Suffering from Digital Burnout? How to Relieve It

Do you have to run and get your phone if you leave it in another room?

Do you check Facebook so often there are hardly any new posts since the last time you checked (half an hour ago)?

Does your email inbox run your life, with notifications popping up and grabbing your attention every time you settle in to get work done?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you might be on your way to a digital burnout, which can hurt your online business if you’re not careful.

It’s harder to get the real, important work done, and what you do get done is not as high quality as if you had been more focused.

Plus, it distracts us from real life. How many times do you find yourself saying to loved ones, “Just a minute, honey,” as you finish up something on your phone?

Here are steps to take to relieve and reverse digital burnout.

1. Schedule social media time.

I have a friend who loves getting out of bed in the morning because the first thing she does is check Instagram – and that’s the only time she allows herself to open the app all day. If you’re the “let me just check Facebook for the zillionth time” type, try setting parameters on your social consumption.

2. Disconnect regularly.

Maybe you take 1 day each weekend and don’t plug in at all. Maybe you go off the grid for 2 hours every night. Find a way to unplug from technology that works for you and your schedule.

3. Don’t reach for the phone.

I love the new Dixie ads with the #DarkForDinner campaign encouraging you to leave your phone alone during dinnertime. When you’re spending time with others, be completely with them. Whether it’s clients or family, you’re better off if you unplug when you’re face to face.

4. Choose wisely.

Once you’re scheduling your social media time, be selective about how you spend that time. Would you rather spend a half hour on Facebook or Pinterest? Or split time between the two? There’s no right answer, but by considering your priorities and your business goals, you’ll use your digital time wisely.

5. Forget multitasking.

You know it doesn’t work to check email at the same time that you write your newest blog post, and yet it’s still so tempting! Shut down email and social media altogether when you’re concentrating on a project so that you can get it done and move on, rather than splitting your time.

6. Outsource social media and email.

Did you know my team can answer emails for you and post on your social networks? Outsourcing those tasks alone can free up 10 hours per week for you.