Social media has become a quintessential part of marketing. If you’re looking past it and not investing your time into social media marketing as a business, you’re doing it wrong.
You could say the same about social media within our own personal lives. At some point in our personal day-to-day, we experience social media burnout. We delete the apps for a bit and take a breather until we feel ready again.
But, you’re probably wondering how someone who works in social media marketing for a living handles the candle burning at both ends.
I’m here to tell you that this is something I am nowhere near perfect with and still struggle with it. I continue to work on avoiding burnout, and probably will in the coming future as long as my role allows.
Here are some of our top tips to avoid social media burnout if you work in social media 40 hours a week, like us!
Set boundaries and expectations
It’s easy to always be “on” with social media, so setting boundaries with yourself first is critical. If that means avoiding your personal social media account to not endlessly scroll throughout the workday, do it. And, take breaks from your personal account when you spot those warning signs.
The next is setting boundaries for your employer. If these boundaries mean checking your client’s or business account once in the morning and once before you leave work, do it.
I personally don’t look at any of our client’s social media accounts outside of business hours, even though the notification badge is nagging me. It’s easy to get wrapped up in it and tell yourself, “I’m just looking quick and there is no harm,” but when you find yourself constantly doing it to the point it’s automatic, you’ve lost sight of that boundary and it’s time to reel it back in!
Know your worth
As a user ourselves, we are aware of the downfalls of social media. It’s exhausting to remind yourself that social media can spread misinformation, hate, and harassment just within seconds across the ENTIRE world.
On the contrary, know your worth and the value that you bring to your employer. There are SO many positives to working in social media- you’re a strategic communicator, thinker, marketer, and not to mention, a customer service rep, all in one.
Plus, as a social media marketer, you have the opportunity to share things that can make a positive difference in the world. I’d say that’s a pretty darn cool and important role to play in this space. Know that you are important. Own it.
Take a break when necessary
As I listed above, those in social media marketing roles wear a lot of hats. It can be difficult at times to live up to the standard of being out-of-the-box creative and create groundbreaking content. If you need a break, TAKE IT. Even if it is for 15 minutes, or even if “taking a break” means deleting your personal social media account for a while, you are deserving of a break when it comes calling.
Take a moment to re-energize, whatever that means for you. It could be taking a brief walk, making a meal, talking with a friend, meditating, or the old-fashioned resting your eyes. Social media is just plain overwhelming sometimes. If you’re going to be a social media marketer and a good one at that, you have to also take care of yourself in the process. After all, it does sometimes feel like social media is inescapable.
Ask for help
When you wear multiple hats, it typically entails a LOT of projects, assignments, meetings, people involved, and it’s easy to get wrapped up in it until you realize you are drowning in your workload.
Nothing is gonna kill your mood (and the quality of your work) more than being exhausted and overwhelmed.
As I write this, I think this may be one of the more important tips throughout this entire blog: ask for help! I can’t stress this enough. Whether you are having writer’s block and could use some idea bouncing from co-workers, or simply don’t have the bandwidth to complete all your tasks, always ask for help when you need it. Nothing will ever change if you don’t bring it to the forefront.
Celebrate the victories, even the small ones
Have someplace to store or keep track of your victories, even if they are small! Victories are what keep us going when the going gets tough. When you lose inspiration or need a little pick me up, you can go back and reflect on a time you kicked some butt. Hopefully, it’ll be a small push of motivation that you needed to keep moving forward.
Using social media around the clock can take quite a mental toll. At the same time, using social media AND creating social media has the power to open the floor to necessary conversations, provide information, and can be life-changing for some. Being “plugged in” isn’t always a bad thing, but when you feel yourself experiencing burnout in the social media space, we hope these tips come to mind and you can reset to become the best social media marketer you’re meant to be!