Tips for Managing Social Media Envy

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Expert Career Advice ➜ Building a Future ➜ Tips for Managing Social Media Envy

Let’s face it: Today’s beauty professionals are all over social media. And while social media can be an excellent way to find inspiration and connect with clients, it can also be a source of pain, discouragement, and envy.

Why aren't my TikToks getting thousands of views?
How come I don’t have as many followers as they do?
Why aren't my posts getting more likes?
Why is my career not taking off like his?
How come my work doesn’t look as amazing as hers?

Sound familiar?

Don't worry—you're not alone. The green-eyed monster has affected all of us at some point. But what should you do if your social media envy is feeling a little more out of control lately? Here are some tips for managing it as well as other negative feelings that social media can activate.

Limit your exposure.

Yes, social media can be a great marketing tool, especially for businesses that specialize in hair, skin, nails, and makeup.

And yes, plenty of beauty pros would argue that they "must" have a presence on various social media platforms if they want to remain competitive.

But having a presence doesn't mean that YOU need to be present and accessible on each platform 24/7.

Take advantage of features that allow you to schedule your posts and set up automated responses to messages and comments.

If you schedule your posts, you'll be able to maintain a consistent presence without having to be on the platform in real time. And setting up automated replies to direct messages can acknowledge fans while allowing you to honor your boundaries.

Instagram lets you set up several types of automated messages—think messages that welcome new followers and even auto-replies to comments on your posts.
Facebook offers several options, too.
And TikTok allows automated messages on business accounts.

Use an app that will limit the time you spend on any particular platform.

Various apps exist that will block you from visiting sites that you identify. You can specify the social media platforms that give you the most angst and designate how long you should stay off. These apps can be an excellent way to help you avoid falling down social media rabbit holes.

For example, during your workday, maybe you're fine scrolling through IG or TikTok. You're so busy with clients, you don't have time to ruminate or to let the green-eyed monster rear its ugly head.

But maybe it's a different story when you're in bed at night. Now, you're a captive audience and you find yourself endlessly scrolling and comparing yourself to others.

So nighttime might be the perfect time to deploy the app blocker. Not to mention, plenty of studies suggest that we should stay off our phones before bedtime if we want to have a good night's sleep.

Remove all social media apps from your phone. Instead, do everything from a desktop.

OK, we know this tip might sound dramatic, but hear us out. Our smartphones make it so easy to spend hours on social media—hours we could use for other things, like spending time with family and friends, engaging in a new hobby, or marketing ourselves in other effective ways (like sending an email newsletter).

So here's a tip: Remove all social media apps from your phone. You can still do your social media marketing from a desktop or laptop. But you'll likely find yourself spending a lot less time mindlessly scrolling and feeling sad or envious of other people's lives. (Which is a good thing.)

Prune your feeds and block harmful content.

Remember, you're in charge of who you follow. As you scroll through your feeds, ask yourself if the person’s content makes you feel happy or sad. Let that guide you about who you follow and unfollow.

Now, we understand that you might feel uncomfortable suddenly unfollowing a bunch of folks—especially if they're colleagues or friends. But most platforms have features that allow you to mute conversations or hide people without them knowing.

And don’t even think twice about blocking accounts that post harmful content. Your mental health matters! Here's a great article on how to filter, block, and report harmful content on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. And here's how to limit unwanted content on TikTok.

Instead, look for accounts that inspire you and make you feel good. Consider joining groups that do the same. (By the way, if you're an educator, we have a lively Milady Instructors Facebook Group. Request to join here. We have fabulous moderators who promote an inclusive and supportive environment.)

Be purposeful in how you use social media.

Go into social media with the same mindset as you would any other marketing channel. For example, consider email marketing. If you send a monthly email newsletter, you've likely carved out time on your marketing calendar to put the newsletter together. You’re approaching it as a marketing task with specific goals. One month, you might be announcing a sale on retail products. Another month, you might be showcasing recent work. And so forth.

You should be just as purposeful with your social media marketing. Go in knowing exactly what you want to accomplish—and do just that: Today, I'll spend 30 minutes scheduling a week's worth of posts on IG and Facebook. Then, I'll record one TikTok tutorial. And I'll reply to any outstanding messages in my inbox.

Note that the above “task list” doesn't include viewing other people's social media accounts. You can have an active presence on social media by simply focusing on your own accounts rather than spending time preoccupied with what other people are doing on theirs. (Going back to the email newsletter example . . . you probably don’t spend hours looking at other people’s newsletters before sending yours, right?)

Please know that we’re not suggesting that commenting on other people's social content is a bad thing. Supporting colleagues and sharing other people's content is what social media is all about. And as long as you're feeling good doing it, then great! But if doing all this “engagement” is making you feel tired, grumpy, doubtful, and envious—then it’s time to reevaluate.

For example, if you notice you're fine if you spend 5 minutes scrolling through TikTok, but once you hit the 10-minute mark, your lizard brain awakens, maybe limit the time you spend scrolling, sharing, and commenting to just 5-minute bursts here and there.

Give yourself permission to take a hiatus.

No one should dismiss or underestimate how damaging social media can be. Plenty of studies exist showing the link between increased anxiety and depression among young people who are avid social media users. But social media can be just as risky for adults.

The good news? Taking a break—even a short one—can help. This randomized controlled study revealed that taking a one-week break from social media can improve a person's well-being, depression, and anxiety.

So go ahead: If you need a break—for whatever reason—take one. Your social media accounts will be there if and when you decide to return.

Need a distraction from social media? Try one of our online courses or webinars.

One of the best ways to take a break from social media is by finding something else that's fun and interesting to fill the void, and we have just the thing! Our online courses and webinars cover many interesting topics that are sure to get your creative juices flowing and inspire you with confidence.

Sounds like a win-win, right? Check out everything Milady Training has to offer.