Is Social Media overwhelming you too?
A return to community and slowness.
Hello, Enchanted Folk!
I think we’ve all felt the shift in how Instagram works over the past year. What was once a chronological image-based app perfect for slow-browsing and finding community, is now fast-paced, packed with ads, and favours large platforms.
I understand the opportunities this presents for brands, but for the small creator it feels like we were arranging a pretty little garden, then a construction digger dumped a load of sand over our heads, and we’re scrambling to see the daylight above. With a focus on reels, sponsored stories and a timeline that refreshes when you’re halfway through scrolling, using the app often makes the brain ache. It can be overwhelming.
My theory is that it’s partly due to the contrast with mid-pandemic times. Back then, more people were at home, on their phones, seeking connection and entertainment on social media. Now, we’ve resumed ‘normal’ life where people have returned to work and are busier, so there’s a large difference from what we got used to during those lockdown years. So what can we do about it? Is there a way to regain that cosy slowness and community focus?
I think there is. I always find Instagram the most wholesome and enjoyable when I’m connecting with people one-to-one, browsing beautiful content at my own pace, and sharing what I feel is meaningful, rather than what I think I ‘should’ post. I’m also looking to email newsletters and blog posts for a slower form of content. My brain always feels better for reading a long-form letter, rather than being bombarded with multiple quick videos one after the other. I’m planning to do this through my website and this here newsletter platform ‘Substack’, so we’ll see how it goes!
Next week I’ll share a post with some ‘tips’ for what I find makes Instagram less stressful.
Hang in there, creatives. I see you.
Have you been finding social media and ‘content-creation’ overwhelming? How do you feel about newsletters and ‘slower’ forms of content? Let me know in the comments - I’d love to discuss it with you.
One thing that helps me (when I remember to do it) is to change my feed when I login to IG so that I’m seeing posts from the people I follow, in chronological order. When I remember to do this small thing, I start engaging with posts by people I wanted to follow in the first place instead of seeing all the reels and random posts by people I don’t follow. Another thing I do is to turn the sound off so I’m not overwhelmed by noise. I plug my headphones in if I want to listen to anything.
This post really resonated with me, Katie. I think it's very easy to get lost in the fast-paced, consumerism space that Instagram has become. Being intentional with my time online has been one of the most beneficial things I could've done for my mental health. I regularly check who I am following, what type of content I am consuming, and how I feel consuming this type of content. I've also turned off all my Instagram notifications, and I try to catch and stop myself when I've been scrolling for too long without paying attention to anything. Your account and the community you cultivate really inspire me to continue posting and creating in the future! I am super excited to read (or listen to!) your next posts.