How to identify the social media tools you probably should not be using

We justify using a particular social media tool if we derive just a modicum of benefit from it. That’s what Cal Newport calls the “any-benefit mindset”.

Yet, that mindset completely ignores the associated cost. It’s better to adopt a “net-benefit mindset” and only use social media tools that offer a clear positive impact on our professional and personal goals.

Last week, I shared Newport’s simple, three-step approach for identifying these tools. For the social media tools that only have little impact on your goals, I suggest applying a complementary approach that was also inspired by Newport – the “social media fast”.

It allows you to determine whether or not you should continue using that particular tool. It has three simple steps:

1. Refrain completely from using the tool for seven days – but do not tell anyone about it.

2. After the fast, ask yourself the following two questions about that social media tool:
Would the week have been notably better if I had used the tool?
Did people around me care that I wasn’t using the tool?

3. If you answer both questions with a clear “no”, quit that tool permanently. If your answer is a clear “yes”, return to using it. If you’re not sure, I’d recommend fasting for another week and then doing the same review again.

Let me share a personal anecdote:

A couple of years ago, I used Newport’s three-step approach on Instagram. After noticing that it only had little impact on my professional and personal goals, I deleted it from my devices for seven days. Towards the end of that week, I not only felt a lot less tempted to check my devices. I also was considerably less stressed, and my sleep (measured by the Oura ring) improved greatly. On top of that, nobody seemed to care – or even notice – that I wasn’t using Instagram anymore. That’s why I quit it permanently and have never looked back since.

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Until next week,
Christian