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9 Signs You Spend Way Too Much Time on Facebook

Facebook is a great way to keep in touch, but it's possible to have too much of a good thing. Here are signs it's time to cut down on scrolling.

Is it time to cut down on your Facebook time?

Social media can be a place of positivity and joy, but if you’re guilty of spending too much time scrolling on Facebook you may have to deal with the downside of social media obsession. And even if you think your habits are normal, check for these silent signs you might be spending too much time on Facebook.

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Facebook is your security blanket

When youโ€™re at a social event and suddenly alone for a moment, you might pull up Facebook to avoid looking awkward. But taking the chance to mingle with other people will help build your confidence, says Karen Sobel Lojeski, PhD, assistant professor of technology and society at Stony Brook University. โ€œItโ€™s not easy to become socially comfortable,โ€ she says. โ€œBut when we avoid it all the time because of the habits weโ€™ve developed around machines, we canโ€™t feel secure as a human being.โ€ Youโ€™ll be more relaxed and stop feeling socially awkward if you quit using Facebook as a crutch.

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You think everyone has it better than you

We naturally use other people to gauge how our own lives should be going, says Tim Bono, PhD, assistant dean of the college of arts and sciences, and lecturer in psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis. โ€œSocial mediaโ€”especially Facebookโ€”is exposing us to information that is ultimately exaggerating how much better off others are in comparison to our own lives because we are gaining access only to a narrow segment of other peopleโ€™s lives,โ€ he says. Facebook pages are usually highlight reelsโ€”people post about their incredible vacations or fun nights out with friends, but rarely talk about their insecurities or struggles, says Bono. Spending too much time envying othersโ€™ best moments could make you feel like your lifeโ€”ups, downs, and all the mundane things in betweenโ€”doesnโ€™t measure up. Use these tricks to stop negative self-talk.

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You get annoyed with friends in person

That highlight reel you keep seeing doesnโ€™t just make you feel worthless when youโ€™re alone. That envy could carry over to your real-life relationship with that person. โ€œThey carry that angst, anger, frustration, and envy with them into an actual conversation,โ€ says Sobel Lojeski. When you do see that friend face-to-face, the resentment could come through and leave you with a shorter fuse. Find out if you’re in a toxic friendship.

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You use Facebook to procrastinate

Ever jump when a coworker catches you on Facebook? No need to apologize, short breaks throughout the day can boost productivity and creativity. The problem is, a quick, ten-minute social media break can quickly turn into a half-hour, says Pamela Rutledge, PhD, director of the Media Psychology Research Center. โ€œWe tend to sort of misjudge how much time weโ€™re spending on things,โ€ she says. โ€œItโ€™s super easy to fall off the grid because thereโ€™s so much stuff there.โ€ She recommends keeping track of when youโ€™re using social media and why. If you open Facebook because youโ€™re too tired to keep working, for instance, maybe you should limit yourself to a 15-minute break or re-focus just a little longer so you can wrap up and get to bed. Instead of opening social media, use one of these productive uses of your lunch break.

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Your friendsโ€™ posts rile you up

Spending too much time on Facebook could expose you to too a lot of negativity. โ€œThe biological tendency is going to be to look for the negative because we are hardwired to make sure weโ€™re safe,โ€ says Rutledge. โ€œThe way to increase our level of safety is to understand the uncertainty in the environment around us and create certainty.โ€ When a Facebook friend posts something you donโ€™t agree with, your first reaction might be to get defensive. If you realize a certain friend tends to make you angry or jealous, Rutledge recommends blocking that personโ€™s posts. (Here are the negative side effects of social media on your brain.)

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You wonโ€™t stop scrolling until you find something interesting

Facebookโ€™s design actually sets itself up to be addictive, says Bono. Youโ€™ll glaze over most of your news feed, so you have to dig to find posts that are actually enjoyable. Itโ€™s sort of like a slot machine, he saysโ€”when thereโ€™s a small chance youโ€™ll get a big payoff and see something really cool, your brain floods with chemicals encouraging you to keep going. โ€œBecause the information is only occasionally interesting, our desire to keep going back increases even more than if everything we saw was appealing to us,โ€ says Bono. โ€œWhen something โ€˜only occasionallyโ€™ has a payoff for us, it actually becomes even more attractive and even more addictive.โ€ (This is how to have a healthier relationship with social media.)

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Facebook is your main news source

Newsโ€”both fake and realโ€”are all over Facebook. Just because itโ€™s there, though, doesnโ€™t mean social media is the best source. โ€œUse Facebook for what itโ€™s intended, which is social connection,โ€ says Rutledge. โ€œUse news sources for what theyโ€™re intended, which is reporting the news.โ€ Facebook also uses algorithms to show you what it knows you like, meaning you might only see articles youโ€™ll already agree with. Get a more balanced view by checking getting perspective from a few news sources before making a judgment, says Rutledge. (Just be sure you don’t fall victim to doomscrolling: here’s what you need to know.)

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You aren’t a supportive friend

Our brains are programmed to assume other people think just like usโ€”until we see the other person face-to-face. But when youโ€™re interacting through a screen, you can misinterpret what others say and stop recognizing their points of view. โ€œWhen weโ€™re not living the experience of understanding that people think differently than we do, then empathy erodes,โ€ says Sobel Lojeski. โ€œWe just donโ€™t help other people as much.โ€ For instance, youโ€™d probably offer to help if a friend complained about a bad day in person. But when you just see the complaint about a Facebook post, itโ€™s easy to ignore. Do you have incredible empathy?

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You get distracted from your kids

Youโ€™re probably more than aware of how often your kids are on Facebook. If youโ€™re trying to set limits, make sure you follow those rules too. โ€œIf you donโ€™t want your kids on Facebook when youโ€™re talking to them, donโ€™t be on Facebook when theyโ€™re trying to talk to you,โ€ says Rutledge. โ€œRecognize when itโ€™s important to be present.โ€ Your kids look to you when learning how to balance screen time with face time, so make sure youโ€™re a good role model. Next, check out the things that can happen when you quit social media.

Sources
  • Karen Sobel Lojeski, PhD, assistant professor of technology and society at Stony Brook University
  • Tim Bono, PhD, assistant dean of the college of arts and sciences, and lecturer in psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis
  • Pamela Rutledge, PhD, director of the Media Psychology Research Center
Medically reviewed by Ashley Matskevich, MD, on March 23, 2021

Marissa Laliberte
Marissa Laliberte-Simonian is a London-based associate editor with the global promotions team at WebMDโ€™s Medscape.com and was previously a staff writer for Reader's Digest. Her work has also appeared in Business Insider, Parents magazine, CreakyJoints, and the Baltimore Sun. You can find her on Instagram @marissasimonian.