Social media engagement when you just need a break

By Danielle Mellema, Chief Ghostwriter, Digital Content Manager

Even though most of us haven’t been in school for a long time, something about the arrival of summer makes us want to slow the pace, get outside, ditch schedules and commitments, and go on an adventure.

Time away is harder to come by when you’re in the prime of your career and driven to reach your goals. There is pressure to keep all the plates spinning, including keeping your social media engagement at a high level so you don’t miss an opportunity to press forward in your personal brand building efforts or lose focus on where you want to go in your career.

But a summer break is just as essential as it was when we were kids, and changing gears on social media for a few weeks or months won’t undo all your hard work to build your brand. The pull of the lazy days of summer are an invitation to focus on all the things in life that you work so hard for: a good life with your loved ones, the ability to have bucket-list experiences, and resources to enjoy activities that help you rest and refresh.

Let summertime feel like summertime! Here’s a few ideas for how you can take a break from your usual social media rhythms to enjoy the warmer weather and a slower pace:

Unplug completely.

That’s right. If what you most need is time away from the noise of social media, then go dark for a time. Remember: social media is not a quick fix for developing your personal brand. It requires thoughtful engagement and creative content over the long-haul. So take a break every so often so you can come back to it refreshed.

Focus on connection rather than content creation.

Maybe your well of content ideas and inspiration has run dry, but you still want to keep the social media momentum going. You could consider taking a month-long pause on creating and posting your own content, and instead focus on connection with your online friends and followers.

Add an encouraging comment when a colleague shares about a promotion rather than your usual quick press of the “like” button before scrolling on. Share a friend’s inspirational post or thought leadership article with your followers, and tag them in your post so they know you appreciated their article and that you’re rooting for them. Write a sincere endorsement on the LinkedIn page of someone you mentor or who has helped you as a leader—without being asked!

Use (and re-use) what you already have.

Put those hundreds of vacation photos of ocean sunsets, historic buildings, or the annual family reunion to work. Sharing personal photos on social media with a story of two from your time out of the office may feel like an invasion of privacy for some—and that’s totally understandable!—but it could also be an opportunity to show a fuller picture of who you are. That’s what personal branding is all about anyway.

Many leaders keep a notebook or running list of quotations that inspire and guide them, or books that gave them a much needed “light-bulb moment.” Try sharing those each week instead of articles or graphics that you have to create yourself.

You could also consider “replaying your greatest hits,” so to speak. Did you write and share an article a few years ago that really seemed to resonate with your readers? Is there a video of you speaking at your alma mater or presenting to a group of colleagues? Post that with a reflection of what you’ve learned since then or how you would apply your own expertise to a current challenge.

Hand it off.

If slowing the social media pace is not an option, but you’re out of time, energy, and inspiration for your online presence, consider outsourcing it. There are people out there (*ahem* like us!) who want to understand your personal and career goals and have the expertise to create digital content that will grow your personal brand and help you move in the direction you want your career to go. Reach out to us to see whether handing off your content creation workload could give you the sigh of relief you need.