As a blogger, it is obvious that social media plays a huge role in my life and the life of my business. It is a great way to reach potential consumers, connect with friends, share pictures, stay up-to-date with trends and so on. And for Lavin Label, my social channels have been a total game changer. With that said, it’s so important for you (& your kids) to find the right balance. Recently, I’ve had a few friends ask how I do this with my business. Here are some tips I try to follow and hopefully you will find them helpful too whether or not you own a business.

Set Up A Routine

Of course, I still check my social feeds throughout the day. However, I only do so when I have a small amount of time. This way I don’t become immersed in my feeds. Try logging on to social when you’re waiting in line at the coffee shop, grocery store, etc. Get in the routine of only checking it for 3-5 minutes at a time. Set a timer. How many of you open Facebook and then 30 minutes later find yourself watching a goat video? It’s important to set boundaries.

Unfollow Negative People

Social media can have a negative effect on your mental state. It’s important that when you come across an account that gives you negative emotions to unfollow them. It’s not worth your time. Instead surround yourself with positive people & brands that bring out the best in you.

Uplift Others

We all feel better when we speak life to others. So start doing this during the time that you do spend on social media. Leave positive & inspiring comments on your friends profiles. You’ll also feel better when you log off. I think that we can all spread a little bit more love.

Don’t Go To Bed With Your Phone

For both Casey and I, we have established a rule in our house that our phones are not kept on our bedside tables. We leave our phones charging in our bathroom at night. This way they are close enough that we can hear the alarm when it goes off in the morning. Also, by them being in the master bathroom, it forces you to actually get up and out of bed to shut off the alarm in the morning. Having them in the master bathroom also means they are close enough that we would be able to hear them should there be an emergency late at night. Try making this a rule for the whole family.

Once they are placed in the bathroom at night that means we are no longer checking Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc. We’re also no longer checking email, both work and personal accounts. We can end the evening reading a book and winding down instead of going over our to-do lists for the next day. This is an essential part in us getting a good nights rest. The same is true for the morning. We are not beginning our day completely plugged in.

Unplug During The Evening

Casey and I both work a lot and feel achieving a work/home life balance is key. I find it is important to make the time we have together during the evenings a priority. For me, that means it is important that when he comes home and we are having dinner together that my phone is not attached to me. Once he comes home, I place my phone in our bedroom. That way the two of us can connect instead of feeling like we need to connect with everyone else.

Set Expectations with Your Friends (& Colleagues)

Because we’re constantly connected we expect an immediate response when we send off a text, Instagram direct message or email. This is not normal. We should allow others to respond with a minimum of 24 hours. It’s important to set those expectations from the beginning. Also, don’t apologize because you didn’t immediately respond. Instead take the time to tell them that you turn off your phone in the evenings and that it’s best to contact you during the day.

Schedule Your Social Media Posts

As a blogger, my social media posts are important for my business and my clients. I have found a little organization goes a long way. We work in advance. That means I have already taken the time to schedule my social media posts. Scheduling in advance allows my social media to go live when I determined it would, instead of me being online at that time to post it. For Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest I use Coschedule. It allows me to schedule in advance as well as allows my team access to our schedule. We can edit and update it as needed. As for my Instagram, I use ScheduGram and it has been great in allowing my posts to be scheduled in advance.

Hopefully these tips help you to disconnect, allowing you to recharge yourself and not just your phone. Share any tips you might have in the comments below.

Image by Kelli Boyd Photography