I haven’t actually posted on my Instagram account for weeks – with everything going on in the world, I just couldn’t bring myself to put anything out there. It all seemed so trivial and insignificant. But behind the scenes, I’m still creating, because art is my therapy and it helps keep me grounded and at peace. I still scroll through my Instagram feed and like and comment on other people’s posts. Especially when I’m inspired by something that is beautiful, kind, or positive. Reminders that there’s still good in the world, that give me hope.

Although I love Instagram and podcasts for time-effective ways of keeping abreast of daily news, I’ve always been mindful about what I follow, read or listen to. And I’ve been particularly intentional about my boundaries even more lately, as a form of self-care, and have adopted some strategies that I thought I’d share…

Technology is part of our everyday lives and for many of us it plays a vital role in our professional lives too. For artists and designers like me, we use technology to create our work and then we use the internet and social media as a platform to showcase our work, connect with other creatives and find inspiration. On top of all that, I’m also a graphic design teacher, so technology is my life basically. However, it’s really important to set boundaries around our use of technology and prioritise our wellbeing to avoid the burnout and negative effects it can have on our mental health.

Limit Screen Time:

Spending hours scrolling on our devices can be mentally and emotionally exhausting. I’ve started to set a limit for how much time and when I spend time on my phone or computer each day and I try to stick to it. Not only does it help with having a break from the news, but prolonged screen time isn’t good for your eyes and that sort of thing. So limiting the scroll gives me more time to focus on other important aspects of life, like real-life traditional painting, rather than digitally creating most of the time. Here’s one of my large original acrylics on canvas I recently had fun with, called Protea Party:

Take Regular Breaks:

If you’re like me and work in a job that is heavy on computer use, it’s a must to take regular breaks. This can mean stepping away for a few minutes, hours or even a couple of days if you’re lucky enough to not have to work weekends.

Taking time to disconnect from the constant stimulation of a screen can help you recharge and then return with renewed focus and energy. There’s just something wonderful about going for a walk outdoors, breathing in the fresh air, walking on the grass with bare feet. In fact, when was the last time you laid on the grass, looked up into the sky and watched the clouds drift by? I encourage you to give it a go…there’s nothing more relaxing!

Unfollow Negativity:

Just as surrounding myself with positive and uplifting people has always been a priority, online content that isn’t toxic is also something that’s important for my mental wellbeing. If I find a social media account or something online is bringing too much negativity into my life, I consider unfollowing them. Simple as that.

Avoid Comparing Yourself To Others:

It’s a natural human tendency to sometimes fall into the trap of comparison. Social media can be a breeding ground for this actually, leading to lots of self-doubt. But it’s important to remember that everyone’s journey is unique and that success can come at different times for different people, and can look very different for each one of us.

So my aim is to always try to focus on my own goals and celebrate my own successes, rather than comparing myself to others. I’m slowly getting through a great book called The Life Plan by Shannah Kennedy and one of the tasks was to figure out what success actually means to me. This is what I came up with and I created an image to keep on my phone as a screensaver/daily reminder. What does success mean to you?

Set Boundaries With Work-Related Emails:

In addition to my freelance art & design work, I’m also a graphic design teacher and I love my job – which means that I’m sometimes tempted to constantly check my work emails, even on my days off.  Since I’ve got easy access on my phone and I’m aware this sort of behaviour can lead to burnout, I’m now trying to set specific times to check emails to help maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Sharing Is Caring:

I’ve always been pretty mindful of the content I share on social media. As an artist and designer, my work is a reflection of me, so I always want to share quality rather than quantity. It can be tempting to constantly post and share my latest projects because I’m passionate about what I do. However, feeling the need to overshare because of FOMO (fear of missing out) can lead to burnout – thinking that I MUST build up my following or my business won’t be a success, people will forget about me, I’ll fall down a dark, black hole, the algorithm will hate me – silly I know, but it’s something I’ve struggled with over the years. How much to share, how often, is anyone really interested in what I have to share?

Well, I’ve decided I’m going to stop being so hard on myself and try to just go with the flow a bit more. Post if I feel led to post; don’t post if it doesn’t feel right. At the end of the day, I’m still living and loving life, I’m still creating art that brings me joy – so whether or not I’m posting it on social media, doesn’t mean I’m any less of a person or an artist.

I can’t let my value hinge on how many followers or likes or comments I get. This kind of validation can be fleeting and unsatisfying. Instead, my focus is on creating work that brings me joy and fulfillment and sharing it when I can in the hope it may bring others joy too. I’m hoping this will help me to maintain a healthy perspective and prevent social media from becoming a source of stress.

By setting these boundaries and prioritising our wellbeing, I believe we can enjoy the benefits of technology and the online world we live in, while avoiding its negative effects. Computers, phones, the internet, social media, are all tools to help us connect, build our careers, improve our lives, but it’s important to use them mindfully and with purpose. By doing so, we can ensure that our experiences with these technologies are positive, meaningful and add value to our lives, rather than take it away.

Take care, stay creative & never stop dreaming!

Jennifer xo