How to Reduce Screen Time and Still Build a Successful Personal Brand
Does social media feel like it’s taking over your life? Do you feel a consistent need to unplug and disconnect? Some days it feels like you’re better off without Instagram or TikTok, yet deep down you know how important it is to create content, share it online, and engage with your audience in order to move the needle for your business and personal brand.
The struggle! I feel it. What if I told you there is a way for you to experience more ease, peace, and fulfillment as you create content and share it on social media? Contrary to public opinion, it doesn’t always have to be a burden if you know how to manage yourself and your time. You can have a rewarding experience on social media and still be present in your life off-screen. Here are a few tips for creating more balance in your life and avoiding burn-out online.
Create the Majority of Your Content “Off-Screen”
One of the best ways to avoid getting sucked down the social media rabbit hole is by creating the majority of your content “off-screen.” Essentially, most of what you create for social media can be done without logging into apps like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, or Facebook (except with the exception of TikTok, Instagram Stories, and LinkedIn Stories - but we will get to those later).
For example, if I want to share a long-form caption and photo on Instagram, I don’t have to spend time on the app in order to write it. When you look at how long it takes to hit “share,” it’s only a mere 15-30 seconds of screen-time. The problem arises when you remain on the app. Checking for likes, story views, and engagement metrics are the reason you get trapped in the never-ending cycle of hitting “refresh” for instant gratification.
If you can commit to creating content without logging into the apps, you're more likely to enjoy the process.. How to do this? Turn your phone on airplane mode, drop-in, lock-in, and watch the creative juices start to flow. You’ll be amazed at how much farther your efforts will go when you don’t let the fear of judgment or outside opinions influence the way you create. It’s just like walking on a tightrope. Train your eyes to look forward to the destination ahead. As soon as you take your eyes off the prize, you lose your balance. Stay off the apps for as long as possible until it’s time to hit share!
Schedule Social Media into Your Calendar
Building a successful personal brand requires that you adopt a “media company mentality.” It means that you have to think of yourself as a media channel; the success of your personal brand is directly linked to how much content you share and to what scale. Why is this exactly? Well, it’s a numbers game really. The more places you are, the more attention you have, the more likely you are to receive opportunities, advancement, and recognition. The goal is to be in as many places online as possible; contribute to the conversation, and add value.
Here's the truth:
You can keep your seat at the digital table and take care of your mental health while honoring your need to disconnect from social media. It’s rarely a black and white issue, though it’s always made out to seem that way. Dedicate a specific time in your day to post content on social media and engage with your audience; afterwards, put the phone away and focus your attention on other tasks that move the needle forward in your career or business.
Deepen Your Self-Awareness and Become More Present
Ultimately, you define your relationship with the internet and social media. It doesn’t have to be a negative presence in your life if you don’t want it to be. My advice: don’t throw the baby out with the baby water. Social media is a tool that can help you grow your business, expand your income, and build your reputation as an industry expert and influencer. Instead, deepen your self-awareness and grow more intentional with how you spend your time. Just as with anything in life, moderation is key. Becoming more attuned to your behavior around social media will give you more peace and put you back in the driver’s seat of your life.
What are some practical ways of applying this principle? First and foremost, notice when you start to drift away from the present moment. When you find yourself deep in the trenches of the TikTok ForYou page or Instagram Stories, ask yourself: What does this feel like? Do I want to be here? Do I feel friction? How then, can I reduce this friction?
When you pause to ask yourself these questions, you have two options. You can either accept the present moment as it is. You can accept that you’ve chosen to spend your time on social media and make peace with this decision. Acceptance of the present moment means that the conflict no longer exists. Or, if you’re unsatisfied with the present moment, and wish to get off social media, you can decide to close the app and move on to something else. The friction, discomfort, and uneasiness only arises when there is internal conflict. “I’m on social media but I should be doing something else.” Awareness leads to presence and presence dissolves conflict and puts you back in control. And make no mistake, you are always in control of how much time you spend on social media. You have the power to decide what kind of relationship you have with your digital home.
Documentaries like the Social Dilemma have highlighted some stark concerns around social media and the negative effects it has on our mental health and wellbeing.
I continue to do the work to understand the complexities around this issue and provide solutions for combating social media fatigue, depression, and anxiety. I believe that social media is a powerful tool, one that propels us forward and gives every voice a platform. There is a way to both leverage social media for good and become more intentional and selective with how we choose to spend our time and attention.
Do you struggle with spending too much time on social media? Do you think it hurts or helps you? Leave a comment and let me know below.
