The time you spend online can make you feel like guilt-ridden trash, but it doesn't have to.
Feeling better about your internet habits in 2025 starts with doing an honest assessment of what you want from your online news, entertainment and social media activity.
In other words, whatever you're doing online - even if it's vegging out - try to do it with more intention. Here's a five-step plan to do just that.
Step 1: Decide what you want from the time you spend online
Maybe you're interested in discussing your love of Irish fiction, becoming a more adept cook or learning about your neighborhood. Maybe you just want to mentally zone out for a while.
Once you have a sense of your intentions, you can work on getting more of what fulfills you and less of what doesn't.
I'm trying to practice what I preach.
I want to know more about what's happening where I live in New York, find cultural activities and identify volunteer opportunities. I signed up for several free newsletters from local news organizations including Epicenter NYC, Hell Gate and Gothamist and emails from the city's parks department.
This isn't revolutionary, but it's a start to pursuing what I enjoy and feel good about.
Step 2: Take stock of what you read, watch and listen to
Katie Harbath, CEO of the technology consultancy Anchor Change, suggested taking a few days to assess what you're doing online and whether it helps or undermines the goals you've identified in step one. Think of it as like keeping a food journal.
Start with your phone's feature that shows the time you're spending in each app. (On iPhones and Macs, search the Settings app for "screen time." On most Android phones, search the settings for "digital wellbeing & parental controls.")
During those few days, pay attention to how you feel about your online activity.
Do you open TikTok to catch BookTok discussions about your favorite author, but feel gross spending 20 minutes on videos about Blake Lively? Do you perk up watching your favorite YouTuber? Is there a podcast you used to love but now constantly skip?
Step 3: Cull the junk
Now you can cut back on what you found counterproductive and add more of what could make you happier.
YouTube can sometimes be a mindless habit for me. I've found it helpful to turn off the "autoplay" feature to stop videos from automatically playing one after another. Here's more advice on tackling an unwanted tech habit.
If you feel burned out on political news, try cutting back and notice if you're riled up by news you're unintentionally encountering on social media.
Even I need a break from news sometimes. I recently turned off pop-up notifications from news apps after 6:30 p.m. You can do this by making custom versions of your phone's do not disturb features. (Read instructions for Android devices or for what Apple calls custom "focus.")
Brendan Nyhan, a Dartmouth College professor who specializes in political information, said it can be helpful to unfollow or mute lower-quality social media accounts you see in your feed. Muting might be more helpful, Nyhan said. It can be a signal to sites' computer-generated recommendations to show you fewer of those types of accounts.
Step 4: Ask for advice to find more of what you want
If you want to cultivate your interest in theater, ask a musicals-obsessed buddy or DM a theater Instagram account to ask for recommendations of social media accounts, podcasts, websites and events to help learn about your hobby.
I also loved an idea from New York Times columnist Kevin Roose to find joyful moments. He said last year that he created a personal Apple Photos album called "delights" and filled it with family snapshots, silly memes and other pleasurable images. He made a widget to see those images when he looks at his phone.
You can also be more mindful even with mindless online entertainment. I have saved bookmarks including a live webcast of bird feeders at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, my favorite cycling YouTube channel, silly videos of robots falling down and a bonkers ritual eating of human-size Pop-Tarts.
When I need a break, I know these time-wasters will make me feel good.
Step 5: Experiment with formats
Harbath has repeatedly done self-audits of her news and information diet, and found she prefers newsletters and podcasts. She gets exactly what she wants pushed to her inbox and podcast app.
Experiment with whether you consume more mindfully if you stick to a handful of news and entertainment sources, use social media or an RSS reader or follow Harbath's lead.
You might also try picking certain times of day - over breakfast or after you've put the kids to bed - to read news or scroll your social media feeds. That might help you avoid unintentional scrolling throughout the day.