A combination of ill health, jury service, dissertation deadline, and other personal circumstances meant that a few weeks ago I found myself re-assessing my social media usage. I didn’t believe I was using my time effectively, and felt the need to drop off the carousel for a while.
Most of my freelancing clients require social media scheduling and support, so I knew I couldn’t completely abandon it.
Here are two processes I found useful in upholding my responsibilities at the same time as giving myself a break.
Set boundaries
Define what social media activity you will and will not do to have it clear in your mind what a break looks like.
My example:
- I will not use my personal Instagram or Twitter account on any device
- I will delete all social media apps from my phone so I don’t mindlessly scroll myself into a wormhole
- I will turn all LinkedIn email notifications off, so the only reason I use LinkedIn is if I want to message or connect with someone
If you require accountability, or you want to let people know where you’re going, post about it once you know what those boundaries are.
Assess its uses
Note why you want to use social media, and an alternative action to undertake instead.
Some that I came up with:
- I want to share this cool thing – I’ll send it via a text
- I get bored waiting for the bus – I’ll download some podcasts to listen to
- I want to draw attention to this good cause – I’ll drop it into conversation
- I feel like chatting to someone – I’ll use my phone for its original use, and actually phone someone
- I want to network with people – I’ll research an in-person session I can attend
Sounds simple, but we had all of these wants well before we owned smartphones, so there are other ways we can satisfy that empty impulse to scroll.
I’m happy to say that jury duty is over, my dissertation is handed in and my health has improved, so you’ll probably see me back to being active across platforms and accounts pretty soon.
How do you ensure your social media usage remains healthy?
I’d love to read your methods, tips and actions, or if you’re intending to take a break anytime soon…
This post originally appeared on LinkedIn.
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