With so much of our lives being spent online, itโs typical that things like social media stress and anxiety are on the rise. But what exactly is it? And how do we handle it? Youโre in the right place to find out.
Iโll keep this short. Regardless of how you look at it, stress ultimately comes down to one thing (most of the time). That thing is a single belief. The belief that you canโt handle it. That you canโt handle this situation. That you canโt handle these circumstances, or that person, or that task. Really think about it.
So if youโre looking for how to handle social media stress, like any stress, it starts with you. Our problems and issues used to be kept in a small bubble, only visible to those closest to us. But since the internet came along, and with it, social media, our lives can now be displayed for all the world to see (at least all the world that has Wi-Fi). Which is great when youโre looking to connect. Thereโs great power in this ability.
But with great power comes great…expectation! You canโt help but feel like youโre constantly in the spotlight. All eyes are on you to succeed. To live your best life. When all you want to do is throw on your robe and slippers to watch reruns of This Is Us. That should be ok, right? Yes, it is, but not in the eyes of Social Media. These kinds of social media stressors can get a little overwhelming. So what can we do about it? Here are some things that might help.
Can You Handle Social Media Stress? You will with these 6 great tips:
1. Take a break.
Itโs simple enough. Just put the phone down. Disconnect and return to the present. The here and now. This break can be for an hour, a day, or even a week. Get off the grid and find yourself with an opportunity to clear your head. Breathe. Itโs funny how DISconnecting can actually help you REconnect.
2. Monitor your screen time
Most mobile devices nowadays can keep track of how much youโre using it. Take a look every so often. You may notice a correlation between how much stress youโre feeling and how much time youโre spending online. Set limits. Learn how to manage social media stress by managing your time.
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3. Be mindful of expectations
Itโs easy to think that we need to show off our best selves in order to be seen in a positive light, but in reality, no one probably cares. At least not as much as you do. Sure, people might swing by your profile and take a look, but that’s it. Everyone has their own life to worry about, rather than thinking about what place you went to dinner last weekend and did your makeup actually work with that outfit. Yer, nobodyโs wondering that. Just you.
4. Control what you share
Although it may seem like the world is constantly live-streaming everything, all the time, you are not on show 24/7. Itโs up to you what you share and who you share it with. When social media first came along, it was mainly for sharing pictures of times with friends, with those friends who were actually there. If you post something online, do it because you actually want to share it, and share it with those who matter.
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5. Meditation
A great way to deal with stress in general. I find it a great way to recenter myself when social media stresses me out. There are a few different kinds, but a simple breathing-focused meditation does wonders. Take some time out, get comfy, and keep your attention on the breath. Only the breath.
6. Talk to someone
When it comes to stress on social media and depression, itโs highly recommended to talk about it. Too often, we can isolate ourselves by keeping our problems to ourselves. It may be clichรฉ, but it’s true that a problem shared is a problem halved. Youโre not expecting someone to fix the problem. Talking about it just helps to get rid of some of the weight, and provides some social media stress relief. You may realize youโre not alone in how you feel, and that others go through similar situations.
Hopefully, at least one of these tips can help if you find yourself becoming one of the social media stress statistics you see posted around the internet. Remember, just like your smartphone, the power to manage, prevent, and avoid social media stress is in your hands.
This post was all about how to handle social media stress.
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