As influencers, it’s easy to get swept up in the whirlwind of social media, where the pressure to stay relevant, engage with followers and maintain a curated online presence can take a serious toll on your mental health. While creating content may be your passion and livelihood, it’s important to prioritise your mental wellbeing at the same time.
With World Mental Health Day around the corner, we want to share some practical advice to help influencers and content creators safeguard their mental health amidst the demands of the digital world. Here are five essential tips to help you take care of yourself.
Dealing with trolls
Dealing with online trolls and negativity can be challenging, so it’s essential to protect your mental health in the digital world. Remember that trolls thrive on attention, so the best way to deal with them is often to ignore or report them. Don’t engage in arguments or try to reason with them – it’s unlikely to be productive. Instead, focus on surrounding yourself with positive and supportive online communities.
We’re going to be digging into this topic a lot more in the coming months so stay tuned!
Establish boundaries and step away from your phone!
It’s easy to get caught up in the endless cycle of creating content and engaging with your audience, feeling the pressure to be constantly doing more to keep up or the need to respond to everyone quickly, so it’s important to set boundaries from social media. Designate specific hours for work and leisure, and most importantly, stick to them! Use quiet mode to stop your phone from constantly pinging before bedtime too!
This article by Traackr is a great read for more tips on protecting your mental health as a content creator.
Listen to a podcast
Podcasts can offer both an escape and a way to learn something new. Whether it’s about gardening tips, home décor or self-care, podcasts are an easy way to unwind. Here are a couple of our favourites:
Happy Place by Fearne Cotton revolves around conversations with various guests about mental health, wellbeing and finding happiness. In each episode, Fearne speaks with a different guest including celebrities, authors and experts and delves into topics such as love, grief and ‘everything in between’.
Mentally Yours hosted by Rachel Moss, explores different aspects of mental health through candid conversations with guests who share their personal experiences and challenges. The podcast aims to raise awareness about mental health issues, reduce stigma and provide support and resources for listeners.
Get reading
Books can be a wonderful retreat from the stresses of daily life. Whether you choose fiction, self-help, or something in between, reading can help foster personal growth and mental wellbeing. Here are a few recommendations:
With inspiring quotes and simple tips, Positivity For Everyday shows you how to look on the bright side and achieve a more balanced attitude to life.
Atomic Habits by James Clear, teaches how tiny changes in behaviour, when consistently applied can lead to significant transformations by harnessing the power of habit formation.
You can also find more useful articles on mental health from The Mental Health foundation, which offers plenty of advice on supporting and maintaining good mental health.
Mindfulness apps and journalling
Taking moments to practice mindfulness and journaling can help you centre yourself in a busy world. Here are some excellent apps:
Headspace is a science-backed app in mindfulness and meditation, providing tools and resources to help reduce stress, build resilience and aid better sleep.
Calm provides guided meditations, sleep stories and relaxation tools to help you wind down and fall asleep, and help you live a more productive, stress-free life.
If you’re looking for something more interactive, Happify is a positive psychology app that offers activities and games to boost mood and wellbeing. Each week, you’ll receive new challenges based on your goals, including improving relationships, managing stress or increasing work satisfaction.
Alternatively, if you’re seeking to step away from screens, start a journal. Journaling lets you process your thoughts, reduce stress, and gain clarity. It can also be a spark of inspiration for your next piece of content.
In the world of social media, your mental health matters just as much as your content. It’s easy to get lost in the demands of social media, but prioritising self-care and finding healthy boundaries will help you thrive, both personally and professionally. This World Mental Health Day, take some time to reflect on how you can incorporate these tips into your routine and protect your wellbeing for the long haul.
Join the conversation on social media by using #HonestNetwork and tagging us – we’ll repost and share your content. Why not support other members of the Honest Network too by sharing their content so we can amplify the message together? Let’s keep mental health a priority and support one another along the way!
