Have you ever opened social media to check one thing, only to realize 45 minutes have disappeared? You’re not alone.
Social media platforms are designed to keep us engaged, often serving up an endless stream of videos, products, opinions and headlines tailored to our interests.
But here’s something many people don’t realize: You are training the algorithm just as much as it’s influencing you. I honestly have very little knowledge about how the algorithms work, but let’s start with what we do know.
Every click, like, comment, follow and search tells social media platforms what you want to see. The more you engage with a particular type of content, the more of it appears in your feed. If you spend time watching shopping hauls, celebrity gossip or sensational news, your feed will likely become filled with more of the same. However, if you consistently seek out educational content, practical life skills and positive influences, your social media experience can become a powerful learning tool.
Your social media feed is a lot like a garden. Whatever you water grows. If you regularly engage with educational, inspiring and practical content, your feed will gradually fill with more of it. But if you spend your time on negativity, gossip or endless shopping videos, that is what will continue to flourish.
So, how do we get a better algorithm? Start by taking inventory of the accounts you follow. Do they inspire you, teach you something new or encourage healthy habits? Or do they leave you feeling anxious, distracted or tempted to buy things you don’t need? Don’t be afraid to unfollow, mute or hide content that no longer serves your goals. These are all options on most platforms.
Instead, fill your feed with organizations and experts that provide reliable, research-based information. Universities, Cooperative Extension programs, government agencies, museums, libraries, financial educators, gardeners, chefs, scientists and local community organizations all produce engaging content that can help you learn something new every day. Like, follow and engage with those posts.
Another simple strategy is to become more intentional with your searches. Rather than waiting for social media to decide what you’ll watch next, actively search for topics that interest you — whether it’s budgeting, cooking, home repairs, gardening, photography, healthy recipes or career development. The algorithm monitors your searches and begins recommending similar educational content.
Remember that not all engagement is positive. Social media algorithms measure engagement, not your opinion. If you engage with content you find bothersome or aggravating, you will see more of it. When you share, comment or watch a video to the end, that is marked as engagement. When possible, scroll past content you don’t want, select “Not Interested,” and avoid interacting with misleading or inflammatory posts.
It’s also important to create healthy boundaries. Consider turning off unnecessary notifications, setting daily time limits or designating screen-free hours each day. These small changes can help you become more mindful about how you spend your time online.
Finally, challenge yourself to create more than you consume. Share something you’ve learned, post photos from a gardening project, recommend a good book or celebrate a personal accomplishment. Creating content encourages deeper learning and helps build more meaningful online connections.
Social media isn’t inherently good or bad — it’s a tool. Like any tool, its value depends on how it’s used. With a few intentional choices, you can reshape your digital environment to support your goals rather than distract from them.
The next time you open your favorite app, ask yourself one simple question: “Is this helping me become the person I want to be?” If the answer is no, remember that you have the power to change what appears in your feed. One click at a time, you can train the algorithm to support your curiosity, productivity, and lifelong learning.
Your attention is one of your most valuable resources. Spend it wisely and your social media feed can become less about endless scrolling and more about discovering ideas that enrich your life.
