Despite the fact that young people today are often preferred over seniors in the workplace, it may be worth questioning this practice. A significant factor in this discussion is the use of mobile phones and social media. Young people spend on average more than a quarter of their waking hours on their phones, and more than two hours of this time occurs at work. This dependency not only negatively impacts their efficiency but can also lead to poorer mental health.
New research confirms that changing social media usage promotes mental health. Participants who reduced their social media consumption to half an hour a day experienced increased well-being and self-esteem. Even those who went from being active users to more passive "scrollers" reported health benefits such as improved focus and concentration in daily life.
Researchers at the Department of Psychology who conducted the study had participants limit their social media use to 30 minutes per day, or use social media only passively, for three weeks. Passive use means engaging with content posted by others but not posting or sharing any content themselves.
– The differences between the control group and those who changed their social media behavior were surprisingly large, says Martin Wolgast, associate professor and lead researcher for the study.
Compared to the control group, participants who either limited their time on social media or used social media only passively showed increased focus and concentration on daily activities. Those who limited their social media time also reported decreased levels of depression and stress, as well as better self-esteem after the three-week period. This did not apply to passive users, who did not experience any change in mental well-being.
– One possible interpretation is that we become less preoccupied with tracking the reactions our posts receive from other users, but the negative effects from social comparisons, for example, remain, says Martin Wolgast, associate professor and lead researcher for the study.
The study involved 174 young adults, aged 18-29, all of whom used social media daily. Participants were randomly divided into three groups: one group was instructed to limit their social media use to a maximum of 30 minutes per day, one to use social media only passively, and a control group that used social media as usual. The average social media use for participants before the study was approximately two hours per day. Before and after the three-week study period, participants reported their mental state using well-established and validated self-assessment measures that gauge various aspects of mental health and illness.
There have been previous isolated studies examining the effects of reducing the use of one or more social media platforms, but the scientific evidence in this area is still very limited, according to Martin Wolgast.
– In our study, we wanted to examine the effects of reducing social media use to 30 minutes per day over a three-week period. Additionally, there have been no studies on the effects of using social media only passively. Here, we wanted to investigate whether passive use has positive effects because it leads to a reduced emotional and social investment in what happens on social media, for example through how others react – or do not react – to the content one posts, says Martin Wolgast.
In summary, despite young people often being chosen over seniors in the workplace, research shows there are good reasons to reconsider this practice. Seniors may be less dependent on their mobile phones and therefore potentially more focused and efficient at work, which can be a valuable trait in today's working life.
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