What Is National Unfriend Day and How You Should Celebrate It Every Year

National Unfriend Day is celebrated yearly on November 17th after being launched in 2010 by comedian Jimmy Kimmel.

The holiday was meant to be a clever way to encourage people to clean up their social media friend list. The idea behind the day is to “unfriend” or remove people from your account who you don’t interact with, don’t know well, or simply don’t add value to your online experience.

Celebrating National Unfriend Day can be a refreshing way to improve your digital life and mental well-being. It offers the perfect opportunity to curate your social media. With such trying times, where negativity fills up timelines, National Unfriend Day may be the perfect opportunity to block, mute, and eliminate those spewing chaos. Additionally, unfriend can also reduce the need for comparison or drama. It also encourages you to set healthy boundaries by reassessing who you interact with online, ensuring your social media reflects your priorities, and showcasing more people you may know personally.

National Unfriend Day offers a fun opportunity to take control of your online relationships. Here’s how you can celebrate:

Declutter your social media
Review your friend lists across platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even LinkedIn. Go through your connections and ask yourself if you genuinely engage with them. If the answer is no, it might be time to remove them from your list.

Set boundaries for online engagement
National Unfriend Day is a great reminder to set boundaries for your social media use. Consider adjusting your privacy settings to control who can see your posts or even set up notification preferences so you’re not bombarded with unnecessary updates. If you’re uncomfortable with fully unfriending, muting someone’s content can prevent them from popping up on your timeline without deleting them altogether.

Contemplate a digital detox
While unfriending others, it might be a good time to reflect on your own social media habits. Maybe take a break from specific platforms or reduce your overall screen time. A digital detox can help you focus more on real-life connections, giving you a chance to prioritize your mental well-being.