As the temperature outside rises just enough to allow us Wisconsinites to step outside without turning into an ice cube, we’re practically begging for the warm sun to come back out. But with the change in season also means the dreaded spring cleaning. Each spring we do some deep decluttering in our closets, kitchens, and cars… but what about our social media feeds? Your Instagram timeline can just get just as crowded as the 10 empty water bottles on your nightstand (guilty). To keep your use of social media both mindful and stress-free, it’s important to evaluate who you’re letting onto your feed.
- Take a long look at who you’re following – and why
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It may seem super important to keep up that friend from fifth grade, but ask yourself if seeing her constant posts are really worth the mutual follow. This is especially important when looking through the list of celebrities that you follow. Drooling over the seemingly perfect lives of social media influencers may be tempting, but you’re not gaining anything by seeing their 100th post from Fiji, France, or wherever they’re jetting off to this week.
- Reduce the number of people you follow
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The amount of social media accounts that post the exact same content is overwhelming. Do you need to be seeing that same meme on your timeline for the sixth time this morning? Since the answer is likely no, reducing the amount of people that you follow may help in minimizing the plethora of redundant tweets that crowd your feed each day. This unfollowing spree may also cause you to get bored of social media quicker, given that there will be less content to consume. So, if you’re someone who is embarrassed to show others your phone screen time data (like me), this may help you out as well!
- Take advantage of the features that social media platforms offer
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No, I don’t mean you need to immediately block someone that made one annoying Snapchat story. However, many social media platforms do utilize features that allow their users to filter what kind of content they see. Instagram kindly lets you mute someone without actually having to do the dirty work; muting a follower blocks their posts from your feed, but you don’t have to unfollow them completely. Many platforms also let you give feedback on sponsored content, tailoring your timeline to be slightly less irritating.
- Add some feel-good content creators into the mix!
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For every influencer doing a livestream from a yacht in the Bahamas, there are hundreds of smaller creators who post amazing content each day. Whether you’re looking for a daily quote to lift your spirits, or more niche, in-depth writing, there is no limit to the vault of content that is available. Some of my favorite Instagram accounts I see on my feed are:
@alex_elle, @bymariandrew, @morganharpernichols,@gmf.designs and @mattsurelee
So, even if you’re not ready to completely cut your screen-time in half, you can rely on a few of these tips to help make your social media feed feel a little more pleasant this spring.