It isn’t hard to stay connected in this day and age, with everyone being on their phone 24/7. More so when your job depends and requires the use of social media for a business/company to stay in touch with its customers and grow their business. So what happens when one is constantly checking up on these social accounts and worrying about how it’s doing? They get burnt out.
It is imperative to know about social media burnout and its harmful effects. So how do you unplug when being plugged in is your job? Read on to find out my perspective as a marketer and for anyone struggling with it now, or simply wants to avoid it entirely will find this article beneficial!
How to identify Social Media burnout
Social media burnout is a form of occupational burnout, which according to the World Health Organization (WHO), stated that it is “a syndrome conceptualised as resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed”. So, if you’re finding yourself incessantly checking or refreshing the feed/content then it’s time to take a step back. You’ve got social media burnout.
For a job that requires you to be on social media platforms frequently, if not all the time, you should be mindful of how you’re using it both at work and at home. Take for example, if you find it difficult to set professional and personal boundaries, it’s best to lean into the community and human connections that make social media such a powerful platform.
Set limits on social media usage
Personally, one of the ways I combat social media burnout is to keep track of the time I spend online. Especially now with the default work from home situation, many of us turn to our devices for both work and personal use. It’s good to invest significant blocks of time throughout the day for connecting and networking, so that it’s not so concentrated all at once. This paves the way for boundary setting and limits. And although social media is “always on” 24/7, that doesn’t mean you should. Realistically, you shouldn’t feel or need to spend hours per day on social media.
Go on a “Digital Detox”
While most of us can’t get rid of social media or technology entirely, we can take breaks to focus on other parts of life. Even under normal circumstances, excessive use of social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook can lead to negative effects on an individual. A digital detox always does its job for whenever I need a break from the online world. It helps to lower the stress and physical effects of constant social media or technology use. Moreover, it helps reduce the mental health symptoms associated with excess social media use and help make recovery a little easier.
Get up and move
It’s a known fact that exercise can have a positive impact on how our bodies process and deal with stress thus, it should be no surprise that the same holds true for social media burnout. If you’re getting stressed out being online, what you can do is to step out and go for a walk or spend some time working out to unwind. For me personally, yoga and meditation helps alleviate the stress and tension in my body and afterwards, I always feel much better. When our world is rocked by so much stress and anxiety, it’s always a particularly good idea to schedule in some exercise. It’s good to set time aside every day to get the body in motion and away from social media.
Social media without the burnout
Social media burnout is preventable. Every once in a while, it’s good to take a step back to see the bigger picture of what your job entails. Adopt as many of the above techniques to keep social media burnout at bay, or get back on track if you are already experiencing it. And remember: no job is more important than your own mental health.
“If you get tired, learn to rest, not to quit.” — Banksy