Many of us are on social media platforms and while I believe they are great for staying connected, feeling inspired and learning. I also believe taking breaks from social media can help reduce feelings of anxiety and depression , improve relationships with family and friends, and avoid feeling overwhelmed. If you’re an entrepreneur, taking a break provides space to reflect on your business objectives, spark new ideas and fresh perspectives for content. Not to mention time away helps us become more productive in our daily lives, more focused on in person connections and promote self-care.
If you haven’t done a social media fast I encourage you to give it a try sometime and see how it feels . Check out my post on the steps to take when taking a social media fast to learn exactly how to approach a social media break(Link) ➡️➡️https://momplicity.blog/how-to-begin-a-social-media-fast-6-steps-for-busy-women-entrepreneurs/
If you’ve done your fast and now your wondering… ok I did a social media fast and I’m ready to get back on, but your wondering, how do you stay informed, engage with your friends/ following, and/or grow your business—without falling into the trap of mindless scrolling and burnout?
🍃Keep reading! Below I share 4 steps to ease back into social media intentionally and strategically:
Step 1:Set Clear Intentions
Before you log back in, ask yourself: Why am I using social media? Define your purpose—whether it’s to grow your brand, share valuable content or staying connected to friends and family.
Setting clear goals will help you stay focused and avoid distractions.
Step 2: Establish Boundaries
Social media has a way of getting you sucked in and before you know it, you just wasted and hour of your time. So it’s important to Set boundaries by:
*Scheduling dedicated social media time (for me I decided on doing 15-30 minutes in the morning, lunch and evening after the kids are in bed. I also have dedicated days that I allow myself to go on social media and then I take off days every week.
*Turning off unnecessary notifications.. I turned off notifications for all social media platforms so they no longer show up on my phone, I can go into the app to see any notifications which has helped relieve anxiety and overwhelm around social media.
*Using app limits to prevent excessive scrolling- I have an iPhone so to do this on an iPhone you can go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits. You can set limits for app categories or individual apps, the limit resets every day at midnight.
*If you’re an online entrepreneur it’s really helpful to choose specific days for content creation and engagement.
Batch-creating content also saves time and reduces the pressure of posting daily. Use scheduling tools like Later, Planoly, loomly or Meta Business Suite to pre-schedule posts. This way, you remain consistent without being constantly online.
Step 3. Adjust Your Feed
Unfollow or mute accounts that drain your energy or trigger comparison. Instead, follow profiles that inspire, educate, or align with your values. This helps create a more positive and productive online experience.
Step 4.Monitor Your Mental and Emotional Well-being
It’s so important to regularly check in with yourself: How do you feel after using social media? If you notice stress, comparison, or burnout creeping in, reassess your habits and make necessary adjustments, or even go on a break for a while to focus on your needs and those you do life with. Your mental and emotional wellbeing is more important than running yourself ragged trying to always be present on social media, or trying to stay up date with what’s happening in everyone’s lives. Comparison and burnout are red flags that it’s time to reevaluate and step back for a bit.
🍃By approaching social media with intention, structure, and mindfulness, you can use it to grow your business and stay connected with those you care about and those that inspire you to learn and grow, without feeling like social media is taking over your life.
Approach social media on your terms there’s ultimately there’s no right or wrong way to use it and remember that rest is productive too.