Social Media

Scroll a little less. Live a little more.

Author

Jimmy Helmick
April 21, 2025

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A few years ago I decided to let go of all of my social media accounts, except for LinkedIn.

And even though being off the other sites has helped my mental health tremendously, I still get caught up in the scroll.

It’s important to know these sites and apps are designed to be addicting. It’s also no real coincidence that they call their customers “users”. But I digress.

As with any of these newsletters, it is as much a reminder for me as it is for you.

So let’s get to work. I’m glad you’re here.

Oh, and if you find value in this, please share it with someone you care about.

Simple & Sustainable

Here’s the essentialist angle. Social media can be helpful, but most of the time it just adds noise. Our goal, as always, is to create more space for what matters:

  • More rest

  • More presence

  • More creativity

  • More real connection

Cleaning up your social media is just like cleaning out your closet. You can remove what no longer fits, what brings you down, or what does not match who you are becoming.

And the data supports this.

The American Psychological Association found that U.S. teens now spend almost five hours each day on social media. Among those who use it the most, 41 percent rated their mental health as poor. Teens who spend less time on social media tend to feel better overall.

Another study from Iowa State found that young adults who limited their social use to just 30 minutes a day for two weeks felt less anxious and more productive. They also slept better. A small change in habits made a noticeable difference in how they felt.

Not all apps are created equal. A 2025 study found that video-based apps like TikTok and YouTube were linked to more anxiety and depression. Chat-based apps like Snapchat were associated with fewer mental health concerns. What you use and how often you use it both matter.

‘Fox Trot’ comic strip by Bill Amend.

Daily Doables

Here are seven simple, doable ideas to reduce the noise of social media use this week. I’ve attached a more detailed, printable version of this checklist below. Let me know if you find it helpful.

  • Mon: Check your screen time for each social media app and write it down.

  • Tue: Unfollow 10 accounts that drain you

  • Wed: Set a 15-minute scroll timer

  • Thu: No social media after dinner

  • Fri: Delete an app you no longer need

  • Sat: Move social apps off your home screen

  • Sun: Spend one hour completely unplugged

Let me know what you tried!

Parting Points

You do not have to quit social media forever. You just don’t want to let it run the show.

If you try any of the challenges this week, hit reply and tell me how it goes. I love hearing your wins, no matter how small they seem.

And if you’re open to it, I’d love to share your story in the Friday Feels email!

Next week we will talk about Friendships and Boundaries. What friendships lift us up, which ones wear us out, and how to tell the difference. We’ll explore how setting simple boundaries can create more room for real connection with less guilt or drama

Until then, scroll a little less and live a little more.

Yours in Simplicity,

Social Media Checklist Apr 25.pdf192.16 KB • PDF File

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