Want to know a potentially damaging secret? I am not too fond of social media. I know…shocking. I’m a personal branding expert who teaches professionals how to build an online following, and I dislike many aspects of social media. I’m a walking contradiction, I recognize this. So this week, I’m going to attempt to vindicate myself by explaining my beef with social media, and how others who share similar frustrations can use social platforms as a source of good and productivity, not evil.

Social media– a tumultuous and often toxic relationship

A quick Google search defines a toxic relationship as “A relationship where your well-being is threatened in some way—emotionally, psychologically, and even physically. On a basic level, any relationship that makes you feel worse rather than better can become toxic over time.” 

I want to make expressly clear that this article is by no means a way to belittle the very real and traumatizing effects of a toxic relationship. Indeed, those who have been in such a relationship know the dangerous toll they take on our lives. And yet, it’s not even a small stretch to acknowledge that, for many, the above definition succinctly captures their relationship with social media – something that can emotionally, psychologically, and even physically threaten well-being, and make you feel worse rather than better. 

Several studies have corroborated these feelings, finding heavy social media use is linked to an increased risk of depression, anxiety, loneliness, self-harm, and more. Frequently, my millennial friends and I retort, “I’m so glad AIM and chat rooms were the few social networks available during our vulnerable teen years.” 

So, why did I choose to build a career in social media? Like many things, it was a path that unfolded naturally rather than intentionally. I found social platforms, particularly LinkedIn, as mechanisms that helped me process steep learning curves, and find community and support along the way. For every con of social media, there are redeeming, even inspiring, outcomes– connectivity, social awareness, and democratization of learning to name a few. I’ve seen the overwhelming benefits that real, helpful content can have in people’s lives, especially those who are feeling stuck or misunderstood. For those reasons, I empathize with people who see social as a “necessary evil,” and I encourage them to heed the oft-quoted words of Gandhi and “Be the change you wish to see in the [online] world.” By doing this, you can create a more positive future for yourself and others. Keep reading to learn how. 

Down the rabbit hole

If you are anything like me you know that time on social media can be easily wasted through never-ending scrolling. You hop on for something specific or to kill a few minutes. Suddenly, you awake from your perusing-induced haze to realize that you’ve lost an hour of your day and accomplished nothing. It’s like binge eating sweets. Temporarily satisfying followed by a shame spiral. 

There is a way to turn the time suck into something productive and inspiring through a little discipline and intentionality. These 3 tips can help you to turn bad social media habits into exercises that can help you to build your personal brand and help others along the way.

1. Stop the scroll

When you notice that you are starting to zone out and the scroll has become more of a hole, don’t just force yourself to stop and move on to something else. Go back and do it again. Only this time consciously look for a post that yielded high engagement and try to break down what caught your eye about the post and why it got the traction that it did. Once you’ve dissected the post, start crafting a similar one that pertains to your area of expertise to see if the formula translates into your specialty or offer.

By doing this, you turn lost time into “learning time,” and empower yourself to create content that helps your audience do the same. 

2. News feed “spring cleaning”

While many of us focus intently on the content we put out on social media, few of us pay attention to the content that we are consuming. A great practice to ensure that you are not getting caught up in the latest celebrity news, divisive bickering, or click-bait headlines is to clean up your newsfeed. Set a calendar reminder once a month to log in and unfollow noisy and unrelated pages that continue to engulf your newsfeed real estate. Ask yourself if the pages you follow offer opportunities to learn more about your expertise or if it inspires you to create. If the answer is “no” to both of these questions, it’s a good idea to keep those distractions at bay.

I do this routinely, and my feeds have transformed into salacious gossip columns and consumerism traps into motivational, educational, and inspirational sources. Each time I log into social media, I feel confident knowing I’ve set myself up to progress rather than regress. Is your newsfeed helping you do the same?

3. Follow LinkedIn News

While this is only applicable to the LinkedIn platform, following LinkedIn News is a great way to see what kind of content editors and journalists are paying attention to at the time. It’s a useful tool to see what respected and vetted media platforms are pushing into the feeds of the consumer. Once you have a grasp on what the platform is supporting, it will give you a better idea of what kind of content you can create to coincide with what’s trending and catching the eyes of the consumer.

4. Bracket your time

My entire business runs on social media, and I allow myself no more than an hour a day on the platform. For those of you waving the “BS” card, I’m happy to elaborate. My schedule is as follows:

I log into my active platforms in the morning for 30 minutes. Of those 30 minutes, I post pre-written content (~5 minutes), consume educational and inspirational content (~15 minutes), and engage content and direct messages (~10 minutes). I repeat the same in the evening if my team hasn’t already helped me do the same. 

All of my content creation happens “off platform” in a Google document where my mind is free from distractions or comparing myself to others on social media.

When time is up, time is up. And even though it’s tough, I force myself to log off and read a book or listen to a podcast instead. Unsurprisingly, these typically yield more ideas for content than mindlessly scrolling ever does.

Embrace what works, ditch what doesn’t

The reality is, social media is a part of our culture, and when wielded productively, it’s a force multiplier for your business, brand, and career. You just need to give yourself guardrails to ensure it remains as such instead of becoming an all-consuming brain drain. Remember, when you set yourself up to win, and create healthy content habits you help yourself and your audience win.

Following these tips create positive social media habits that will help support your brand and business. To get more helpful tips on personal branding, sign up for our newsletter at www.kaitledonne.com/blog