How To Practise Social Media Hygiene To Manage Your Stress

April is Stress Awareness Month—a time we are encouraged to use to reflect on our overall health and how stress can be negatively affecting us. Our digital lives can make our day-to-day feel overwhelming and, thanks to the pandemic, our screen time increased significantly over the last two years. That means more time on social media and like it or not, using social media can cause anxiety, depression and other mental health challenges. We spoke to Dr. Rumeet Billan, educator and resilience researcher and expert, about how good social media hygiene strategies can prevent unnecessary stress and anxiety that can come from over- or misusing platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. —Noa Nichol

Hi Dr. Billan! Please tell us a bit about yourself to start.

I am a mom to an amazing five-and-a-half year old who is kind, curious, and opinionated. I am a researcher, speaker, and humanitarian. I focus on transforming workplace culture through building psychological capital, earning trust, and creating experiences belonging. I love designing experiences that enable the transfer of knowledge in a meaningful and impactful way.

April is Stress Awareness Month, a time we are encouraged to use to reflect on our overall health and how stress can be negatively affecting us. How do/can our digital lives make our day-to-day feel overwhelming? Has the pandemic exacerbated this in any way?

It’s no surprise that there has been a significant increase in digital and online activities over the last two-plus years, especially since connecting in-person has come with limitations and restrictions. Due to the fact that social media platforms are accessible around the clock, and not to mention the constant notifications, it can make our day-to-day feel overwhelming. Add in the desire to see what others may be doing, wearing, and/or having for breakfast, it can consume our time and energy. What’s interesting is that social media is designed for people to connect, however what we are finding is that it is actually making people feel divided, a part, and even more isolated.

What sorts of feelings of stress/anxiety can social media cause, and why

Social media can fuel feelings of stress, anxiety, isolation, a fear of missing out, inadequacy related to our appearance, or even dissatisfaction with how we are experiencing life in comparison to others. And that’s the thing—we’re comparing ourselves to others and often in an unfavourable way, even though we know that social media can put a distorted lens on appearances and on reality when there is a lack of online authenticity. There can also be anxiety connected to what’s happening around the world and even in our own backyard. We are constantly consuming content and we might see a picture or video, and this will impact how we feel.

How does the use of social media contribute to poor mental health?

Study after study shows that high usage of specific platforms increases feelings of loneliness. The excessive use of social media can contribute to poor mental health and can also impact our sleep patterns. It can delay and even decrease quality sleep. It can also be a distraction at work, school, and/or at home where our family and/or children may be seeking connection.

Are there any instances when it can benefit our mental health/stress levels?

It is important to acknowledge that social media can be positive for our mental health. It can help us to communicate, stay connected with family and friends, raise awareness for causes, and can also be a great marketing tool for businesses. We just want to be mindful that there can be dangers when we use it excessively.

In that vein, in our ever-connected world, what is/are the solution/s to better managing how social media affects our mental wellbeing?

Self-monitoring is a powerful practice that can help us gain perspective as it relates to social media. Monitoring how much time we spend on different platforms and how we feel before/during/after can be helpful. It’s also about monitoring who we are following and what emotions are provoked when we see a post and/or content from them. This can encourage us to re-examine our social media habits.

What does practising good social media/digital hygiene mean?

It’s about knowing when to log off and take care of ourselves. This can include creating boundaries, and we’ve all heard of social media breaks and disabling notifications which can be helpful. It’s also about being intentional about the social media platforms we use and understanding what the intention for using them is. For example, are you using it to stay connected and/or is it where you get your news from? Alternatively, are you using it for validation and/or to self-soothe? Understanding our intentions can help us to practice positive social media hygiene.

What are your top social media hygiene strategies that can prevent unnecessary stress and anxiety that can come from over- or mis-using platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Facebook?

1. Self-monitoring in order to assess how much time is spent on the various platforms and how they make you feel.
2. Turning off devices at specific times during the day
3. Cleansing your timeline and following people/companies that support your intentions.
4. Cultivating your social media experience and knowing that you don’t have to consume everything that’s out there.

Many of us (present company included) make a living on social media; how do we reconcile that (our work) with our mental health?

It’s fantastic that people are making a living on social media, and I’d encourage those that do to ensure that they are taking social media breaks in order to protect their overall health. Just as those who make a living not on social media are encouraged to take breaks and take vacations, those who are on social media should absolutely be doing so as well. It’s not sustainable to be “on” all the time for anyone, regardless of how they make their living.

Any advice for parents of children, who are growing up in a digital age? How do we protect their mental health, and nurture healthy social media practices?

Lead by example and create boundaries around the amount of time they can engage on social media. Encourage everyone (including parents and guardians) to turn off their phones at specific times during the week and weekends. It’s about moderation—for everyone.

What does your personal social media usage look like, and how do you manage it?

I am intentional about the platforms I use and engage with. There are specific platforms that I don’t have accounts for (even though friends and colleagues have tried to pressure me into creating them!), and I am active on two (LinkedIn and Twitter). I’m also intentional about how much I post (usually not more than twice a week), and how much I consume and at what times during the day. The boundaries I’ve created have helped me to stay focused both at work and at home when I need to be. I also ask myself: do I really need to know what they had for breakfast?

rumeetbillan.com