How to use social media as a freelance writer without compromising your mental health

Especially in the world of remote working, social media has quickly become the new virtual watercooler: the place where co-workers (and an ample serving of strangers) can exchange witty banter and GIF-infused small talk.

But how does one tread the fine line between social media’s benefits (its connections, often to people you might never otherwise encounter) with its downfalls (its impact on your everyday mental health)?

Freelance writers especially have to strike a careful balance. Where does one draw the line when social media and its role in both developing your “brand” and finding you new clients has become a seemingly inevitable part of the freelancing business model?

It’s not really about getting off of it, it’s about figuring out how to use it strategically.

Fighting a Sense of Obligation

If you’ve spent months or years building up a following, how can you dial back your time on social media without feeling like you’re letting people down in some way? Who would want to miss out on your insightful thoughts and opinions?

The world of social media is filled with more potential than any one of us can fathom - and that can lead to a potent case of FOMO. As relentless as social media can be, the drive to check your Twitter or Instagram can create a sense of anxiety-ridden urgency. What opportunities might you be missing in the mere moments that you look away?

“I feel tethered to social media at times. I feel a responsibility to show up, to participate, to interact with people, because there’s an expectation for me to maintain this consistency. But I don’t think there is a deep-seated necessity for me to invest that amount of time.”

At the same time, social media isn’t only about opportunities! Pictures of your friends’ children (or especially adorable puppies, or kittens, or emotional support goats) can have a net-positive impact on your wellbeing. A mere emoji reply might not do justice to the depth of the feelings you might have with your closest associates.

In that case, your love doesn’t have to be confined to the realm of Facebook - and maybe you can, instead, log out, and reach out to your friends with a heartwarmingly old-school text (or even, gasp! a phone call!)

Learning to Strike the Right Balance

If you’re one of those people who have as many social media accounts as you have streaming services, then you might benefit from a “social media audit.” Which of your accounts are most critical to your business, and how many opportunities are you getting from each channel?

If you find that your audience is overwhelmingly on LinkedIn or Twitter, then maybe you can benefit by paring down the time you spend on Instagram or TikTok. And at the very least, you could take some of the pressure off by uninstalling the apps themselves. These platforms are designed to be rabbit holes, and the ability of users to set boundaries has never been part of their business model - so sometimes, it can be easier just to remove the temptation.

That isn’t to say that there aren’t other tricks you can use. As another alternative, you can always simply schedule your posts, rather than constantly being at the ready. And more recent versions of smartphone software now come with “focus modes” (typically found under Settings, or as a “Digital Wellbeing” tool) in which you can filter out some of the things that you find most distracting. 

“How can you be more efficient with the time you spend using those channels? Because that’s a mental tax that we don’t think about and don’t account for. Processing that information, taking it in, generating that FOMO: it all comes with a toll.”

It’s OK to Just be a Participant, Not a “Creator.” 

Many folks who develop an actual following - be it five hundred or five hundred thousand - can certainly feel pressured to “perform.” People are following you for a reason, right? But that doesn’t mean you have to feed your whole life into the social media mill. It’s OK just to join in on the countless number of interesting conversations that are already happening!

You may find it helpful to focus on your area of expertise - whether it’s writing, branding, or especially delicious soufflés. This might also help to counteract the potential for “imposter syndrome” - that nagging worry that no one wants to hear what you have to say.

At the same time, you’d be right to remember that not everything has to be on social media. A well-earned following will be more than happy to follow you elsewhere - whether that means joining your email list, listening to your podcast, or watching your Twitch stream as you build your Minecraft dream house.

“If you don’t have something to say, find out what somebody else is saying, and chime in with conversation that’s already out there. Just participate, rather than constantly consuming what other people are saying. Look for conversations that are relevant to what you know.”

Social media has become an unavoidable part of our world - but your own life and wellbeing are more important than any algorithm. Your boundaries and needs might not conform to a tech company’s business models, and that’s ok: they will always need you more than you’ll ever need them.

So don’t stress about taking some time away. Anyone who begrudges you a break is not anyone you’d want in your following, anyway. It will still be there when you get back.

This season of FWCP is brought to you by Eva Gutierrez, creator of the Client Acquisition System.