The Dos and Don'ts of Managing Your Salon's Social Media

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Social media, and the way we interact with it, has changed over time. Social media and I have had an “it’s complicated” relationship since the evening of August 30th, 2016, when I ended up in the ER believing I was dying. Turns out it was a stress-induced panic attack, largely caused by social media.

There’s an overwhelming amount of advice out there, and no doubt you feel stressed, behind and like you have a million more things you have to do in order to stay relevant. Over the years I’ve learned how to best manage social media to minimize stress, and I would like to share these strategies with you to ensure that you remain at your healthiest mental state.

First, the DONT’S:

[1] Don’t Believe Everything You See. We’ve all fallen victim to the highlight reel. It’s important to remind ourselves that what we are consuming is curated and intentional. We are not seeing the bad and the ugly—we are only (and strategically) being shown the good.

[2] Don’t Fall Victim to the Mindless Scroll. I can’t tell you how much anxiety this has caused me. Consuming social media intentionally will save you from this. Focus on creating over consuming.

[3] Don’t Focus on “Keeping Up.” No one is doing it all. Stop comparing your one life to the thousands of others you see online. Focus on your own goals and happiness.

Now, the DOs:

[1] Do Take Breaks. After my night in the ER, I adopted a policy of doing a full-week detox from my phone two times a year. I could write a novel about the benefits of this! Start with 24 hours and work up to a full weekend off—you’ll see how amazing this is.

[2] Do Set a Time Limit. A time limit makes you accountable for how you are showing up and spending your time. No more unintentional rabbit holes! (Pro tip: iPhones allow you to do this in their settings.)

[3] Do Block, Mute and Unfollow. Stop worrying about what someone will think and start taking care of you. I’ve muted friends because of the stress “comparisonitis” brings and I’ve unfollowed amazing people who bring out the worst in me.

Social media can be a blessing or a curse. Focus on taking care of yourself and your well-being first, and worry about algorithms second. I promise it’sworth it.

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