As a millennial who was at the head of the whole social media craze, i.e., MySpace, I definitely experience burnout more often than not. I am a part of the generation who knows what it’s like growing up with and without social media. It’s like we had the best of both worlds.
Always being present online is exhausting and can consume your life, and that’s not healthy. In the last year and a half, I have changed and grown in ways I wouldn’t have imagined, and part of that growth has been learning how to be more present in the moment. Because my main business operates online, I am constantly on my phone. However, in the last couple of years, I have started to experience severe burnout with devices and all things social. I used to get on social media to post a business update and find myself scrolling for an hour. Not only does it take up a lot of your time, but it also affects you mentally. You see everyone and their seemingly perfect lives, and you start to compare your life to theirs, which in turn makes you feel bad about yourself. We’ve all been there, and that’s exactly why we should strategize our social intake so we won’t experience burnout and mental anxiety.
Society has conditioned us to think that the world needs to know our every move, but in reality, privacy is the real luxury of life. I am not saying you should cut off social media cold turkey but instead take steps to reduce your online presence. You can start by setting a schedule for your social media intake, such as picking a certain number of days you will engage, for instance, Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays, for a set time. To not go over that time, I will set a timer on my phone and log off when my time is up.
Starting a new hobby or picking up an old one is a great way to disengage from social media. I have started gardening and taking walks, which gets me outside in the sun and off of my phone. I also noticed my lack of sleep due to my mind being so junbled before bed, so instead of scrolling until I fall asleep, I calm my brain by reading or listening to a positive podcast. Just by making these minor changes, I feel better mentally and physically. Implementing these practices into your routine will help you from getting burned out, and before you know it, you will be able to disconnect from social media more often and with ease.
XOXO
Chenelle
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