Getting Lost in the Content Lull?
Looking back on how I have been spending my time these past few months, it’s safe to say that I’ve been sucked into the content wormhole. Looking at my phone’s activity log, it’s almost scary to see how much of my time has been dedicated to scrolling through or watching things. Whether it’s instructional videos online or short-form content, I have been lost to watching other people. The American Psychological Association talks about what it means to be in media overload and how to combat these negative effects. In their article, they note that the limitlessness of certain forms of media consumption can easily become a bad thing. Whether it’s doom scrolling through negative news headlines or becoming fixated to the point that other things in our lives are being neglected, media consumption definitely has its flaws.
I want to recognize those flaws and compare them to how they impact me personally. How am I impacted by content trends? Where is my time going by being online so much? Finally, I will go over the planned approach I have for countering these negative impacts and making content consumption a space of enjoyment rather than reliability.
Preparations
Starting with what we’re working with, it’s time to take a hard look at my recorded screen time. It’s not pretty. On average, I spend almost 4 hours a day just scrolling on social media or watching internet videos. Seeing this trend carried out over a variety of days in my schedule is a difficult thing to see. Knowing I have other responsibilities and better ways to spend my time, I am changing this trend here and now. Goal number 1 is identifying the existing time suckers and categorize them based on their levels of concern.
Cutting Out Unnecessary Apps
While some forms of social media function as a way for me to keep tabs on the people I care for and others are more for staying on top of my interests, it’s safe to say I would benefit from limiting excessive amounts of content consumption. The first step in the process is to list the major forms of social media I use. This includes their general purposes and what I most often see on them.
- Instagram: The biggest fish in the pond; generally used for everything from local businesses, friends and family, and fresh-ish memes
- Facebook: Still not sure why I have this app; will sometimes use it for family purposes and check the marketplace
- Pinterest: Personal favorite; mainly used for finding recipes, outfit inspiration, and crafty things
- Youtube: So. Much. Watching; mainly used for background audio or entertainment watching
- Twitch: Fun to watch when the schedule allows it; for watching a few streamers I’ve been following for a long time.
The gauges that these apps will be going through in order to highlight areas of concern are Level of Distraction, Emotional Drain, Replaceability, and Growth & Learning Potential. Each of these will be placed on a scale from 1 to 5 in order to measure their overall intensity.
Media App Table
Media Scoring Reflections
Taking this scores down, I was critical of my time spent and what exactly I was spending my time on. I asked myself questions pertaining to the relevance of the content to my own life and what I gained from viewing it.
High Scores are Bad?
Analyzing the chart above, a few red flags arise when it comes to the personal reflections I have made about the apps I’ve been spending so much time on. Looking firstly at Instagram, the biggest warning signs come from its distractibility and emotional drain. Ranking higher in these categories when compared to the others, it’s safe to say that the amount of time spent scrolling through reels is likely unjustified. Also, seeing that I spend the most active time on this app is an even bigger eye-opener. No wonder I’ve been feeling so drained lately. Rather than letting a YouTube video or a Twitch stream run in the background of me doing other tasks, I am actively engaging in Instagram when I open the app. This is the app that will likely require the most change.
Middle of the Road
Running up the middle in terms of scoring, YouTube is a staple of my time and includes the most controlled content viewing. It is a safe choice but can still benefit from less time spent on it. I have the potential to become over-fixated on certain creators. This lends to the what strategies may be beneficial when developing an effective approach. I also like the learning potential from this app. I can literally learn about anything on that app and it’s free!
Facebook is also a lesser concern for me. I will say that the marketplace can be an addictive place for scrolling. However, the political trolling and emotional posting has never been a space where I have dedicated my time. I could probably approach this app with less intensity and focus more on what gains I can make from controlling the others.
Potential Stars
On the upside however, there are a few potential gems here. Pinterest and Twitch being the highlights, perhaps there are some good spots to focus on after all. It is likely that these two have resulted in better scores due to the specific forms of content that I consume on these apps. Personal hobbies and chill streaming provide a less emotionally demanding participant experience for me. I’m not as bombarded by angry or fear mongering posters trying to scare me away from existing. I also see less of “feeding” content focused on emotional reaction. Instead, I see more creative outlet and encouraging spaces to incorporate into my own living. Even if it’s just watching someone play PowerWash Simulator, I am not as fixated on the screen and can engage in more present activities.
Process
Now that we know what we’re dealing with, it’s time to develop an effective game plan.
Switching Things Up
Instagram being the app that needs the most tweaking, I have decided to better curate my interests by depleting engagement and removing unwanted content. This does not mean isolating from society, but limiting the excess. Researchers at the Jinan University published a research study focusing on the overfeeding of information on social media. In that study they noted just how impactful social media can be when it comes to emotional exhaustion. My goal is to help counter this negative effect through two methods.
Method One: No Time Like the Present
Method One involves physically limiting my access to Instagram by adding a time limiter on my phone. This may not be an option of everyone but this is a feature included on the iPhone that I think may come in handy. After 1 hour of collective time each day, I will no longer be allowed to be a witness to that oh so perfect selfie you just posted. My hope for this limiter is to actively take me away from the hours spent mindlessly scrolling.
Method Two: Not on My Page!
Method two requires more of an active engagement. For the foreseeable future I will ask myself if the posts I am watching are actually what I want to see. If they aren’t then they get the boot! Being an active member in my own feed can reduce that information overload by helping to convert the mess of a homepage that I’m working with right now. Instead, I will have a little oasis full of my interests and, yes, some almost fresh memes.
The Little Things
What about the rest of the apps? Well, just like Instagram, Facebook will also be on a time lock. After 30 minutes of perusing the marketplace, it’s officially time to close up my wallet. Because of its lack of genuine value in my life, Facebook is really given the middle child treatment on this one.
YouTube will also be given a limiter in terms of videos watched actively. The requirements for video limitations are identified by the type of video that I am watching. For example, if I’ve had a lo-fi ambience video playing in the background of me working (literally what’s happening as I’m typing this) then that will not be considered an actively consumed video. However, if I’ve watched 2 or 3 videos of a YouTube chef making fun desserts, then it’s probably time for me to find something else to spend my time on.
Making the Best Even Better
I’m literally not touching Pinterest. It is the perfect app for me when I’m looking to be inspired or encouraged to be creative. Sure, I might be able to find my own peach cobbler cookie recipe by google searching it. But why would I do that when I can also see a really cute pair of overalls to add to my spring outfit inspo board? If anything, the change that should be made to this app in my life is actually making or putting together some of the things that I see on there that I really like.
Twitch, the background music to my life, can likely benefit from a more limited viewer perspective. There are a LOT of streamers that I follow, so shortening that list to a handful of core creators that genuinely make doing chores around my house sound like fun could make the hours spent watching less fatiguing.
Pros
It has officially been over a month (about 6 weeks) since I have picked up these tactics to reintroducing social media into my life. There have been some serious positives from this experience.
The Birth of New Hobbies
One of the greatest things to come from limiting my exposure and redefining how I use social media are the little sprouts of growth I’ve noticed in my other hobbies. I’m writing more, reading more, and I’ve been baking like Nina Métayer herself. My greatest development is actually slowly learning how to sew! There is truly so much freedom in making yourself bored. By taking away the easy brain babysitter of scrolling and scrolling some more, I have moved onto more mentally demanding places and have seen growth from it! Make yourself bored and see what you create!
A Greater Appreciation for the Creative
I hope that every person who spends countless hours putting together ambient lo-fi videos always has a warm bed, a full stomach, and a sweet set of headphones to work with. You guys have officially upheld so much of the time I have spent working on projects and crafts. A personal shoutout to Lepreezy. You’re ambient oldies make chore day in my house the most relaxing time I spend all week.
Seeing Feeds Change
One of the main topics explored in the development stages of this exercise involved reshaping my feed into something that served me personally. I would say that this was achieved in moderate way. Looking specifically at Instagram, after combing through and eliminating certain forms of content being served to me, the type of feed that I’ve been getting has generally different focus. Now, I get more things focused on local or small businesses, crafting content, and other aesthetic things. Personally, I have found this shift to benefit me more in terms of how I feel after scrolling for a few minutes.
Cons
There were a few things that didn’t go as well in regard to overhauling my social media experience. Especially when looking at the various social and connective parts of social media, there were a few points I wanted to include
The Social Part of Social Media
Cutting out large portions of time spent on social media meant that I was not as engaged with personal relationships across the variations platforms. This meant that I was missing things being posted by my friends and not responding as quickly in my DM’s. I was also effected by this in an in-person way by not feeling as informed when social topics were brought into group settings. For example, when sitting down with my family for dinner, I had realized that I had almost missed sending a message to a family friend regarding their upcoming surgery. It was a Facebook post that had informed everyone else of this happening and I had simply been behind the loop. Needless to say when you disconnect more, you are not as updated as a large amount of people around you who very much are connected to some level.
Final Thoughts
Reflecting on the changes I’ve gone through over the course of this experience, I would recommend that everyone try to disconnect from overconsumption in one way or another. At the beginning, I truly felt that I was just too emotionally tired all of the time. I was literally consumed by consumption. Whether it was from 24/7 bad news or people trying to sell something, it was becoming too much. If you also feel this way or have had similar thoughts as me, a break may be a good idea. Even if by only taking a few steps at a time, it is at least worth giving a try.
Final App Update
As of today, I spend much less time on social media, especially when dealing with short form content. More than anything, I have moved in a direction that keeps creative outlet and a more relaxed energy at the forefront of what I am seeing. Of course, I still stay as updated as I can, opting to spend more time reading articles rather than waiting for that one reel that’s going to inform me in less than 30 seconds. Mostly though, I feel more confident in myself and my growth. With less performance there is less comparison. I am learning and advancing because I am internally motivated to and less to prove something socially.
The Core Four
The four apps that I still use on a regular basis are still Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, and Twitch. YouTube and Pinterest have slowly begun to dethrone Instagram as my main time spenders. If I were to redo my initial chart, I don’t believe the numbers would change very much, but I myself have slowly adapted and I think that means a lot more overall. Disconnect yourself and see how you like it!