Social media managers, entrepreneurs, and influencers have a unique set of mental health challenges because they spend their days in the trenches of the internet.
Self-care is an important part of mental health, and sometimes that means taking a break from social media, our phones, and technology.
Think about it: when was the last time you went a day without checking your phone? Taking time to decompress, step outside, and give your mind a break from our screens is important for everyone’s health.
But what if social media is your job?
When your job requires you to be online, all the time, it can be hard to simply “unplug”.
To help you balance your health and social media, today we wanted to share some free resources that you can use to seek knowledge about your mental health and take care of yourself.
Tip #1: Find Time for Daily Meditation
In the world of work, employees who put aside time to meditate have become more productive, resilient and creative!
Don’t worry if you’ve never meditated before — try an app like Headspace which has free short, simple and fully-guided meditations to help calm and destress your thoughts at any point in your busy day.
Tip #2: Control Your Social Media Feeds
Just like it’s okay to take social media breaks, it’s okay to keep your feeds as positive and happy as they can be, if that’s what you need.
Unfollow accounts that don’t make you feel good.
If you’re comparing your body, house, or lifestyle to those perfect Instagram influencers, and it’s making you feel bad, you can unfollow them! Make sure that the people and brands you follow on Instagram are aligned with what’s important to you, and you’re getting value or positivity from following them.
If you can’t unfollow someone because of work or friendship, hit that mute button on Instagram to hide them from your feed.
Follow inspiring, happy accounts that make you feel good.
Remember, you’re in control of your feed! And just like you unfollowed any accounts that made you feel bad, it’s important to add in some accounts that make you feel good too.
You could follow funny meme accounts, motivational speakers, stunning travel accounts, or even accounts that are just inspirational quotes.
Tip #3: Monitor Your Screen Time and Set Limits
Around 40% of the world’s population uses social media – and the average person spends around 2 hours of every day liking, commenting, tweeting, swiping and posting to social media platforms. And I’m sure any social media manager will agree, that number could easily be quadrupled if you work in the social media industry.
With the latest version of iOS on iPhone, you can track and monitor the time you spend on your phone and on social platforms. You can even set a time limit for using apps like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You’ll be notified when that time is about to run out, and you’ll be reminded to close the app.
Tip #4: Set Self-Care Goals
When life feels stressful, it’s important to take care of yourself. Sometimes it can be hard to remember to do simple things like drink water, take your medicine, or go to bed on time.
But it’s important you make time to do these simple things!
The free app Aloe Bud helps you track your self-care goals, and will send you gentle reminders that help you achieve your goals, without making you feel bad for not completing them yet.
Tip #6: Give Your Eyes a Break With Podcasts
Selfie is a self-care podcast hosted by a psychotherapist and a lifestyle blogger, which explores themes like getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and balancing the body, mind, and spirit.
We live in a fast-paced world, especially if you’re working in social media! So take some time for self-care, look after your mind and body, and get back to doing the things you love!