As someone who has built a brand and business online, I often get asked about social media for business. While I love social media, lately I’ve been wondering if we should take a break from using it so much. And, if we do decide to take a break, how do we do it without stopping our marketing efforts?
The truth is that, like many of you, I also get overwhelmed by social media. With that being said, here are some signs that it may be time to take a break from using social media for business.
You’re exhausted.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve noticed myself feeling exhausted by social media. Every time I look at my phone I have at least 10 new notifications for Facebook alone. Throughout the course of the day, I’m easily dealing with over 100 notifications.
Because I use social media for business, I sometimes feel obligated to hop on. Did someone post something in my free Facebook group? Is it one of my group coaching students asking me something? By the end of the day I’m exhausted.
Lately, I’ve noticed that – most of the time – the notifications can wait.
The lines are becoming blurred.
Another thing I’ve noticed recently is that my direct messages inbox are being solicited for business. Since I use social media for business, this isn’t necessarily a problem. The problem is the lines between personal and business are becoming very blurry.
A few weeks ago I had 15 unread messages in my personal Facebook inbox. They were all related to business. Some people I knew, others were just soliciting without knowing me.
As the lines become more blurry, I’m starting to wonder if taking a break or setting better boundaries is necessary.
It’s affecting your health.
In the past, I’ve been very open about the fact that I’ve suffered from panic attacks. Anxiety is always in the back of my mind. What I’ve noticed is that constantly being connected to social media – especially at night – heightens that anxiety.
I’ve had several friends and colleagues also say they are starting feel exhausted by social media. However, since we all use social media for business, it seems like it’s a necessary evil.
Or is it?
How to Take A Break When You Use Social Media For Business
The question really isn’t whether or not we need to take a break from social media for business. It’s really more about how to set boundaries.
In my case, I’ve realized my boundaries are incredibly loose. I noticed this after I saw one of my mentors post the following message:
“I understand that many of you have questions about what I offer in my business. Please understand that I do not always see your Facebook messages. My priorities also lie with my family so my phone is off at 8pm every night. As a result, if you have any questions or solicitations, please use email so that I see it.”
I paraphrased here, but I still think it was absolutely brilliant. She knew her priorities and set her boundaries accordingly. By setting boundaries such as this one, we can still use social media for business, but we don’t have to sacrifice our nervous system.
