If you partake in social media, whether it be as an influencer or a consumer, we’re pretty sure you’ve experienced some type of social media induced burnout at some point. The thing is, our brains were never meant to consume as much data as most of us do on a daily basis. Between scrolling for inspiration, responding to comments, answering DMs, and the daily news cycle, we’re constantly in a state of feeling like we HAVE to be connected or we’ll miss something. But being constantly on is good for nobody, not even the most popular of social media stars.
And the truth is, there’s no way you’ll ever be able to keep up with everything that everyone is posting. So if your brain is feeling a little foggy and the only thing you’re capable of doing is scrolling, you’re probably experiencing burnout. And we want to give you some tips for handling burnout and hopefully preventing it in the future.
Avoid Doom Scrolling
We know how mindless scrolling can be and that’s why we often turn to it when we’re burned out. It gives us a chance to not think. But continuing to scroll after you’re already burned out will lead nowhere. Put down the screens and re-evaluate your relationship with social media and the people you follow. Make sure you’re following people whose energy you truly enjoy and make a concentrated effort to notice your emotions after scrolling through your feed. How does it make you feel? If the answer is not good, but you continue to do it anyways, you’re probably in a doom scrolling cycle.
Prioritize Connections Outside of Screens
This one should be simple. Put your real life relationships first. Make sure to spend time with friends and family IRL because those are the connections that will feed your soul. Sure we all have our social media friends that we feel like we know and have a genuine connection to, but they are nothing compared to the real thing. Nurture your real life communities first. When there are important things happening in the real world, the online one can wait. We promise you won;t miss much.
Choose Kindness
Social media can be a dark and heavy place, especially when you’ve been doom scrolling. Choose to keep your corner of the internet kind. Don’t fall into the trap of spreading negativity about someone or something. We don’t know anyone who wants to follow someone who is constantly spreading negativity and hate. We all follow different people because they add something to our lives. Be a breath of fresh air. Choose to be kind and choose to spread kindness.
Take a Social Media Break
Regardless of if social media is your job or not. It’s ok to take a break. Take a mental health day. Or a few. We all need time away from our screens and the easiest way to do that, though it may feel hard at first, is to take a break. Delete the apps or log out of your accounts. You can tell your followers you’re going to be gone, or you can just go and come back at your own accord. Though for longer breaks, you may want to let them know you’ll be gone so they don’t get worried. We recommend picking two days a week where you’re offline. Let your followers know this is a standing notice, that you’ll be offline those two days every week. That way they can get in a groove with you and won’t be concerned about where you are or what you’re doing. It may even encourage them to take a break too!
Prioritize Self-care
You know yourself the best. If you can feel burnout coming on, do everything you can to nip it in the bud. That would include prioritizing self care. Go for a walk everyday, meditate, eat balanced meals, whatever self care means for you… do that! Remember, you can’t pour from an empty cup. So take the time to fill yours before it’s completely empty.
Everytime you open a social media app, it requires you to be “on” all of the time. And that is taxing on the brain for everyone. So remember to do things that feel good to you and take care of your mental health so you can show up and be the best version of yourself on and offline.
