8 Ways To Practice Self-Care On Social Media
Social media is very much a massive part of our daily lives. I know I personally check some of my social media accounts several times a day and often think about how my posts are performing throughout the day. I was born in the 80s and was a teenager in the 90s so there was no such thing as social media when I was growing up, I mean I didn’t get my first mobile phone until I was 17 and it was a brick!
It is amazing to think how much times have changed and how much social media has become part of the fabric of our lives. I have to be honest and say that I sometimes struggle with social media, although I know I shouldn’t compare myself to what I see, sometimes it’s difficult not to. I can sometimes come off social media felling ugly, fat, like I am a bad mother, a bad wife, a bad friend, like my house is the worse and the list goes on!
I am not immune to feelings of insecurity ignited by content I see on social media and so recently I had to have a conversation with myself (which I usually do when I feel down) and come up with a plan of action to tackle how social media can sometimes make me feel. This conversation has turned into a blog post, because as I thought of practical ways to protect my mental health on social media, I also thought it would be useful to share them. I know I’m not the only one that sometime struggles with social media.
So let’s get into it, here are the 8 things I thought of, to practice self-care on social media.
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- Remember That Social Media Is Not Real Life
Social media is an online version of what people want you to think, feel and do, so please don’t get caught up in all the things you see. Images, videos, reels and posts are all curated to get your attention. Most of the images and videos you see are not ‘real’ because they have been edited and modified so don’t compare yourself and your journey to everything you see. Some people will post the one time they went out to dinner in the last 5 months but somehow make it look like they go out every night. Nobody posts their worst (or normal pictures) if they are trying to raise their profile, the life that some people present on social media can often be so very different to their everyday, normal lives and it is important to remember that. You have a life, a real life in which you can do so many amazing and wonderful things. Focus on that.
- Stop Stressing About Engagement
If your posts get low engagement it is NOT the end of the world. Life goes on and it does denote your worth or value. If you want to learn how to do better follow some accounts that teach about how to maneuver Instagram or the other social media platforms or purchase a social media course. There are lots of people sharing free content advice as well as tips and tricks, so make the most of it. Learn how to analyse your analytics and get inspiration form posts that you have found useful. Yes you do want your posts to do well (we all do), but sometime they may not and that’s ok. Keep learning, keep moving forward and don’t stress about it.
- Remember That You Are Not In A Race
Social media is not a race, while you do need to be consistent in posting, it is important to remember that you are not competing with anyone. It is better to post good quality posts at regularly intervals than to post poor work every day, because that’s not who you are. Take time to develop your style and your content because that’s what will draw people in and help to build your audience and your engagement. I have started following some accounts when they had a really low following and watched them gain thousands of followers in a short space of time. If I’m totally honest I sometimes feel frustrated when I see this because I think ‘what about me?’ (I am human after all!).
But then when I look at their content I can see they have a clear rhythm going, their content looks well planned and thought out and they post consistently. Am I doing the same? The answer would have to be ‘not all the time’ and there is also the fact that I am still finding my style and rhythm. So I realise that I am not in a race with anyone, my time will come, I just need to be consistent and authentic and stop getting in the mind-set of trying to compete. And so I will also remind you that it’s not a race, take your time, develop your style and enjoy the process.
- Remember To Take Social Media Breaks
There are thousands of opinions flying around social media, millions of unpleasant comments, so many pictures and posts that can make us feel like we’re not good enough, things that can trigger us and so many people trying to sell us things. Absorbing all of that with no break can have such a negative effect on your mental health. Take a break from it every now and then, spend real time with real people and mute your social media accounts. As I mentioned before, there was life before social media and there is definitely life now without having to put it all on social media. Take regular breaks.
- Unfollow
Unfollow accounts that drain you, that trigger you, that bring out the worst in you. Some of those accounts may belong to people you know well, but you must put your mental health first. Sometimes I have seen a few posts from an account and then follow them based on the content I have seen because I think it is good. However after following for a while, I begin to see that the account is no longer for me. This is ok and it is perfectly normal. Don’t feel guilty about
unfollowing accounts that are not serving you in a positive way. As a sociology and psychology graduate I love a good debate and I also enjoy finding out about different opinions, however I also understand that I need to guard my mind. I also realise that sometimes what can appear to be interesting conversations at first glance are really posts with toxic roots. So I unfollow when I need to, making sure I do not absorb negativity where possible. I would encourage you to do the same.
- Have A Plan
I think it’s a good idea to have a plan when you go on social media so you don’t get lost in the noise of it. Decide whether it’s just for fun, for business, for inspiration or for a mixture of those things. Having a clear plan can help you to steer clear of negative activity and keep you focused on what social media means to you.
- Limit The Time You Spend On Social Media
We’ve all had times where we planned to scroll for a couple of minutes and hours later we’re still scrolling, it is the nature of the beast that is social media. And if we’re honest (well this is definitely true for me) most of the time we’re not even looking at anything enriching. Now don’t’ get me wrong, you don’t have to only look at enriching content, sometimes you just want to see a cool dance, a funny meme, a beautiful hairstyle or some tasty food because it’s nice to see. However, I do think it is important to monitor how much scrolling we do and limit that to a reasonable time.
I mean how many times do you need to see the same dance, or someone singing about macaroni, a mop and bucket (no shade)? If you fill your body with junk food the results can be pretty detrimental, so if we continuously fill our minds with hours pointless viewing, what effect will that behaving on our minds? As with most things in life, I believe moderation is key.
- Follow Accounts That Bring Joy
Follow positive accounts, follow accounts that bring you joy, that are informative, that you can relate to, that cause you to think and have positive constructive conversations. Choose to fill your social media time with fun, creativity, inspiration, laughter, contemplation, community and appreciation. Let your time on social media be well spent.
So there you have it, my 8 simple ways to practice self-care as you maneuver through the jungle that is social media. I believe that simple steps can make a huge difference. I would love to hear what you think so please do leave a comment below.
Check Out Some Of My Other Posts On Self Care
13 Ways To Practice Self Care At Work
An Introduction to Self Care Part 1
An Introduction to Self Care Part 2
