How to combat digital burnout without compromising your online presence

Have you ever gotten to the point of wondering if you should unplug your laptop, throw your phone in a large body of water, and lie in a field far away from any form of cellular network for 3-4 business months? Ok, maybe a little extreme, but we’ve all felt overwhelmed by too much screen time and too many notifications.

Digital burnout - you can probably take an educated guess as to what it is but, just in case, it has been defined by the?McLean Hospital in Massachusetts (USA) as “feelings of exhaustion, anxiety, depression, or diminished interest in a job stemming from too much time on digital devices”.

As we approach the end of another busy year, we are all getting tired. Additional screen time is racking up as we try to circle back, close out, tie off and meet the deadlines we have been working towards for months. When this happens, it can be easy to let your digital strategy and online presence fall to the wayside - who has time to post on Instagram when you’ve got a million other things to do?!

Fear not - digital burnout doesn’t have to mean the end of your online presence! Beyond enlisting us to support in capturing and curating your content (a shameless plug, it had to be done), there are a number of things you can do to minimise and mitigate symptoms of digital burnout…

Rest your eyes AND your body

As burnout sets in, stress levels go up as your productivity and general feeling towards work go out the window. When you feel the fatigue creeping in, switch off. Whether it’s a five minute tea break, walk around the block, or a nap, create a barrier between yourself and the burnout. Nip it right at the bud! Sometimes a small break is all you need to mellow your mind and come back with a fresh perspective.

Cut down on screen time

Where you can, cut down on screen time. We get it - a lot of work relies on us being online, but consider taking face-to-face meetings with a pen and paper, or even take a walking meeting! The real kicker - cut down on screen time outside of work too. Consider setting time limits on social apps (we know, it’s hard!!) and setting a ‘switch off’ time.

Set boundaries and establish priorities

Difficult? Yes. Important? Also yes. This ties directly into our next and final point - if you know what you are working towards and what is most important it will help you in sifting through and focusing on what really needs to get done. No more overwhelm or not knowing where to start!

Set up a future proof strategy

Once you have recharged, to prevent another episode of burnout down the line (not everything needs a sequel) sit down and properly nut out the details of your online and digital approach. This should include everything from brand imagery and voice to social media goals. We know, we bang on about the importance of goals all the time, but if you know what you’re working towards it’s easier to set clear, actionable steps towards them. Bye bye frazzle and hello action plan!

As always, you know that content development and enhancing online presence is our bread and butter. If you’re interested in how our services can take some of the tasks of your plate, get in touch with our team here.

Until next time,

Team SoCo x