This study investigates the concept of IT mindfulness as a strategic approach to navigate the dichotomous nature of technology usage, which encompasses both beneficial and detrimental dimensions. By developing a theoretical model, we examine how informative stimuli and individual differences in IT self-efficacy and need for cognition can enhance IT mindfulness, leading to optimal technology use. The proposed longitudinal experimental approach aims to empirically test these relationships by regulating social media use among study participants. Findings from this research could advance theoretical understanding and practical applications by 1) establishing IT mindfulness as a critical mediator in optimizing IT use, 2) explicating the nuanced relationships of core cognitive characteristics on IT mindfulness, 3) contextualizing IT use within the S-O-R framework, and 4) providing an empirical foundation for the effectiveness of informative stimuli on IT use behavior.