How does social media affect productivity?

A student opens a laptop to begin an assignment. A phone lights up beside the keyboard. One notification appears, then another. The screen unlocks for just a moment.

Fifteen minutes later, the assignment has still not been started.

For many college students, social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and X have become part of everyday routines. Students say the apps help them stay connected, entertained and informed, but they also admit the constant stream of notifications and scrolling can interrupt studying and delay academic work.

As finals week approaches, students and academic support staff say maintaining attention has become increasingly difficult in an environment dominated by digital media. Academic advisors say many students struggle less with understanding coursework and more with avoiding distractions long enough to complete assignments.

Susan Garrison, director of the Center for Academic Support, said social media often interferes with students’ concentration during study sessions.

“There are three things that I’m going to touch on regarding social media,” Garrison said. “The first is distraction. If you’re studying and you have alerts coming in and you have to stop and check them, that can be something that distracts you, and you’re not really able to focus and study.”

Garrison said even brief interruptions can make it difficult for students to regain focus once their attention has shifted away from coursework.

“The second thing is time management and procrastination,” Garrison said. “It’s similar to not focusing, but it’s more of the ‘I’m going to study as soon as I do this thing,’ and then you kind of get distracted and go down the social media hole, and you don’t get as much done as you want to.”

Students often underestimate how much time they spend scrolling through apps during what they intended to be short study breaks, she said.

“The third thing relates to time management, especially as we’re going into finals next week, is sleep,” Garrison said. “If you are up on social media and you’re not getting the sleep you need, your brain, your body, your mental acuity is not going to be as great as it needs to be for your finals.”

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Students describe distractions during studying

Many students say social media habits have become difficult to separate from their academic routines.

Raymond Sly said social media frequently affects his concentration, depending on what appears on his feed while scrolling.

“It’s a huge distraction,” Sly said. “It could either make or break your day kind of depending on what shows up when you’re scrolling through Facebook or TikTok or Instagram.”

Sly said social media can sometimes improve his mood or help him relax, but it can also make it harder to stay productive during study sessions.

Other students said they often intend to check their phones for only a few minutes before returning to schoolwork, only to realize much more time has passed.

Garrett Warren said he tries to create physical distance between himself and his phone while studying in order to avoid distractions.

“I kind of put my phone away from my workspace whenever I’m working on my homework,” Warren said. “That way I have to make conscious decisions to step away from what I’m doing to go pick it up.”

Academic support staff say that the pattern has become increasingly common among students trying to balance academics with constant digital engagement.

Warren said students studying for exams should intentionally create barriers between themselves and social media while working on assignments.

“My best advice is find a way to put up a block in between social media whenever you’re studying,” Warren said.

Video games provide stress relief for some students

While social media is one of the most common distractions students mention, some also say video games can affect how they manage their time and attention.

Sly said he does not spend much time gaming because of his work schedule, but he still views video games as a way to reduce stress.

“I can’t play video games because I’m at work most of the time,” Sly said. “But I use it as a stress relief.”

Some students said gaming can become another form of procrastination during busy academic periods, especially when playing online with friends. Others described video games as a healthy break from school-related stress when used in moderation.

Garrison said entertainment itself is not necessarily harmful, but students need to be aware of how much time they spend away from coursework.

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Academic support staff recommend limiting distractions

For students trying to stay focused during finals week, Garrison recommends reducing digital distractions while studying.

“So for students who are trying to stay focused and study for that exam next week or study for that exam this week, I recommend that you put your cell phone on silent, put it in your book bag, and put the book bag away from you so that you can really focus on what you’re doing,” Garrison said.

Despite concerns about distraction, Garrison said technology can still support students academically when used intentionally.

“A lot of people talk about studying apps on their phones, and some of those are really good,” Garrison said. “You can do flashcards on your phone, things like that. So I don’t know if that’s considered social media. It’s more of a tool on your phone.”

Students also reported using online study groups, educational videos and productivity apps to prepare for exams and stay organized during the semester.

As finals week approaches, many students continue trying to find a balance between staying connected online and remaining focused on academic responsibilities. For some, success may depend less on avoiding technology entirely and more on learning when to put their phones down.

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