What was the last app you looked at and why was it another social media platform?
When was the last time you took a break from social media?
Today, most people spend their "free" time scrolling as much as they can. They repeat this cycle all day long, every day. Most people wind down on their phones where they are caught scrolling again and again, in between and after work, while eating, or preparing for sleep. Throughout each day, our phones are often not farther than an arm's reach away, begging to pull us back where we last left our feed. People act like social media consumes their lives. As you can watch them with their heads down in their mobile device screens whether walking, talking, sitting, and unfortunately, even while driving. It can be worse when being on social media is part of your job description, such as the case for marketers. In the marketing industry, it is important to keep up with what is happening in the world, while also understanding and analyzing past posts simultaneously. Being on social media can help marketers understand their target audience and dive into the mind of a consumer. This sounds intriguing because they are on the apps for pleasure in their free time, however it increases their time spent on social media.
Here are a few reasons why marketers should take a step away from their phones and unplug from social media.
- Prevent information overload & burnout: Most marketers spend most of their day on social media, analyzing post-performance or planning future content. This can be stressful and overwhelming due to the constant influx of an abundance of information about yourself, others, your audience, your competitors, the ads you're being fed, etc. Unhealthy habits are often formed such as becoming obsessed with the number of likes and comments or overanalyzing what performed well and what underperformed. As a society, we are constantly processing information. In addition, what is popular on social media remains entertaining for about two days. So, if you're always trying to be on trend then you're behind by the time you've made your content and posted. In media, content changes quickly and it is okay to not be in line with the latest trend at every moment.
- Helping Creativity: Similar to information overload and burnout, constantly watching what your competitors are uploading is harmful to your creativity and idea flow. After taking information from others, you'll start copying it and won’t think of anything original and out of the box. Stepping away from social media allows you to find inspiration from other sources and view it from a new perspective of personal reality. Constantly comparing techniques that other companies are using will only hurt your company. Creativity is about sharing fresh ideas, not just replicating the same techniques others are using!
- Protecting your Mental Health: ?One can often feel complacent in comparing oneself/ one’s company to other companies and what they are doing. The amount of time spent on social media can lead to decreased mental health, as a study done by the University of Pennsylvania (Berger, 2018). Due to algorithm technology, it is built to be a trap so anything you interact with will be amplified and you will only be fed that for as long as you will stay online (Kerr, 2020). Similar to an echo chamber. If changes are not made, time spent will be time wasted which could otherwise be productive. Social media releases hormones in our bodies. At first, we get a small hit of dopamine and then any additional notifications we receive can release the hormone cortisol. Cortisol is a stress hormone and affects your physical health. An abundance of cortisol can lead to increased anxiety and overall unrest (What Is Doomscrolling? Why It Happens and How It Affects Your Mental Health, 2021).
- Reduce Screen Time: This can be hard when your job revolves around social media and one of our favorite ways to unwind is to scroll a bit. Try setting a limit on your screen time to decrease burnout and promote well-being. Reducing the amount of time spent on social media will reduce the amount of time wasted comparing yourself to others. It will also promote overall mental health and a personal state of well-being.?
- Mute Notifications: It’s okay to have your phone on do not disturb or to not be notified every single time someone likes or comments on your post. Every time you get a notification or scroll on your phone, your body releases a stress response, cortisol.? Maybe remove it from your home screen so you’re not tempted. Allowing yourself to take a break from the constant notifications can help your mental and physical health.
- Find a New Way to Unwind: Try a new hobby to spend your downtime such as reading or knitting. Finding new ways to recharge yourself will improve your mental health. Overall, improving your marketing, and ideas to allow for more creative thinking.
Self-awareness and self-control are needed as the first steps to combat the amount of social media we consume daily in order to gain respite from the constant stream of information overload. This approach nurtures mental health by reducing stress and anxiety, fostering creativity to free the mind from the confines of digital distractions. Taking a break from social media doesn't need to be an impossible goal, it can be even choosing to put your phone down after 20 minutes.
Don't feel guilty about taking some time to plug in offline and take time for yourself.
Berger, M. (2018, November 9). Social media use increases depression and loneliness. Penn Today. https://penntoday.upenn.edu/news/social-media-use-increases-depression-and-loneliness
Kerr, R. (2020, August 28). How Does the Algorithm Keep You scrolling? - Tech News. Particle. https://particle.scitech.org.au/tech/how-the-algorithm-keeps-you-hooked/
