with instant gratification. I am confident that the methods below can help avoid these, while navigating digital spaces with purpose.
Set an intention.
If there is one point you take away from this article, let it be this. Sit down and write your intention. What is your reason for engaging with social media? This applies both to people who primarily create or consume content. We must be honest with ourselves here in order to move forward with purpose. Even if the reason is “to relax”, so be it. Write it down. Personally, my intention is to encourage creativity and mindfulness. Every time I share or see content, I ask myself, is this aligned with my intention?
Control your feed.
As per the feedback loop of algorithms behind social media, engaging with positive content will cause it to appear more often. Overlooking negative content will cause it to diminish over time.
- Unfollow accounts and ignore posts that are not helping you. This teaches the algorithm what to avoid.
- Follow people who align with your goals and inspire you. Social media gives us a platform to receive guidance from people that inspire us. It allows us to observe, learn from their accomplishments, and take purposeful action in our own lives. Before social media, this channel of knowledge was almost non-existent. Take advantage of this opportunity!
- Share content and interact with posts only if it aligns with your intention. This reduces the impact of noise in the digital world. Thoughts like “what if people judge me?” become irrelevant when your intention is clear.
Engage mindfully.
- Listen to your body when it asks you to stop. There is a point in time when engaging with posts becomes counter-productive. This varies between people. I have found that 30 minutes daily is ideal for me to gain benefits while minimizing harm. One method to recognize your ideal amount of time is to pay attention to the body's energy levels as you engage. When do you start to feel drained?
- Set time limits. Once you have recognized the ideal amount of time for you to spend on social media, hold yourself accountable to it. All interactions with social media take place within the limit, checking messages, emails, posting, etc. An added benefit here is that time limits force you to prioritize the content you engage with. Yes, this takes discipline. What is worth your attention?
- Do not use social media in gaps of time. Gaps of time are precious commodities that people so often take for granted. Use this time to observe your surroundings, listen to your body, chip away at a task, doodle, anything but scroll mindlessly.
- Challenge yourself to take breaks. This is different from steps 4 and 5 in the cycle chart above because it is approached with control. Step away for a week or a month. The app no longer pulls you. You decide when and for what reason social media exists in your life, if at all.
- Avoid the reels tab. Personally, I find Instagram’s reels tab abusive to human attention. This is the same reason I avoid TikTok. Our minds are not meant to switch so rapidly between emotions and topics.
- Slow down. Let yourself reflect on the topics you see. What is interesting about it? Do you agree with it? Do you want to see more like it? Test your memory by scrolling a few minutes, closing your eyes, and trying to remember as much of what you had seen.
- Share authentic content. Validation from likes and views on your posts is not genuine happiness. It brings a moment of gratification, followed by endless dissatisfaction. True happiness comes from listening to your inner voices and being unapologetically yourself. Trust me, like a magnet, the right people gravitate towards you.
- Learn to be comfortable in solitude (without technology). Learning to be alone is one of the most undervalued skills. Dependence on social media grows when people use it as a distraction from their problems. Get to know your mind without technology to approach digital environments constructively.
A note on dating apps
Believe it or not, even dating apps can be approached strategically when seen as a tool. In the past, dating apps felt exhausting and unhealthy, scrolling endlessly through pictures, hoping one would respond. When I changed my approach, my view of dating apps changed too. I decided to pay for 1 month on Bumble, allowing me to see a list of people who liked my profile. Then, I could reach out to people who were truly interested with no scrolling or energy drain. Dating apps are not poisonous when we are smart about our interactions with it.
Social media is not inherently good or bad. There is noise within it just as there is noise in the world. Step one to reducing the impact of noise is writing your intention. This could be anything from sharing poetry to advocating for policy change. By setting an intention, we become laser focused on how the app can benefit us. Anything else is a distraction. We are not always able to get rid of noise, but we are able to be selective of where we direct our attention.
Social media does not control you. You control it. With intention and discipline, it is simply a tool to create a life of purpose.
Keep learning! ✌💛
- Shoba
leading a creative revolution