Breaking The Cycle: How I Learned To Manage Stress Without Leaving Social Media
Sheila Awuor Ndong'a
There was a time when I thought quitting social media would be the answer to my stress. The constant notifications, the pressure to stay updated, and the endless comparison to others made me feel overwhelmed. I believed that if I stepped away from social media, I would finally find peace. So, I took a break, deactivated my accounts, and expected my stress to fade away. At first, it felt liberating—I no longer felt the need to check my phone every few minutes or worry about posting updates. However, as time passed, I realized that my stress levels hadn’t changed much. Instead of feeling relief, I felt disconnected and isolated. The absence of social media didn’t remove my stress; it simply shifted it to other areas of my life. That experience taught me that the problem wasn’t social media itself, but how I was using it.
I started to rethink my approach and realized that balance was the key. Instead of quitting social media, I needed to find a healthier way to engage with it. I began by setting boundaries. One of the first things I did was turn off unnecessary notifications. The constant pings and alerts had been a major source of anxiety, making me feel like I had to respond immediately to everything. By silencing them, I regained control over when and how I interacted with social media. I also started limiting my screen time. Instead of spending hours mindlessly scrolling, I set specific times during the day when I would check my accounts. This simple change helped me reduce the feeling of being constantly plugged in while still allowing me to stay connected.
Another important step was curating my feed. I realized that much of my stress came from the content I was consuming. Seeing people constantly sharing their achievements, travels, and seemingly perfect lives often made me feel like I wasn’t doing enough. Instead of quitting social media to escape this feeling, I decided to take control of what I saw. I unfollowed accounts that made me feel anxious or inadequate and started following pages that inspired and uplifted me. I filled my feed with motivational quotes, educational content, and positive messages that actually added value to my life. This small change transformed my experience on social media from something that drained me to something that motivated me.
I also became more intentional about my interactions. Instead of passively scrolling and absorbing endless information, I made an effort to engage meaningfully. I started having real conversations in the comments, supporting friends’ posts, and sharing my thoughts in a way that felt authentic. This shift helped me feel more connected and less like an outsider watching other people’s highlight reels. I also learned to take breaks without completely quitting. If I ever felt overwhelmed, I would log off for a few hours or even a day to reset my mind. Knowing that I had control over my usage, rather than letting social media control me, made a big difference in managing my stress.
Beyond social media, I realized that stress often comes from deeper issues. My anxiety wasn’t just about what I saw online—it was also tied to my personal challenges, workload, and lifestyle habits. I started focusing on self-care in other areas of my life. I made time for exercise, practiced mindfulness, and ensured I was getting enough sleep. I also worked on reducing stress through journaling, meditation, and spending more time with loved ones offline. As I improved my overall well-being, my relationship with social media naturally improved. I no longer used it as an escape or let it dictate my emotions. Instead, I saw it as a tool—one that could be either beneficial or harmful depending on how I used it.
Looking back, I don’t regret my decision to quit social media for a while because it helped me understand an important lesson: avoiding something isn’t always the solution. Managing stress isn’t about cutting off everything that contributes to it but learning how to interact with it in a healthier way. Now, I use social media with awareness and purpose. It no longer feels like a source of stress but rather a space I can navigate on my own terms. By setting boundaries, curating my experience, and focusing on my overall well-being, I’ve found a way to stay connected without feeling overwhelmed. Social media, like anything else, is what we make of it, and by using it mindfully, we can ensure that it adds value to our lives rather than taking away from it.
Sheila Awuor Ndong’a (Rongo university)
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