How to Protect Your Energy When Social Media Feels Toxic

Marketing

Jan 29

Let’s be real—our country feels like it’s on fire, and being online right now? It’s exhausting. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, or just done with social media, you’re not alone.

I get it. And honestly? I don’t have a magic answer. Social media has always been a messy, noisy, and often toxic space, but in times of crisis, it somehow manages to feel even worse.

As a 90s baby, I didn’t grow up with this constant stream of information in my face. I never had to navigate global disasters, political chaos, or unrealistic beauty standards as a teen while also trying to just live my life. But as a business owner and a young mom in 2024, I feel the weight of it all.

Social media tells us what to think (or worse—how we’re never “right enough”), what’s beautiful (or how our bodies will never fit in), and constantly feeds conflicting, divisive messages that drown out our own instincts.

It’s hard to turn down the noise.

And while I don’t have a perfect solution, I do have practices that have helped me stay sane while still running a business in this digital world that I want to share with you today.

Schedule Your Content & Get Off the Doom Scroll

If you don’t need social media for work, then it’s time to put it in its place. Seriously. If social media is making you feel worse instead of better, it is not essential. I know that’s not easy to hear, especially when we’re wired to stay “informed” at all times. But the reality is, the constant cycle of bad news and online discourse isn’t helping your mental health. So here’s what I do:

Schedule posts in advance. This keeps me from having to be on Instagram every day. My go to platform is METRICOOL because it offers multi-platform scheduling and the analytics are off the charts helpful to helping me grow!
Set app limits. I literally have time restrictions on my social media apps to remind me to get off.
Curate my feed. I ruthlessly unfollow or mute accounts that make me feel anxious, inadequate, or just plain drained.

If your business does rely on social media, these boundaries are even more important. You need to use these platforms as a tool—not as something that controls you. Stay professional, focus on your goals, and keep all the extra out of it.

If you run a business (which most of you do, because that’s why you’re here), let me tell you something important: Social media is not guaranteed, but your website is. I see way too many business owners relying entirely on Instagram or Facebook to attract clients, and that is terrifying to me. These platforms change their algorithms every other week. They control your reach, they decide who sees your posts, and worst of all—you don’t own your audience there. That’s why your website should always be your home base and where you invest. So Make sure your website is fire. It should reflect your values and clearly articulate what you offer, it should be up to date, it should feel alive. And Update your SEO. Your website should be optimized so people can actually find you through Google. I recently chatted with a friend who said 8 years later she still got regular inquiries from a city she moved away from. We have all done it (even me) but seriously SEO is really worth that time investment now for growth later! And remember your ideal clients might not always be on Instagram, it may not always be a safe space or aligned with your values either. But people will be searching for your services so your website needs to be ready for them.

If social media is draining you, it’s time to ask yourself: Do I actually need to be the one managing this? Too many business owners hold onto their marketing out of habit—not because they actually enjoy it or because it’s the best use of their time. But the truth is, if social media, content creation, or marketing strategy feels like a constant source of stress, outsourcing could be the best investment you make this year.

Here’s what outsourcing can do for you:
Take the pressure off so you can focus on the heart work and services you love.
Ensure your content stays consistent without you having to be glued to your phone.
Bring in a fresh strategy that aligns with your brand and helps you meet business goals.
Help your business grow without draining your mental and emotional energy.

Whether it’s handing off social media management, website updates, content writing, or even SEO strategy, giving this part of your business to someone else can free you up to do the work you love—without the constant pressure of “keeping up” online. And if you’re not ready for full outsourcing yet? Start small. Maybe you hire someone to write captions once a month, schedule your posts, or audit your website for better SEO. Every little shift helps. Because at the end of the day, your marketing should work for you—not be another thing that drains you.

I honestly don’t think the human mind was ever meant to hold this much information. We are carrying the weight of the world while also managing our businesses, raising families, and trying to just exist. It’s exhausting. Mindfulness doesn’t mean ignoring the problems of the world. It means giving yourself the space to process, breathe, and reset so you can actually function.

Yoga ended up being my answer and even it doesn’t resonate with you finding an exercise routine that offers you space mentally and emotionally is crucial as a business owner. Especially if you are working from home like and/or juggling all the things at once and rarely getting a time to slow down intentionally. When the world feels loud, sometimes the best thing you can do is get out of your head and into your body, and that’s exactly what Yoga is all about.

For me, yoga has been a way to:
Get out of my stress cycle.
Release tension (because let’s be real, we all hold stress in our bodies).
Move in a way that isn’t about productivity, just presence.

One of the biggest problems with social media is that it makes the whole world feel closer but also completely out of reach. We feel the weight of disasters, tragedies, and global conflicts—but we also feel helpless because they aren’t happening in our immediate lives. That’s why grounding yourself in your actual community is so important.

Go for a walk without your phone. Just be in nature, breathe fresh air, and let your mind wander.
Talk to your neighbors. Yes, like actually get to know the people around you.
Find small ways to make an impact. You may not be able to solve global problems, but you can show up for the people around you.

We weren’t built to carry the weight of the world alone. Focus on what you can do and let that be enough.

I’m not saying to ignore what’s happening in the world. I’m not saying to stop caring. But I am saying that you don’t have to be plugged in 24/7 to make a difference. Your mental health matters. Your energy matters. And you matter—outside of the noise of social media. So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, try one of these practices. And if you’ve found something that helps you protect your peace, drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear what’s working for you.