I have been posting about burnout lately because it seems to be something I’m seeing more now than ever before. Keep in mind, I used to work in the CORPORATE world (GASP) where being burned out was cool and respected.
What is Burnout?
Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.
What is Social Media (SM) Burnout?
The burnout I’m referring to is the SM kind. Since the pandemic and multiple lockdowns, small businesses have been deprived of face-to-face interactions with their beloved clients. Now it’s endless video calls, doom scrolling social feeds to engage with customers, or searching for fresh content. I’m guilty of the latter! I love researching new REEL ideas for my own IG Feed.
Here are a few tips I find helpful in combating SM Burnout
DISCONNECT - Put that phone down! Or at least turn off your notifications. I turn on my Do Not Disturb throughout the day so I’m not tempted to check every PING that comes in. Or set a household rule - no phones after the workday is complete!
SET BOUNDARIES - It’s OK to say NO! Set aside time for SM and do your posts or scrolling then and then ONLY.
BE MINDFUL - When you reach for your device, try to be mindful about it. Do you actually “need” to check your device? Sometimes, when we have a spare moment, our first thought is to check our phones. Did anyone comment on my latest REEL?
Ultimately, this has been a crazy year. Many of us aren’t used to working from home. Our offices should still be separate from our home life. Craving connection of ANY form is normal and seems to have transformed into spending too much time online. But this is a slippery slope! Try the tips above and remember to take it one day at a time and to be kind and gentle with yourselves and others. These are unprecedented times that nobody is prepared for.
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