Social Media And Your Mental Health
Is social media making you feel anxious or depressed? Many people use social media for work as it is a great marketing tool for a small business to get the word out there. Personally I have had many friends recently tell me about incidents in which social media made them feel anxiety about their own life, or as though they aren’t doing enough in some aspect of their life i.e traveling, crafting with kids, dates with partners etc. The thing I love about social media is that it’s a great way to connect and meet people that have the same interests as you. It has also on many occasions helped me find a great place to go on vacation, or a cool spot to grab lunch or even a cute pair of jeans I ended up buying.
I believe that social media is a wonderful thing and if used the right way, can not only be helpful but also help cultivate some great relationships. Here are a few tips to help you stay engaged with your audience, drown out the noise and stay productive IRL!
Spring clean your account. Only follow people who spark joy. If you find yourself scrolling and seeing things from an account that you don’t like or bring you down in anyway then DON’T FOLLOW THEM! This one really seems simple but I know there are some relationships that we all have where someone could get there feelings hurt if they notice that you have stopped following them. Simply put YOU are the person who is responsible for your mental health. If you don’t have space for negativity then get rid of it.
Use only when necessary. I have a new rule for myself where I check social media mid morning after I have gotten breakfast, my kids are off to school and I have done one productive task. Then I allow myself to go on and like, comment, respond to comments on my posts etc. Then in the evening when I post to my account I allow about 30 minutes afterwards to respond to any comments on my post. I want people to feel like I am engaged because I genuinely care about having important conversations with the Women Commune community. Other than that I have recently MAJORLY limited other times in the day where I am using to much time scrolling and not enough time getting shit done.
Conscious content. I am incredibly mindful of the content in which I post (As I wish we all were) because I want the women who follow me to feel seen, heard, supported and inspired. I don’t want anyone to ever read one of my posts and feel anything negative about themselves. We all have a platform, some bigger than others and we can each choose the kind of messages we send out into the world. Women commune is a place of inspiration and motivation. I take very seriously what I contribute to this social media driven world we live in and it makes me feel good to make other people feel motivated and inspired.
Understand that social media is NOT REAL LIFE. I believe people start feeling bad about themselves when they start comparing themselves to others. Don’t compare yourself to anyone else EVER! You have no idea what is going on in someone else’s life. Social media in most cases is the best of everyones life. The vacations, fun stuff, holidays. Most people aren’t posting the tough times, crying kids and the struggle’s that are there for ALL OF US! So don’t assume that someone else’s life is perfect because the truth is IT’S NOT. So do you and know that that is all you can control.
I hope these tips help you feel less like you need a tech detox and more in control of what you choose to consume. Like most things in life, social media really is what we make it. I hope you will join me in making it a wonderful place to be.
