Alexander Jendrusina, Ph.D., a counselor with the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office, shares tips for curbing your online media use. To hear more from Alexander, register for Mental Health Mondays, a "drop-in" Zoom presentation on the first Monday of each month. 

Have you ever found yourself with a bunch of web browser tabs open, scrolling endlessly online, or clicking between social media or news platforms - only to look up and realize the clock is not where you expected it to be? You’re not alone. If you’re interested in reclaiming your time or changing your online media use, check out these helpful ideas. 

Notice How and When You Use Online

When we want to change something about ourselves, the first step is understanding what we’re actually doing. Take a moment to reflect on your online media habits. When do you find yourself reaching for your device? Is it with purpose or driven by emotion or boredom? While these are valid reasons, is your use how you want it to be? If not, try centering one or two of the reasons below to remind yourself about why you want to change. 

• Spend more time with my family and friends
• Improve my sleep
• Decrease my procrastination
• Avoid unproductive or harmful self-comparisons
• Make my breaks more restorative 

Stopping "Automatic" Use

Do you ever reach for your phone and find yourself 15 minutes in the future? Many of us have created patterns of use that are automatic, where we may not always be intentional in what we are doing, and scrolling through one article, posting, or video leads to another, and so on. If you’re looking to change this habit, consider actionable steps that can help build a buffer before engagement with online media. 

• Turn off automatic passwords and automatic logins
• Move your favorite app or bookmark so that you really have to think before opening it
• Don’t take devices on breaks, at lunch, or other times you want to limit usage
• Look into apps and programs that can impose limits on online media use
• Try using your phone like a landline: keep it away, where you can hear it but not reach it

Setting Limits, Supporting Your Well-being

In this day and age, whether at 1 p.m. or 1 a.m., online media is available. Social media platforms, news, and more energetically seek you out through notifications and updates. Remember: You get to choose how you use online media. Also, keep in mind that online content can lead us to feel anxious, sad, stressed, angry, and more. Furthermore, certain online content (e.g., news) can actually trigger our stress response, where our mind and body react as if we are experiencing a direct threat at that moment. Frequent consumption of this material has the possibility to even alter our stress response over time. Try these tips to set limits and protect your mental health:

• Set a five-minute timer or schedule your online media time like you would a task or meeting
• Avoid online media when trying to relax or sleep, especially activating material like the news
• Turn off updates and notifications on devices
• Try "tech-free" times during your day, such as no devices at dinner or 1 hour before bed
• Remind yourself that just because you have access, you don’t have to read or watch disturbing content

Pausing Before Clicking

Asking yourself a few questions before you connect to online media can create a moment of pause and help you make better choices. Such questions act like a stop sign, allowing us to brake and proceed in a meaningful direction. Try posing one of the following to yourself before engaging a device:

• What do I want to accomplish by doing this?
• Does this make me feel better?
• Do I need to see this content now, or could it wait a few hours?
• Would it be better to use this time for another activity instead?

Keep in mind that changing online media habits doesn’t happen overnight and that you don’t have to “quit” to create healthy change. This is about making more intentional choices to ultimately help you feel more fulfilled and support your well-being.

Need More Support? We’re Here for You

If you want to develop a plan to decrease online media use or find support for stress and your well-being, counselors are available to provide confidential services at no charge. If you work on an academic campus, reach out to the Faculty and Staff Counseling and Consultation Office (FASCCO) at 734-936-8660 or via email at [email protected]. If you work at Michigan Medicine, reach out to the Office of Counseling and Workplace Resilience (OCWR) by calling 734-763-5409 or sending an email to [email protected].