I’ve been consistently active on social media for over a decade now. It started with me sharing views on a “fun” space called twitter. I would find friends from my new school and tweet at them.
I remember telling my friend then that I couldn’t join Instagram because I hated photos of myself and didn’t understand why anyone would keep posting photos on an app. Few years later, I did join Instagram and I loved it. I progressed with it and it became a big part of my entire identity. I’m serious, I lived, breathed and became that app. Lol.
However, as great as social media has been as a platform builder, it is an avenue that comes with an insane amount of pressure. The pressure to be, show up and perform. No matter how big or small your following is.
Look, I loved all of it. But at a point, it got exhausting. You put out more and more, and you feel less and less creative, and then you burn out. Sometimes we don’t realize it, but we need a social media break. A cleanse of some sort. No matter how big or small your platform is, or how often or little you post, as long as you are constantly on the platform, you need to step away from it from time to time.
You may say, “but I’m not posting”. Sis! But you are constantly consuming content: Vacations and trips, graduations and job promotions, handbags and clothes, a thriving aesthetic business, a very much in love couple, a perfect marriage and perfect parents with the perfect little model children. Asoebi that blings for Africa. Shoes that can pay rent for a year. Sometimes we forget it’s all a highlight reel and it messes with our subconscious. We want to outdo and outperform. Those are the times to take a step back. Delete the apps, go on a break, protect your mental health. You’ll find that there is so much you can do outside social media.
I didn’t plan to take a break this year. It really just happened. One day, I realized I hadn’t posted in a week, and I proceeded to panic. But then realized that I should have more control over my presence on any platform. I have now decided to prolong this hiatus for as long as possible. And operate with no pressure.
Hope you’re able to do the same sometime.
