Is social media killing creativity?
How much social networking is actually too much? For the last few months I have been actively working to minimize time I spend there.
No, I’m not the type of person who spends half a day there scrolling aimlessly around the feed, but I’ve noticed that I’m often there, which is because of the nature of the work I do, which is because of the communication itself. Even this sounds like an excuse to me.
I have studied a lot of social networks and the addiction they can cause. If we are realistic, that is why they were created. Remember those first Facebook crashes and chaos that happened throughout many lives?
Yes, often the nature of the business, and all the benefits of social networks, require that we need to be online, but it is equally important to at least be away from time to time. Honestly, I don’t consider myself an addict but still I often feel fed up with them, and at those moments I just want to switch off. At some point I was so tired that my brain just turned off for a while and a lot of people noticed when I got that much of a gap in the content. Yeah, this was definitely a burnout…an ugly one for sure.
At this point I took every opportunity to escape from them; to be somewhere in nature, in good company, I didn’t even need to be online, just wanted to forget about them. I decided to take a break from everything, recharge, and after that I can freely say that things really got better. I’m not allowing myself to go through it all again. I found the balance which suits me and I’m not giving it away.
However, nowadays social networks are used more and more often for business purposes, and social network algorithms are not forgiving.
As this topic has become more and more interesting to me, especially in recent months, I have delved deeper into studying them. In fact, a lot of people who do some kind of content are practically “forced” to be online. I was curious to know how to deal with this phenomenon at all, how it is dealt with by people working on a global level, and whose entire life is in fact reduced to social networks.
For example; from specialists in some fields, visuals, photographers, marketing experts and people who have a huge community. Realistically, wherever you turn, when you seek advice on running a business, community, business improvement or else.
Every advice I found was: content is the most important; it must be content; you need to be in communication with your community; need to show people that you care because that’s how you can get their trust…all…the…time…
As soon as you slow down with the amount of content people will give up on you. Especially when we talk about a photo call; what photographs to capture; because you know it’s important to collect as many “likes” as possible, so you need to photograph just the things that get people going.
You know; the more “likes” you have, the better you are. Is this really the way?
I am following the work of some really amazing, awarded photographers, famous in their field. Their work is absolutely stunning and they don’t have that much likes, so it must mean that they are not good enough? You really believe that?
Yeah, “likes” are great, but you know what? It doesn’t mean a lot. Of course you are happy and proud to see when a lot of people recognise your work and like it and you are feeling validated, but I must say that you need to be very careful there.
If you are only shooting for the likes, I assure you that you will lose yourself in the process. And every time you raise your camera, you will be creating content for someone else.
Placing too much value in the opinions of total strangers, who may or may not have a decent grasp of what constitutes good photography, can muddy your perception of your own work. You need to trust your creative vision, because your work should always reflect yourself in one way or another.
Also, when you slow down with the content you probably already know that social algorithms are not very happy with that, and a lot of your posts will go under the radar of potential fans. The thing is that most people lead battles on how to build a business on one hand, and keep life balanced on the other. What about when you find yourself in a loop? Do you run out of inspiration, or even come to a bad phase in life?
Creativity cannot be forced for too long because you will simply burn out. And then it will take you much longer to get back on track.
You will feel disconnected, and you will “drop” in quality content, and then what?
I think these are important topics that very few people actually touch at all. Mostly people are focusing on more and more content and being online 24/7, running for more and more likes and getting depressed when their statistics drop.
But when you are exhausted, not feeling well or creative, have no energy to create and feel the need to recharge, do you really need to push for more and continue to kill yourself with work?
I’m just asking a question here, how long will it take?
Having burned out in a sea of content, that constantly has to be out there, cause social networking algorithms are ruthless. You don’t even need to use social media like I do to make it clear as day. I got caught in the loop of constant content publication. To be fair, the results were not lacking, but that was not it. When you literally want to vomit every time you need to check social networks and prepare new amounts of content for publication, as well as plan them in advance, then you know that you are already burned out and it is time to slow things down, for your own good.
I mentioned on a couple of occasions that I would rather have less content going out, but that I wanted it to be high quality. I think everyone has the right to say that he needs a recharge and that no one should look at him differently.
Of course, social networks don’t like this mindset either. Everyone in the world knows that statistics are a great thing, but it’s actually a double-edged sword. Yes, I say this even though my first engagements were with community management, where I learned all about social networking algorithms, strategy and campaign development. It’s all wonderful and beautiful, but … there’s always a but.
It is a constant “push” on everyone who delivers content to deliver it more and more… and more. I think it is clear to everyone that each cup has it’s own capacity before it overflows.
I think content creators should deliver quality content above all else. Yes, growth will probably be slower if it is not that frequent, but I still believe that content is the king. I think that all of us, at least from time to time, need to disappear a bit from social networks. Just a few hours, days or even a month is enough to recharge the batteries, and I think everyone needs it and everyone is entitled to it.
Yes, it’s easier said than done, but it can always be “planned” in advance. When I start to feel that I am slightly within my limits, that if I don’t slow down it won’t be good, so I look to get as much work done as I can to put myself on the brake and mentally switch off.
There is also a particular emphasis on the pace of life we lead, because it is very difficult to find a balance in everything. Usually, the best time to do it is when we are at the end of the day, but no matter how important it is, we need able to listen to our body and know its limits. At least in that way you can take precautions.
Our mind and body needs a space of their own now and then, and every one of us is obligated to give it what it demands. If you refuse, it will take it anyway.
What we all need to do is to learn when to push for more, and when to lean back and let it recharge.
For our own sake.
