Western Vitality

As I write this, I reflect on my life and everything that has shaped me since becoming an adult. I have so many cherished memories and valuable lessons learned along the way. While I live with no regrets, I also know I’ve missed opportunities to grow and learn because I spent hours mindlessly scrolling on my phone.

Once I realized it was a problem, stopping became incredibly difficult. A big part of how I make a living is through social media—so how was I supposed to break my addiction? I’d get on with the intent of creating a video, only to get lost in “social media land.” Then, when something finally forced me to put my phone down—whether it was chores that needed to be done or my husband needing something—I’d feel awful. I felt guilty because I knew it was an issue, and I hated the feeling of not being able to say no, of automatically picking up my phone every time I sat down.

It’s been a long road of trial and error, and I’m still working on it, but I’ve pinpointed a few things that have helped me (and some that didn’t) that I believe can help you too.

1. Recognize the Problem

Did you know that if you spend just three hours a day on your phone, by the end of the year, you will have spent an entire month staring at a screen? How scary is that? The average American spends between 4 to 5.5 hours on their phone every single day—that’s nearly 70 days per year!

I don’t know about you, but losing almost two months of my life every year to my phone is terrifying enough to make me want to change. If you’re reading this, you might already recognize that social media could be an issue for you. No judgment—I’ve been there, feeling nearly trapped by this tiny device that somehow had the power to control my life.

Here’s my tip: If you haven’t already, go into your phone’s screen time settings, turn it on, and start tracking how much time you’re actually spending on your phone each day.

2. Set Boundaries

With anything in life, moderation is key. If you don’t want to completely get rid of social media (like me—I’m a content creator), then setting boundaries is essential.

Try one of these methods:

• Set a timer for yourself or use your phone’s screen time limits for specific apps.
• Hold yourself accountable—when the timer goes off, you must be done.
• Get an accountability partner—have your spouse or a family member set a screen time password that only they know.

Setting boundaries with social media won’t just help you break your addiction—it will also help you develop self-discipline in other areas of your life.

3. Find an Alternative

Instead of scrolling, find something else that doesn’t require a ton of brain power but still keeps you engaged. Some ideas:

• Read a book
• Try painting or another creative hobby
• Go for a walk
• Cook your favorite meal

For me, writing blog posts became my alternative to scrolling. The key is to find something that doesn’t feel like “work.” Most of the time, when we reach for our phones, it’s because we’re looking for something easy that still gives us a dopamine hit. Finding a replacement that feels just as effortless (but more productive) will make breaking the habit easier.

One small change I made? I started reading before bed instead of scrolling—it made a huge difference.

4. Take One Day Off Per Week

Since I’m a content creator, I spend a ton of time staring at a screen. But when I got married, I made a commitment: One day per week, I wouldn’t open a single social media app (except maybe Pinterest for inspiration).

Sundays are my reset day.

Going 24 hours without social media has been life-changing. I get more done, my brain feels quieter, and I’m not constantly distracted. I highly recommend trying it—you’ll be amazed at how refreshing it feels.

5. Stay on Your Home Feed

This one might sound odd, but it’s worked so well for me.

When you open Facebook or Instagram, your home feed mostly consists of content from accounts you follow. If you’ve been intentional about following uplifting and valuable accounts, your feed should be filled with positive, inspiring content.

But the moment you click on “Reels” or start exploring random content, you fall into the trap.

So, my tip? Stay on your home feed. Scroll through updates from family and friends, but don’t wander into the algorithm-driven black hole of endless scrolling. Eventually, you’ll get bored and want to put your phone down.

Bonus tip: If you haven’t already, unfollow any accounts that don’t make you a better person.

• If a friend constantly posts negative things? Unfollow.
• If a political account always leaves you angry? Unfollow.
• If an influencer makes you feel insecure? Unfollow.

Clear out the negativity so that when you do open social media, you’re only fed positivity and inspiration.

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These are just a few of the many things that have helped me. Honestly, I could talk about this topic all day—but we’ll save that for another post!

Breaking a social media addiction is hard. I get it—I’ve been there. I’m still working on it. But you’re not alone. Let’s take back control of our lives together.

Try out these tips and let me know how it goes in the comments!

Till next time, friends!