How I manage social media when I work with social media as someone who can’t be trusted with it. I post for clients. I write captions, schedule content, build engagement strategies.
And yet — I absolutely cannot be trusted with it.
If I have open access to social media, especially short-form videos, I will doom scroll my entire day away. It’s not just a harmless distraction. It’s a full mental hijack. I lose time, I lose energy, and I lose any chance of having a productive day.
It’s not fun. It’s compulsive.
And because I know that about myself, I’ve had to build systems around it — not just for the sake of my business, but for my mental health too.
Step One: Remove the Worst Offenders
I don’t use TikTok. Full stop. It’s not on my phone, and I don’t open it on a browser.
I also don’t have the Facebook app, YouTube, or Snapchat. These are the platforms that really mess with my ability to self-regulate, especially when I’m tired or emotionally overloaded — so they’re just not options.
Do I miss anything by not having them? Not really. The FOMO fades fast when you realise how much time and headspace you get back.
Step Two: Make Access Just Inconvenient Enough
I do have Instagram — it’s part of my work, and it’s the platform I’m most active on. But I’ve made it harder to reach.
It lives on a separate screen on my phone, not my home page. That small change makes a big difference — I’m far less likely to open it automatically when I’m bored or avoidant.
I also have a 30-minute daily time limit set on Instagram. If I go over, it locks me out.
Step Three: Outsmart My Sneaky Brain
Here’s the thing: when you’re truly hooked on short-form content, your brain gets crafty.
I started finding loopholes in my own system:
- Watching Facebook reels through Safari or Google
- Clicking into reels through Facebook Messenger
- Opening YouTube shorts in-browser
- Finding Snapchat videos I didn’t even want to watch, just because they were there
So I closed those gaps too:
- I have a 30-minute limit on Safari
- 1-hour limit on Google
- 30-minute limit on Messenger
And here’s the key part: I don’t have the code to override the limits.
Ayman (my partner) does.
That means when the time’s up, it’s really up. No quick override, no “just five more minutes,” no self-negotiating at midnight when my willpower is gone.
Why I’m Sharing This
I’m not writing this because I’ve “cracked it” or “beat the algorithm.” I’m writing this because I haven’t — and I need these guardrails to stay focused, present, and well.
If you also struggle with compulsive scrolling, you’re not weak. These platforms are designed to keep you there.
But you can design your environment to protect your focus.
That might mean deleting apps. It might mean asking someone to hold the screen time passcode. It might mean admitting that no, you can’t just “limit yourself” — and building around that truth with compassion.
Final Thought
How I manage social media as a sensitive, easily hooked person in a hyper-digital world isn’t easy. But it is possible. You don’t need perfect willpower — you need good systems and honest boundaries.
This post isn’t about restriction. It’s about reclaiming time and headspace so I can do work I care about — and have days that feel like mine.
If you relate, you’re not alone. And if you’re still in the scroll spiral… maybe this is your sign to set a timer and take a step back.
— Izzy
Written in partnership with ChatGPT
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