Avoiding Burnout

For my Week 5 social media blog, I want to discuss an article I found from a blogger named Peg Fitzpatrick. She is the co-author from the book we read earlier this semester, "The Art of Social Media." Her blog is titled "How to Avoid Burnout." I found this to be interesting because in social media today, it is very easy to get burnt out when you are posting daily. 

She lists four signs that may mean you are getting burnt out. These include work frustration or excess stress, headaches or stomach aches, emotional exhaustion, and can't focus on work. I have experienced all four of these because when I am on social media for a long time or I have spent hours on technology, I usually experience at least one of these signs. I become frustrated and can't focus on the task at hand. This makes it extremely hard for me to get things done when this happens. I usually force myself to take a small break to relax, and I get back on track with what I was doing after my break.

Peg has a list of things you can do to avoid burnout. She starts with creating a beautiful workspace, this is something I have done, and I find that keeping your space organized will keep your mind at peace. She suggests getting a good night's sleep and I believe that adequate sleep will do more than avoid a potential burnout, it will improve your everyday life. Eating healthy foods and tracking your intake will help prevent snacking/overeating and staying active throughout the week will help you create a healthy lifestyle away from social media. 

Planning times to fully unplug from social media is a great way to relax and unwind from the damage technology has created for us. Learning something new will allow you to grow as a person, doing something you have always wanted to do. The last thing I want to talk about is taking a nap. Fifteen to twenty-minute power naps are what she suggests, and I take thirty-minute power naps all the time. I think these keep me going on the days that I work 12+ hours between two jobs.

These are just a few of the tips that Peg suggested in her blog to help avoid burnout, but I believe if you focus on these few tips, you will not get burnt out on social media and you will also be a lot happier in life. At the end of the day, your happiness and mental health are more important than social media and people don't take as much time as they should to focus on themselves.