For us at Social Sarahmony, being on social media has given us a way to work with businesses, interact with audiences from all over the world, and genuinely enjoy the new digital age. We all love being apart of the social media world, but sometimes, it can feel like social media is our world. Everyone needs a break sometimes, so our newest Intern, Sienna, wanted to share some of her favorite ways to take a step back from the feed, and focus on #irl.
1. Take a detox day
One of the most useful tools I have found to take a much needed break from all of the likes, reposts, and hashtags is to remove myself all together. Once a week, I take a period of 24 hours to delete all apps off my phone so I won’t even be tempted to check how many views my story got or see the latest paparazzi photos of North West. This helps me stay present, enjoy those around me, and even do something fun with friends without having to worry about documenting our every move. Play with how much time works for you, and come back to the social world feeling refreshed and revived.
2. Numbers Don't Always Matter
Even I will admit that if my photo doesn't get how many likes I hoped it would, I get a bit discouraged. I often catch myself checking to see how many people commented the heart eyes emoji on my latest “candid” photo of me sipping on my iced latte that took ten minutes of posing to get the insta worthy shot. The truth is, no matter how many follows, likes, or comments you get a day, it will never change your true self worth. Don’t let the numbers control your life, post whatever you would like (even if it might not go with your aesthetic) and try not to stress if you haven’t hit 10k followers yet.
3. Don’t Compare.
It's hard not to scroll through your feed seeing beautiful models, people traveling to gorgeous destinations, and another one of your friend’s engagement photos. I know it has been said on every other instagram post you see, but one of the most important things to remember about social media is that it really is the “highlight reel” of people’s lives. Do you think your favorite influencer would have 2 million followers if she only posted photos of her refilling her prescriptions at CVS? People post what they want others to see. Remember that comparison is the thief of joy, and social media should be a positive experience, not the other way around!
I hope that these three steps can help anyone who feels anything negative while being on social media. Posting photos, interacting with friends, and following accounts that you love should leave you feeling inspired and excited. If you ever feel like the apps on your phone have taken a hold of too much of your time and attention, come back to these tips and #takecontrol of your social media.
Follow Sienna's instagram accounts @tofuslutt for travel and lifestyle inspo and @partywithplants for her vegan food creations!
