How Radically Reducing Your Time on Social Can Grow Your Business
Social media is everywhere.
We scroll, we engage, we post, we plan, we share, we create, we filter, we like, boost, repost, react - we spend hours and hours of our lives online.
Social media has changed how we interact, forever.
But is it always effective?
And, can we create better connections with ourselves and those around us to create change, improve our business reach, and grow an audience (with a little bit of humanity and sanity still intact?).
In this blog, I take a deep dive into the problem of constant connection, a look at the data of how it affects our mental health and productivity, and examine some solutions.
Ready?
Let’s go.
The Problem:
Social media use and growth increases year on year.
“In 2020, there are 3.96 billion people actively using social media in the world, and this is an increase of 10.9% year-on-year from 3.48 billion in 2019. Back in 2015, there were only 2.07 billion users – that’s an overall increase in users of 92.76% in just five years.” (via Backlinko.com)
As the use of social media increases, so does our consumption of...well.. STUFF.
We become so used to scrolling and consuming, yet the quality of what we are taking in becomes greatly compromised.
Right now, we are in “content shock”, a term coined by Mark Schaeffer.
“This upward trend of content consumption is not sustainable because every human has a physiological, inviolable limit to the amount of content they can consume. I believe as marketers, we have been lulled into a false sense of security thinking that this consumption trend will continue to rise without end. That is simply not possible. “
In a content shock era, (content shock epoch, anyone? Anyone? ok….)when we are bombarded with more and more content on an increasing number of platforms, realising we are in an unsustainable position and taking action as a business owner, change-maker and - more importantly - human being, becomes more and more necessary.
We need to think about the content we are sharing and consuming in order to not only have greater impact, but to hold onto our mental wellbeing, productivity, and ability to ideate and think for ourselves.
[Extra resource: This podcast on connecting you yourself for thought leadership]
This fun video from 2018 offers an insight to content shock and what to think about when creating content (via Vitamins by VCS):
Mental Health and Social Media
Aside from the scroll, roll and ‘gram loops we find ourselves in, how do our brains and mental health hold up with constant connection?
Well, as I write this (July 2021), we are in a post pandemic era (kinda, hopefully, fingers crossed).
Our connection during lockdowns was mainly via social media and, of course, endless Zoom “things” (family gatherings, meetings, social events, drinking games, Tiger King themed evenings, pamper evenings, workouts, art classes, raves…(and that’s just in my house).
While the pandemic highlighted the magic and connection we can find using social, our over reliance on it has highlighted the danger zones of our über connected, super filtered, reels-driven lives.
In the first experimental study of Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram use, psychologist Melissa G. Hunt, PhD discovered that social media use actually increases depression and loneliness, the very things we might assume that it helps us with.
One reason that the over use of social media is detrimental to our mental health is the confirmation bias effect, and inevitable comparisonitis - also known as “that biz owner over there is obviously perfect and has it all figured out, I must be a failure”.
Jeremy Tyler, PsyD, assistant professor of clinical Psychiatry at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the Perelman School of Medicine, says:
“People see other users who appear to be perfect, who are well liked, or who have things they may not, and they start to believe some of the negative perceptions about themselves.”
{See also: my little ditty on opting out of the online marketing psyops)
Productivity
Aside from content shock and the effects on our mental health, how about the effects on our productivity?
Well, with our brains already firmly in overwhelm, self criticism mode and squished by confirmation bias, it’s already not looking fabulous for focus, productivity, and clarity of working.
If we are spending over 2 hours a day on the ZuckerGram or other socialz, it’s likely we aren’t doing anything meaningful in that time. Ok, maybe you started off doing something meaningful, then down the dopamine rabbit hole, and then lost a chunk of your day.
It’s hard to remain focussed when we are in the habit of scroll, roll and repeat.
“The tycoons of social media have to stop pretending that they’re friendly nerd gods building a better world and admit they’re just tobacco farmers in T-shirts selling an addictive product to children. Because, let’s face it, checking your “likes” is the new smoking.”
So, if we know that constant connection and overuse of social media can lead to:
Content shock and overwhelm.
Anxiety, FOMO and the illusion of connection.
Radically reduced focus and productivity.
...what can we do, and how can radically reducing time on social media grow your business?
Well first up, let’s remember that businesses have been going waaaaaay before Big Tech rocked up.
Connections happen everywhere - recommendations, meetings, conferences, communities, classes - as well as on social media.
We are often sold into the idea that social media is THE way to get clients, and that without it, businesses won’t thrive.
How about we consider the viewpoint that the carefully balanced, strategic, and intentional use of social media can actually sharpen our creativity and innovation, make space for meaningful connections and collaboration, and keep your mental health in tact.?
Sure, it’s not the dream we are so often shown as The Way - but isn’t it time, maybe, for a new way of thinking about our approach to social?
Every time I put some clear personal boundaries in place, and get intentional around how, when and where I use social media, I am astounded at how quickly creativity returns, clarity of thought wins through, and the frantic fizz of constant feeds and information disappears.
Radically reducing your time on social media can help to grow your business in a number of ways:
Focus, clarity and connection:
When you are more focussed in your day, clear on actions you take and why you take them, space opens up for strategic ways to encourage leads into your business. Social media may absolutely form a part of that plan, but being aware of how much time, energy and resource you spend on social platforms and business activities and on which actions means you have some data to check, tweak and revise for efficacy.
TL;DR? When you stop drowning in social you can decide how to use it, and find out what works.Ideation + creativity
Creative thinking is needed now more than ever to stand out in crowded marketplaces. As a key competency, creative thinking needs space, a resource that opens up with mindful use of social media and reduced time with unconscious scrolling.
TL;DR? Stepping away from social for periods of time and thinking creatively opens up ways to innovate in your marketing.Meaningful human connection.
When we take the focus away from one to many as an approach, we can go back to other ways to create human connection. From sending personalised videos to prospects, connections and clients, voice note connections, old fashioned coffee catch ups and networking events, the old school ways of creating connections still stand, with the aid of technology where appropriate and easeful. In fact, when so many things are automated, dehumanised and designed to scale, thinking about small batch connections for long term growth is pretty radical - and welcomed by the humans behind the numbers.
TL;DR? Marketing and business growth is still about one human to another. Reconnecting with that premise is pretty revolutionary (but essential).
In short, when we create space from social, we reclaim time to get strategic, creative, and human in growing a business.
Creating mindful habits and ways of working allows space to focus, and to foster well-being habits for the long term.
But how do we break the habit?
What works for me when I have got stuck back into constantly checking in, is to take the apps off my ‘phone.
Just remove Facebook, Instagram, and anything else that you check over and over.
I need to be on Facebook for various work related reasons, and to moderate the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Bluetits group; right now I only check Facebook on my laptop, decide the purpose of my visit to the Zuckspace before I go in, and also time myself on Toggl when I go on there, in order to check how much time I am plugged into social.
Timing yourself on social, or setting a limit to go online for, say 10 - 15 minutes and no more will help you to stay accountable, to track and measure your time and attention, and to adjust where needed and necessary.
Retraining ourselves to connect online also often means retraining the expectations of others.
This is a good time to check back in with how you want to receive communications, and set some personal boundaries around the many ways we can be contacted.
Set expectations with your clients, friends, and family - if they have all been used to you being online on all the networks, all the time, let people know that you are pulling back from social media, and that your replies may not be instant.
I know this is easier said than done - with multiple Slack channels, Monday and Asana boards, text message,, two WhatsApp accounts, FB messenger, email, Instagram, Telegram, it felt really weird for me to step back and not to feel the need to be reactive.
But the peace that comes from knowing you can check in, during times you decide, is really empowering and refreshing.
It also means that when I am working on a project for a client, creating content, or communicating with people, that I am totally present and focussed.
Cal Newport, author of Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World advocates checking in with your values, and planning how you use social media and technology to support the things you value, and to embrace FOMO on the rest:
“Digital Minimalism A philosophy of technology use in which you focus your online time on a small number of carefully selected and optimized activities that strongly support things you value, and then happily miss out on everything else.”
So, could you - would you, SHOULD you reduce your time on social?
Let me know.
Comment below, or send me an email to jo@jogifford.co with your thoughts.
Yes, actual connection! Let’s get radical.
Jo