Is it possible to show up on social without sacrificing your mental health? What about when you’re a business owner and you “have to” be on social for work?
—
When I first started my business, I wanted to be a social media manager.
Problem: I didn’t have a social media account. See three years earlier I had gone through a bad breakup (that’s a story for my therapist, not for you) and had erased myself off the internet.
I look back and think about how my social media break was one of the most transformative times in my life, but I obviously couldn’t start a social media business without social media, right?
—
Here’s the deal…
You can have both: a peaceful life and a good social presence.
I don’t have to tell you what social media does to our mental health, especially if you’re in a creative industry. You’ve probably experienced the stress just as much as I have. But while I have you here, I’ll share some quick (and astounding stats.)
- An NIH study found a 70% increase in depressive symptoms in a controlled social media study when people used social media regularly.
- In a Center for Research study from 2020, people who deactivated their Facebook account for a month reported lower depression and anxiety, as well as an increase in happiness and life satisfaction.
We can all bring to mind negative experiences you’ve seen people have with social media. When’s the last time you called to mind some of the good experiences you’ve seen people have with social media?
There’s both positive and negative and it’s our job to learn to stand in the middle – especially for how we use it in business.
We’ve put together some tips on how you can use social media to promote your work WITHOUT affecting your mental health AND without contributing to the mental health crisis.
Humans First Principle #1: Determine your level of commitment and how much time that will take.
Lots of people come to me wanting results they see on influencer accounts. To be honest, influencers don’t get enough credit for the time they take to make content. For many of them, it’s their full-time job. So here’s the question – do you want to spend that much time on social? If you did, would it move your business forward?
On the flip side, if you don’t do anything, your social media won’t do anything either. You have to figure out what results you want, how much energy you can commit to it, and how much time that will take.
Humans First Principle #2: Set Boundaries.
Make space between you and your phone. Take time off of social media. We need to be reminded that there’s a life outside of social media. Here are some of my favorites (that I’ve tried/heard of): no phone Sundays, log off of social media for a week, keep your phone out of your bedroom, delete apps off your phone when you need undistracted time…
Experiment with these strategies until you figure out what works for you. Commit to it so you can protect your brain.
Workers Second Principle #1: Batch your content.
Instead of trying to create content on the fly, try batching it. Set aside time when you’re feeling motivated and inspired to create different types of content. Once you’re done, schedule it out.
If it feels too overwhelming to batch a month at a time, consider working on one type of content at a time. Create a batch of quote graphics, carousels with service-related tips, and a series of introduction posts.
By batching social content, you’re not scrambling last minute for content and you can focus more on delivering top-notch service to your clients.
Workers Second Principle #2: Get help.
You can’t do it all. I can’t do it all. It is GOOD to ask for help. If you have the budget for it, consider signing up for a service that gives you easy-to-use templates like our DIY Club, or hire a virtual assistant to help out.
If you don’t have the budget for social help, consider collaborating with fellow business owners—swap photo shoots, record videos, and support each other’s social media endeavors.
When you commit to these principles, you’ll be able to show up on social without sacrificing your mental health. You can be the business owner who can focus on what you do best because you have a solid social media presence.
What’s one human commitment and work commitment you’re making starting today?