Have you ever felt that your career progression was tied to your LinkedIn activity?
If the answer is yes, you’re not alone—keep reading.
According to the Addiction Group, an estimated 210 million people worldwide suffer from internet and social media addiction (Addiction Group, Social Media Addiction Statistics). Given how much we rely on technology, it’s no surprise that networking platforms like LinkedIn can feel all-consuming. It doesn’t help that in 2025, these platforms continue to be one of the most effective tools for job hunting, but over-reliance can easily become unhealthy.
Before entering university, I never felt compelled to live online. However, in 2019, I was formally introduced to LinkedIn as part of a professional development module. The course focused on establishing our professional images and networking with industry professionals—an invaluable lesson for any young professional. What I didn’t anticipate was how LinkedIn would later consume my job search experience.
Fear of Missing the Opportunity
For me, the problem began after graduation. I developed what I would consider an unhealthy attachment to LinkedIn. Like many new graduates, I saw LinkedIn as one of the major keys to my success. I set up job alerts, checked in daily… if we’re being honest, I clocked in. I spent hours poring over job posts, applying every day, and trying to build connections.
But here’s my reality: messaging into the void of professionals “eager to help” was discouraging. My message-to-reply ratio was laughably low—not the haha kind of laugh but the kind that escapes when your brain cannot even formulate a coherent response.
I’d take small breaks here and there, but the guilt of not “doing enough” always pulled me back. What if I miss out on a life-altering opportunity? When you’re told that you’re in charge of your future and introduced to a platform hailed as the holy grail of career opportunities, it’s hard to let go. For someone seeking direction in their field, the fear of missing out becomes overwhelming. But the more I relied on the platform, the more I started to notice a disconnect.
UNlinked: The Disconnect
The turning point came when I started receiving messages about entrepreneurial ventures and invitations to serve on compensated advisory boards. Keep in mind, I was apparently not qualified enough for the bajillion jobs I applied for, but somehow, I attracted the interest of a recruiter for a board role. The entry-level positions were too much, but I was board-ready? Oh, okay.
Meanwhile, my feed became a jumble of conflicting content: fewer posts from my connections and more posts like “Here’s what you’re doing wrong,” sandwiched between recruiters venting about candidates and candidates begging for opportunities to showcase their skills. Ironically, LinkedIn was displaying the full spectrum of the job hunting experience, but at that time, it was too much for me to process.
That’s when I realized that my interactions with LinkedIn weren’t helping me grow or build meaningful connections. Stepping away allowed me to see LinkedIn for what it is: a tool—not the final decider of my worth or future.
Read the Signs
Here are some signs that you might need to take a break from LinkedIn or any job platform:
- You feel anxious at the sight of notifications.
- You dread opening the app or your emails.
- You compare yourself to others and struggle to celebrate their wins.
- You constantly feel guilty about not engaging enough, even when you’re overwhelmed.
What a Break from LinkedIn Can Look Like
For me, taking a break meant turning off notifications, ignoring emails, and only logging in when I had the emotional bandwidth to engage. It gave me the space to reset and approach the platform on my terms.
It also meant exploring other job-searching methods—reaching out directly to companies, refining my application materials, investing in skill-building, and reminding myself that not every opportunity lives on LinkedIn. And when I eventually returned, I approached it differently, using it as a tool instead of letting it dictate my sense of progress.
Sometimes, logging off is exactly what you need to move forward on your own terms.