Finding Balance with Social Media as a Business Owner

If you have been following along my Instagram recently, you know that I romanticize the "unplugging" lifestyle, living more presently with those I'm with and taking time to find hobbies I enjoy. Finding hobbies in your 30's sounds like a negative, hobbies are for kids! But what if it's because we just allocate our time doing other things with it, we make time for it. It doesn't need to be 3 hours, it can be 20 minutes. ANYTHING can be a hobby - reading, working out, gardening, watching sports, etc. It is what you consider a hobby & you like to do. 

The turning point for me was when I realized I was spending too much time on social media - my Instagram time was around 1.5 hours a day, which I think its probably on the lower end but I would check it sporadically 30 seconds here and there and it really became a distraction. I wanted to be more intentional with my time on the app and discovered ClearSpace from another artists newsletter! You set your own time limit for however many sessions you want.

For me, my goal is to be on the app around 30-45 minutes a day. So I have 3 sessions each day that are around 10-15 min each (morning check in, midday & after work) The first few days were a little hard because my natural instinct was to check Instagram then over time, that urge and immediate instinct to do that lessened. I know that if I am going to hop on the app, I am going to be intentional with it, spend those 10/15 minutes thoughtfully and with purpose. 

In the long run of my business & life, I don't want to live fully on the gram. One of my values is freedom - which for me means, freedom to run my business however I want and from wherever I want. I don't want to be tied to trends or living based off an algorithm. With that, that means I also need to focus on areas that allow this type of lifestyle which is SEO, Pinterest + Email Marketing! These are my 3 areas of focus for the summer as far as organic growth & also shifting more energy into wholesale + markets. I definitely still plan to use Instagram, but not as the main driver for marketing but rather a tool that is still part of my overall business. 

I have combined several different exercises into figuring out what I want my business & life to look like. I've asked myself questions, written out what an ideal day looks like and so much more. I think it is important to ask yourself what YOU want, what fills your cup, what makes you happy. I know we may not all have the option to work for ourselves and/or even desire that, but if you are feeling a little lackluster about your days or your time then be honest with yourself and see where that time is going. 

So this is how I am finding balance with my relationship with social media as a business owner. Right now, I like having ClearSpace help me with the boundaries - eventually, I won't need it. If you are looking for some support, this app is a great option - it also comes down to what you want your life to look like. We all have different goals, desires & wants in life. Writing out what those are to you is the first step then use tools to help you along the way to keep you on that path. 

I'm obsessed with this topic of balance & living our best lives in our most authentic self. Let me know if you found this helpful!