Slow Living and Social Media: Instagram
This is the second episode in our social media series, and today we’re talking about Ben’s favourite social media platform - Instagram.
If you’ve listened to last Monday’s episode you know that we’re working through our three biggest social channels (Twitter, Instagram and Facebook) and how we make them work for in both our business and our personal lives while still living a slower-paced life. Undoubtedly, the combination of running an online business that utilises social media while also advocating a slower pace of life can feel pretty incongruous, so we wanted to talk about how we manage (or ignore) social media.
First up we talk about the expectation that when you have a business online, you’re always accessible, and that being mindful of social media use and setting boundaries around the amount of time spent online can feel like the opposite of all the business advice you read and hear. We’ve come to realisation, over time, that it’s OK to not do things by the book, when the book itself is the problem.
We also discuss the evolving strategy we’re using for social media now that our team is growing, and why we’ve decided to create a dedicated Instagram account for the poggie too. I discuss some of the strategies I use to manage my Instagram (while still being present in everyday life) and go in to detail on the following tactics:
- rarely post in real-time
- rarely post every day (my life isn’t that interesting!)
- pre-planning and scheduling can help with the more business-centric posts
- as fun as it is sometimes, I consider social media part of my job and try to keep it firmly in working hours
We also talk about one of the biggest criticisms of Instagram - the dreaded comparisonitis that we all fall prey to on occasion. For me, feeling free to unfollow anyone who’s account leaves me feeling drained or angry or less-than, has been a big freedom and I’d encourage you to do the same. Just because a profile is popular or related to the same topics we’re interested in doesn’t mean we need to wallow in the negative feelings that can arise from comparing ourselves. So feel free to find your own people - profiles who inspire or educate you, or, even better, make you laugh.
——
Also a quick reminder about the Live Life Simply Online Retreat - a six-week program that brings together the wisdom and expertise of 13 mindfulness, simplicity and slow living experts into one blissful online space.The line-up is incredible and we can't wait to see you there! Head over to the retreat for all the details and to secure your place. Registrations close on October 22, 2017, and the retreat kicks off on October 23.
——
Head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and play the episode.
Or you can listen to the show directly, simply by hitting the Play button above. Enjoy!——
Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:
- Instagram: @slowhomepod | @brookemcalary
- The Live Life Simply Online Retreat is open for registration until October 22, 2017. Secure your place now!
- SLOW, my brand new book is now available in Australia and New Zealand! (US and Canada, Spring 2018) Head over here for details.
- Destination Simple is now available in North America! Grab a copy here.
Keep Listening:
- Subscribe via iTunes
- NEW! You can now subscribe to the podcast on Spotify!
Support the Show:
You may have heard that we recently hit 3 million (!!) downloads of The Slow Home Podcast! Not only does that fact blow my mind, it's also thanks to your lovely self and the community of people who listen to the show every week, send in your questions and offer your feedback. I'm so grateful you're here and part of this, and for anyone who has supported the show in any way over the past year - thank you so much.If you do love the show and would like to show your support by becoming a patron, head over here to make a small monthly donation (as little as $1 a month) and know that any amount makes a huge difference to us being able to cover costs.Most importantly, thanks for being here!