5 Tips for Preventing Social Media Burnout
From the outside looking in, working in the world of social media is often seen as glamorous and exciting. But whether you’re a social media manager or you’re building your own business, you know it often comes with its downsides. Sure, social media is a lot of fun. But this job can also cause mental and physical exhaustion because of how stressful it can be. After all, it’s a lot to manage an online presence, whether it’s your own or for the company you work with.
If you’re not careful, you may soon find yourself dealing with a case of social media burnout. In this article, you’ll learn what that means so you can detect the warning signs for yourself. Plus, there are a few tips on preventing this type of burnout so you can get back on track.
What is Social Media Burnout?
There are a number of stressors that can arise for those in the social media field. For instance, you may find yourself dealing with an unmanageable workload or a poor work-life balance. If you’re part of a larger team, you could notice a lack of support from those in management or limited control when it comes to implementing your ideas. It’s frustrating, for sure!
And when you fail to properly manage the stress you experience on the job, it can manifest in mental, physical, and emotional exhaustion. You’ll likely begin to notice yourself feeling fatigued, overwhelmed, or empty. With social media burnout, you may find yourself less interested in what others are posting. You might also notice your creativity dwindling when it comes time to create new content.
5 Tips for Preventing Social Media Burnout
If you find yourself dealing with a case of burnout, don’t panic. There are a few things you can do to beat this pesky feeling and prevent it from happening again.
1. Work Smarter, Not Harder
Managing an online presence requires a lot of time and effort. That’s why it’s smart to maximize the amount of time you are spending on completing any social media tasks. For instance, you can designate a certain time each week to create and schedule content. Not only will this make you more efficient, but you won’t have to worry about it for the rest of the week. Instead, you can use that time to focus on other tasks that require your attention.
There are so many social media tools available at our disposal, so we might as well take advantage! And I’m all for scheduling content in advance, but also engaging in real-time every day.
2. Limit Your Time on Social Media
To avoid dealing with social media burnout, be mindful of how much time you spend on each platform. Odds are, your smartphone can tell you how much screen time you’ve racked up on a daily and weekly basis. It’ll even show you which apps you spend the most time on so you can see what’s consuming all of your attention.
Both iPhone and Android devices allow you to set limits on how much time can be spent using an app within a 24-hour period. Consider turning on this feature so you don’t get tempted to scroll for too long. This way, you can be smarter about how you’re using your limited social media time each day. And you can then find other hobbies to pursue during the times when you’d normally be on social media.
3. Unfollow People When Needed
If your social media burnout is often triggered by the content others are sharing, it’s time to hit that unfollow button. The great thing about social media is that you don’t have to consume content from creators you aren’t interested in. You’re in full control over whom you choose to follow and allow into your online space. If someone’s content makes you feel anxious or triggers negative feelings, there’s no reason to be following them.
You also shouldn’t worry about someone getting their feelings hurt because you unfollowed them. In most cases, they won’t even notice. However, if you are worried about it, there’s a simple solution. Consider muting those accounts instead so you don’t see their posts in your feed. You can take this a step further on Twitter by creating Twitter lists of your favorite accounts. Then, you can choose to scroll only that curated feed when visiting the platform.
4. Turn to Others for Help
You should never be afraid to ask for help when needed. If you’re working as a social media manager, reach out to your team for their assistance when you feel burnt out. For those who are on their own, this might be a sign to hire someone to help with your social media tasks. Of course, you’ll need to assess whether you have the budget for this moving forward. Either way, having someone to collaborate with or completely take over can be very helpful.
5. Practice Healthy Habits Outside of Work
By implementing a daily routine that encourages you to practice healthy habits, it’s going to set you up for a more successful work day. Plus, it can minimize your chances of dealing with social media burnout since you’ll be in a better state mentally. So, what can you do?
Start incorporating meditation and exercise into your daily life. Both are great for decreasing stress and improving your mood. You’ll also want to make sure you’re taking breaks during the work day if you aren’t already. Sometimes we get so wrapped up in what we’re doing that we work right through our scheduled break time. Don’t let this happen anymore!
Also, be sure to log off at the end of the day. When you clock out, that’s it. No more scrolling. Instead, you can use that time to relax and recharge for tomorrow.
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