As a small business owner, there is no doubt that social media is a powerful, cost-effective tool when connecting with a global audience. Whether you are an entrepreneur or the casual social media user - we've all binged on social media and inevitably lost our peace. If after scrolling through your feed and you're encountering feelings of inadequacy, irritation, or unease; it may be time to set some healthy limitations. I'll explain the benefits of doing so, but here's a few brief "hacks" or "tips" that can help you set some boundaries.
1.) Unfollow: It's as easy as it sounds. Go through your social media feed. If you encounter a post or content that doesn't produce joy, inspiration, or connection, click unfollow. If you need to give yourself an internal pep talk try, "I wish you well, so-and-so, but this doesn't produce inspiration for me anymore" and then unfollow.
2.) Follow: This is the enjoyable part of the cleanse - go out and discover content that does inspire you. I would even recommend following those outside your field. I have other hobbies such as gardening, cooking, and crocheting. Now, I'm looking for chefs, gardeners, and crafters to connect with. Seeing different content helps me relax and inspires me to step away from the computer and create. When I come back to my field or an unfinished task, I'm able to generate better ideas.
3.) Call your friends: It's easy to stay current with friends just by viewing their page, but instead, reach out and make plans to do something together in person. Grab lunch, go to the beach, take a class together. I promise you, you'll get more out of that experience and your friend is probably thinking of you, too.
4.) Know when to shut it down: Every afternoon I make a habit of leaving my phone in my office drawer. It's still on if I need it but it's out of sight and out of mind. By 8 or 9 PM, I power it off altogether. Not exposing yourself to the bright light produced by screens actually helps you fall asleep faster and more soundly. This leaves you feeling more refreshed the next day.
5.) Disable apps: This one is the bonus round of the cleanse and I think the most hardcore. My husband shared that he only views his LinkedIn account from his desktop, he doesn't even have the app installed on his phone. If you feel like you're in dire need of a break maybe try this out for a week or as long as needed.
Why even set limitations in the first place? I believe by setting healthy boundaries with social media we're in a better position to share our authentic stories and equipped to be present in our "real" lives. Think about it - we're selective about what we put into our bodies, getting enough sleep and exercise but we rarely think of what we "feed" our minds. If your peace is disrupted, it's hard to produce good work and be available for the things that actually matter. I'll even go one step further and say you have this one beautiful life to live - I doubt the last thing you'll think in your last days is, "man, I wish I spent more time on social media." Make an effort to meet with friends, call your mom, and enjoy your life!
Was this helpful? What "tips" do you think you may try? Do you have tips or advice to share with us? I'd love to read your comments.
In Soulful Service,
Sarah Chau