Could Taking a Break from Social Media Help Your Marketing?

Taking a one-week break from social media can lower feelings of anxiety and depression, according to a new study published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking.

Is social media impacting your mental health as a business owner?

Social media is a powerful tool for marketing your business. But it can become a huge time-suck and the pressure to constantly feed the algorithm beast, can leave you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.

In December 2021, I decided to take a break from social media, particularly Facebook and Instagram. After surviving 107 days in lockdown – juggling my business, homeschooling and family life – I felt burnt out. I relished the idea of enjoying the New Zealand summer, having adventures with my family and freeing up some mental bandwidth.

I deleted the apps from my phone for over a month. I stopped posting on my business pages and spent less time mindlessly scrolling. It took me until May 2022 to step back into social media for my business. A longer break than intended, but I had greater clarity, confidence and energy.

If you are considering taking a break from social media, here are some insights from my experience and ideas to keep your marketing ticking along.

Benefits of a Social Media Break

More Time For The Things and People You Love

I am the first to admit that I spend far too much time mindlessly scrolling through my phone. Deleting social media apps for a few weeks revealed exactly how addicted I was. It took some time to detox but it was amazing how much time opened up to do other activities.

Putting down the phone also meant I was more present with my family. My kids noticed the difference and I’m committed to not fall back into bad habits now that the apps are back on my phone.

Clarity

Less time checking my socials translated into better daily habits overall. In particular, I got more sleep, which cleared the mental fog and stress, I had been experiencing.

I had the brain power to focus on my business at a strategic level and actually write the one-page marketing plan that was taking up valuable mental real estate. A useful document that I often produce for my clients, but hadn’t prioritised for my own business.

Now with a big picture view, I know where I’m heading and how I want to get there.

Confidence

Do you suffer from self-doubt? Or comparison-itis?

Being on social media seems to trigger those feelings more often. Comparing our lives and businesses to others’ highlight reels can leave many people questioning their value.

• What can I say that hasn’t already been said?
• How can I add value to the conversation?
• Is anyone interested?

Turning your attention inwards could help you answer those questions. We all have value to add in this world and our messages are worth sharing.

Creativity

Picking up my pen and letting my thoughts flow out regularly, sparked more of my creativity. Buried in the many pages of random ideas and notes, there was some glittery goodness, which I turned into content for my marketing plan.

Getting away from the noise of social media can spark inspiration and you’ll probably have more time to dive deeper into ideas. Creating content rather than consuming it.

Ways to Promote Your Business Without Social Media

Just because you take away from social media, doesn’t mean you have to stop promoting your business. There are other marketing channels besides social media.

In fact, I strongly advise having a multi-channel marketing strategy, so that your business is not in jeopardy if a particular platform is disrupted or disappears. (Remember the chaos from the Facebook and Instagram outage of 2021?).

You may even find some channels give you a better return on investment.

Here are some other marketing channels to focus on instead of social media:

• Blogging
• Podcasting
• Email Marketing
• Networking Groups
• Attend Trade Shows or Conferences
• Explore editorial opportunities
• Collaborate with business partners
• Direct mail
• Community sponsorships
• Hosting events e.g. workshops, webinars
• Search engine marketing

Does Taking A Complete Break from Social Scare You?

If social media is having a negative impact on your life, but taking a break feels too drastic then perhaps putting in better boundaries is the first step. Here are some ways I’m limiting my time on social media:

• Batching content
• Time limits and alarms when I’m consuming content
• Focus apps that block certain websites during work hours
• Outsourcing tasks

Remember social media should be a tool that works for you. You deserve to enjoy your business.