If you are anything like me, you find yourself in a loop of scrolling social media, closing an app, opening another, than going back and starting all over again. Healthy? Probably not, but by denying that I was doing it, I was actually just forcing myself to repeat an unhealthy pattern that led to low self confidence and frustration. At some point it hit me that the accounts that I was following on Instagram were things that used to serve me really well..5 years earlier. Before kids. Back when I could do an intense workout 5 days a week. And in that moment I realized that it was not Instagrams fault that I felt miserable when I was logged in. It was my fault, and it was fixable.

STEP ONE: What are your goals for the platform?

5 years ago I wanted “fitspo”. I wanted accounts of super fit women that shared awesome tips for physical fitness and healthy eating. I wanted accounts that shared the latest fitness gear and nutrition tips, because I wanted to be in killer shape. That worked 5 years ago.

So are you trying to grow a writing business, but following a bunch of fashion accounts that mostly just make you feel unworthy and lame? Time to reevaluate your goals for the platform.

Are you on the platform to find new customers? To showcase what you do? To share photos of your kids? To push people to your blog?

STEP TWO: Who are you following?

Once you have decided what your goals are for using a social media platform, it is time to check out that followers list. Are the accounts that you are CONSUMING aligned with the content that you are CREATING?

No, you don’t have to unfollow everyone. You can MUTE accounts that leave you feeling frustrated or that don’t align with your goals or vision.

STEP THREE: Revisit regularly!

This is not a one time thing. After muting and unfollowing a bunch of fitness accounts, I felt MUCH better about my time on Instagram. A few months passed, and I realized that I was also following a lot of “mommy blogs”, which is all well and good, but they left me feeling like I wasn’t doing or being enough for my family. That I did not have enough Pinterest worthy crafts and decor. WERE MY KIDS FALLING BEHIND IF I DIDN’T HAVE A CRAFT HOUR EVERY DAY?! DID I NEED TO SPELL OUT LETTERS WITH CUCUMBER COOKIE CUTTERS?! It was time to revisit what I was consuming.

Did you try any of these tips? ?‍♀️ Comment below, or shoot me a DM on Instagram at @beyondboss_ or @caitlinthomas and let’s chat!