SOCIAL MEDIA PRESSURES: EXPERT TIPS FOR SETTING HEALTHY DIGITAL BOUNDARIES

Social media and the desire to lead picture-perfect lives is one of the leading causes of stress and overwhelm for adults all over the world[1]. Exactly half of all British adults have compared themselves to others on the likes of Instagram, Facebook and Tik Tok, according to the new study by RESCUE Remedy®[2].
Comparisons we begin to make create stress and have a knock-on effect on our confidence and self-esteem. The study revealed that a quarter of adults admit they feel self-conscious when using social media, while over one in five feel under pressure to live the ‘perfect life’ due to seeing what others post online.

RESCUE®, A UK-based emotional wellbeing brand[3], asked Lucy Sheridan, the Comparison Coach™, how to deal with this pressure, stop doomscrolling, and engage with social media in a more positive way.

“Comparing ourselves on social media often begins when we start to become more unconscious and passive around how we use it”, says Lucy.

“The more time we spend scrolling, the more information we pick up about other people which can sometimes be innocuous. But then other times start to build up data around how we rank and contrast against the progress of the people”.

“We start getting used to judging other people more and judging ourselves more too. And it’s not just comparing ourselves to other people… We then compare ourselves more to who we used to be and then as well who we think that we should be”.

However, there are things we can do to help us reduce our comparison with others on social media. Lucy comments: “This goes much further than simply unfollowing or muting the things that make us feel a bit uncomfortable”.

“It can also include blasting the ‘right kind of noise’ which is content and accounts that make us feel good, remind us of possibility and contribute towards good mood momentum”.

“An important starting place is defining what the role of your feed is. Is it to expand your horizons? To make you laugh? To keep you informed? To help you check in with people you love? Perhaps it is all of those things – but use the measure to assess and tweak what is in your feeds”.

Lucy’s top tips for setting healthy digital boundaries include:

Decide on your non-negotiables. It can be really helpful to define some hard rules for yourself to follow so that there are no grey areas, and you can feel in charge of how you are using social media.

For example, do not even touch your phone until you have completed your full morning routine, right through to sitting at your desk or beginning the first task of the day. This allows you to come around to the day by choice.

Put all of your social media apps in a folder on your phone. That way you will have to go and seek them out, leading to a more conscious way of using them.
Consider turning off notifications so that you are only checking alerts and inboxes at certain times of the day rather than as soon as a new message arrives.

“But most importantly, be kind to yourself in the process and give yourself lots of time to make improvements and feel a tangible difference”, she adds.

The research was commissioned by RESCUE® to remind everyone that life isn’t a picture-perfect Instagram feed and there are lots of small things we can do to help feel more in control, balanced and equipped for whatever the day holds. The new Balance & Positivity capsules from RESCUE® provide a gentle calming influence for a worried mind. These unique capsules are designed to support positivity and help you stay balanced throughout busy days. The vegan-friendly formula features the emotion and mood-balancing botanical Saffron, L-Theanine and B Vitamins* – the perfect addition to any wellness routine!

25 THEMES PEOPLE COMPARE THEMSELVES TO WITH OTHERS ON SOCIAL MEDIA