Social Pros – Tips to Protect Your Mental Health (from a Neuroscientist)

It’s no secret that too much social media causes enormous psychological damage. And for social media professionals who work in them virtually 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, these losses become exponential. That’s why it’s so important to take care of your mental health.

In this blog, we will talk about how overwork and social media overexposure can affect your brain. We’ll also look at steps you can take to protect your mental health despite the many stressors your role can bring.

A little more about me

I am Nawal Mustafa, a cognitive neuroscientist and mental health educator. My academic background focuses on behavior, cognition and neuroscience. I am currently a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Windsor in Canada. Neuropsychology is the study of how human behavior, emotions, and cognition affect the functions of the brain and nervous system, and vice versa.

I share my knowledge and experience in brain health and psychology through @TheBrainCoach on Instagram. Since launching in August 2019, the account has over 1 million active followers and is one of the largest social media mental health platforms.

It also gave me firsthand experience of the multifaceted role of a social media manager and digital content creator, so I personally invest in maintaining optimal mental health in the challenging role of a social media manager and have a special passion. about helping others in the same situation.

Our brain in social

Like everything we interact with, our brain reacts chemically to social media. But what does it really look like?

Fine

Social media platforms are designed to be addictive and enhance our biological need to connect with others and feel accepted. This connection is optimized by social media and activates the brain’s reward system through the release of dopamine, the “feel good”neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation.

This can be good – to some extent. There is preliminary data on the positive impact of social media on mental health, based on a study by Harvard scientists. It was found that people who used social media as part of their daily lives and interacted with content shared by others saw a positive correlation with social well-being, positive mental health, and self-reported health.

This means that the conscious use of social media in our daily lives can contribute to certain health benefits.

Badly

When people felt emotionally connected to social media, such as feeling disconnected or over-checking their feeds due to FOMO, health-related outcomes were negatively correlated.

So, while judicious use of social media can be beneficial, many find it difficult to use social media consciously. And that fight is likely to escalate for social media managers.

Plenty of research points to various mental health and cognitive problems due to excessive exposure to social media. There are higher levels of psychological stress and symptoms of depression associated with stressful news like COVID-19. An influx of negative news can also lead to compassion fatigue and secondary traumatic stress.

Excessive exposure to social media also leads to poor sleep quality. However, a good night’s sleep is critical to brain health. This is when the brain consolidates information into memory and clears out the harmful toxins produced during the day. It also gives your sympathetic nervous system (which controls your fight or flight response) a chance to relax, making you feel more rested and energized.

So imagine what happens when your brain doesn’t get a chance to do its thing. Poor sleep quality leads to increased stress and fatigue, mood dysregulation and reduced ability to concentrate.

“Oh oh”

Eat more. Other research points to the dependence on social media to feel happy because of how it activates the brain’s reward system. It’s considered a form of addiction – people seek feedback on social media, even if it results in self-sabotaging behavior like neglecting sleep or daily priorities.

As social media managers create content with the goal of gaining more engagement and positive feedback, this issue may be even more prevalent in the industry.

Understanding the potential psychological impact of social media on our health and well-being is still a new area of ​​research, especially how this information applies to the work of social media managers who have been on platforms for much longer than the average person. The requirements of this role are much more nuanced than ever before, so it’s important to be aware of the detrimental effects of social media overexposure and how it impacts day-to-day work.

Red flags of burnout

There are always early signs of trouble. Pay attention to these things so you don’t go down that path.

9 signs of burnout

One of the best ways to tell if it’s time to re-evaluate your time on social media is to recognize the warning signs of burnout, an acute state of physical or mental exhaustion that includes feelings of diminished achievement and loss of personal identity.

Burnout is most often caused by problems at work, but it can also manifest itself in other areas of life, such as romantic relationships, parenting, or a combination of the two.

The nine key warning signs of burnout include:

1. Fatigue and difficulty concentrating and completing tasks
2. You no longer find your job interesting or satisfying
3. Feelings of inadequacy when it comes to your ability to do your job
4. It’s hard to believe that you are making a difference in your work.
5. Feeling like you’re taking on more than you can realistically handle
6. Cynicism and struggle with controlling your emotions
7. Walk away from people or push them away
8. Frequent neglect of one’s own needs and little time for oneself
9. Loss of self-esteem and frequent self-criticism

3 types of burnout

There are various reasons why burnout and exhaustion occur. A helpful way to determine the root cause of your burnout is to understand why you feel the way you do.

Researchers have divided people’s responses to chronic work-related stress into three main types: frantic, frustrated, and fatigued.

1. Furious burnout occurs when people put too much energy into their work—often as a result of worry—that the rewards for a role begin to feel inadequate compared to their efforts. These people neglect work-life balance, invest maximum energy in their role and work to the point of exhaustion.
2. Lack of burnout occurs when a person feels trapped in a monotonous and unstimulating work environment, taking on a role that does not provide job satisfaction. This contributes to a general decrease in mood and satisfaction.
3. Debilitating burnout occurs when people feel frustrated and discouraged at work by an unhealthy work environment that is constantly a source of great stress or little reward.

Thanks to all social media managers who post content or check their feeds over the weekend https://t.co/cDbIS3uH80

— Hootsuite ? (@hootsuite) September 25, 2022

Do not burn – calm down

However, there is also good news. There are many ways to prevent and counter burnout.

5 ways to beat burnout

If you’re experiencing signs of burnout or persistent fatigue, it’s important to step back and recharge. Tolerating and overcoming these feelings is counterproductive and can lead to serious mental and physical illness.

Here are five ways to recharge when you’re feeling burned out or exhausted:

1. Schedule frequent breaks in your calendar during work hours. For example, take a 10-minute break after every 50 minutes of focused work. Do some stretching or meditation with an instructor. The brain has a limited capacity for sustained attention, so going over its limits will likely make it hard for you to focus and stay efficient.
2. Shake up your work schedule. It can be as simple as taking a new route to work or heading to a new place for lunch. It gets your brain off auto-pilot, refreshes it, and brings joy to your day.
3. Keep a log of victories in your phone or journal. A list of your victories can remind you of how far you’ve come and what you’re capable of, especially when you’re struggling to acknowledge your accomplishments or develop a sense of gratitude. This helps prevent cynicism and high self-criticism, which are often the result of burnout.
4. Focus on deep connections. Hanging out with people who lift your spirits and energize you can be very beneficial for your mental health. It is also a way to relax and take a step back from work-related commitments. But remember, who you hang out with matters, so say no to social interactions that drain your energy.
5. Log out. When you’re done, try to consciously spend time away from the network. Turn off notifications, rip off your laptop, and resist the urge to reply to emails. Try to be completely distracted and take the time to focus on yourself and the things that make you happy.

Manage priorities to achieve balance

Managing social media, especially if you’re also a self-employed person who wears a lot of hats, is a tough job. This often makes it difficult to prioritize tasks and find work-life balance.

To take care of your mental health in advance, I encourage social media managers to spend 30 minutes each morning reviewing tasks and prioritizing those that have the most impact on your business.

Another recommendation is to avoid multitasking. This is the fastest way to overload yourself and increase your stress levels. It also reduces performance and makes you more error prone. One study even found that trying to do two tasks at the same time reduced productivity by 20%. This number increases to 80% with five tasks. Not good.

To avoid multitasking, make a checklist instead. Checklists are a way to bring clarity to upcoming tasks and let your brain focus on one task at a time before moving on to the next.

Most importantly, it is imperative that social media managers learn to set work time limits. Boundaries are a form of self-love that allows us to protect our mental health, respect our needs, and set realistic expectations. When you put yourself last and don’t set boundaries, you’re at the highest risk of burnout.

Listen to your body. Pay attention to your needs. If you already have enough to do, decline requests that are not urgent. If you feel constantly overwhelmed, set a limit on the time you spend on social media each day. For example, set an alarm for 5:30 pm to disconnect from work and turn off all email and social media notifications.

Tip from Hootsuite: Worried about missing important messages? Set up an OOO message in Slack, an automatic email reply, and, for your real social channels, a simple chatbot to let people know when you’re online and when they should expect a response.

Ask for help when you need it

Talking to managers about job expectations can be intimidating, but it’s worth getting started if you’re feeling overwhelmed. These tough conversations not only help you get through your current workload, but also increase your teammates’ awareness of work-related expectations.

To start a difficult conversation, try Sharon and Gordon Bauer’s DESC Confident Communication Model, adapted from their book Asserting Yourself.

• Describe the situation. Be specific about the situation that is causing you concern.
  • Example: “I received your letter about a project you would like me to complete this afternoon.”
• Express your feelings or thoughts. Explain how this situation makes you feel. Use “I”statements and take responsibility for your feelings.
  • Example: “I feel a bit overwhelmed because I think it might be difficult for me to complete all the tasks that are required of me today.”
• Specify what you want. Clearly describe your proposal or solution
  • Example: “I’m wondering if you could help me prioritize my project list? I hope it’s not too big of a problem.”
• Consequences. Point out the positive impact of this outcome to your boss or colleague.
  • Example: “This will help me focus on high-value tasks first and then move on to other tasks.”

Social and Mental Health Management

Protecting your mental health can be challenging, especially when a lot is required of you. But it doesn’t have to be a losing battle, even if it sometimes seems that way.

Today’s self-care needs may be different than yesterday’s. Keep this in mind when you test yourself.

— Headspace (@Headspace) September 26, 2022

Knowing the risks you face in social media, identifying the factors that exacerbate those risks, and having our handy list of “calm down” techniques in your back pocket, you are ready to tackle any social challenge.