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_“This is the great irony of social media: the more you immerse yourself in it, the more lonely and depressed you become.” _
_“The phone-based life makes it difficult for people to be fully present with others when they are with others, and to sit silently with themselves when they are alone.” _
“There are only two industries that refer to their customers as “users”: the illegal drug trade and tech companies. Both thrive by creating addicts and profiting from the addiction.” — The Social Dilemma (2020 film)
“Social media should be used as a platform to share your efforts (show your work) with the world, not as a place to mindlessly spend your time. The key is realizing that the flow needs to go from the real world into the digital space, not the other way around. Those who understand this will be the ones who succeed in life, almost guaranteed, barring some accident or injury. It’s that simple.” — Andrew Huberman
Quit social media | Dr. Cal Newport | TEDxTysons
10 Hacks to Fight Social Media Distractions
Social media is a “slot machine” designed to be addictive.
The goal of social media is to make every problem, your problem.
頭號時間殺手/小偷 (No.1 Timer Killer/Thief) 🪬
Social media is a highly judgmental space. What you see there is merely a curated highlight reel—a second reality that doesn’t tell the full story of people’s lives.
Social media increases two things:
- fear of losing
- strengthening of ego
Social media content, which offers a quick, easily accessible way that makes you happy or, even if it doesn’t make you happy, offers an escape from the thing that makes you unhappy.
Social media is a complete waste of time. These platforms routinely lead to anxiety, isolation and unhappiness across all ages.
- 社群媒體並無法消除寂寞感，只會再疊加一層焦慮感。
Social media can feel like a second job, with people constantly deciding what to post, overthinking every detail, and trying to keep up with others—often to the point of exhaustion.
Frequent scrolling and swiping behaviors can hinder/inhibit our ability to deeply focus and gradually shorten/fragment our attention spans. As our brains are flooded with an overwhelming stream of information, cognitive energy and mental resources become depleted, leaving us less capable of producing meaningful and tangible outputs.
Better Use of Social Media
- Avoid unconsciously scrolling on social media without any intentions 1
- Unless you’re making money from social media, delete them.
- Instead of passively scrolling, engage with content by leaving thoughtful comments, asking questions, or joining conversations. Shift from passive consumption to active participation.
- Set an intention to view social media as simply an idealized highlight reel with something engaging and entertaining, but really not a reflection of real life.
- Don’t take content recommendations from algorithms. Get your recommendations from people you follow who’ve earned your trust.
- Set boundaries for social media usage → helpful for taming/calming the monkey mind
- Not all photos/videos need to be shared. It’s the memories that count.
- Unfollow celebrities/influencers/brands.
- Mute everyone online who doesn’t do at least one of the following:
- Teach you something new
- Make you laugh
- Want to see them in the next 6 months
The Paradox of Connectedness/Social Media
- More connected, less connected.
- cPhones and digital distractions have amplified this issue. We can be in the same room with others physically, but still feel completely disconnected.
- Social media has created more connectedness than ever before—a constant dopamine drip.
- We have more connectedness, but we feel less connected to those around us.
- Social media is as addictive as drugs 2 designed to make you wish you were somewhere else, doing something else, with someone else.
- We all need to put down the phone and spend time connecting with people in person/real life.
- “NutraSweet” Connection
- Social media mimics real socializing, but it’s just a cheap imitation—like “NutraSweet (甜味劑)” for the brain, tricking you into thinking you’re getting what you need, only to leave you feeling empty.
The market values rare and valuable skills, not easily replicated activities like social media use.
“I deleted all my social media accounts, and I regretted it.” — Said no one ever.
We naturally seek social acceptance and approval, but the only validation that truly matters comes from yourself and the people you love. Focus on them, and let go of the need to compare yourself to others.
A life without social media is more productive and peaceful, fostering deeper concentration and more restorative leisure time.
By quitting social media, you gonna experience:
- less anxiety
- less sense of comparison
- more peace of mind
- more productive days
- more realness
- more sense of presence
…and the list goes on!
If you were to reduce screen time—especially social media—by just one hour per day for the next 40 years, that’s 15,000 hours of your life.
- Enough time to become a master at nearly anything.
- Enough time to build a thriving business.
- Enough time to make hundreds of memories with your loved ones.
See also: