SHOW NOTES:
Does it feel like you HAVE to be on social media all the time if you want to grow your work from home business? Are you noticing that you spend way more time than you anticipated working on your phone each day? Do you ever wish you could just take a break from social, but are afraid that your network marketing business will suffer?
I felt exactly like this. I came face to face with the reality that I had an unhealthy relationship with social media and I needed a detox. After listening to this episode, you’ll be able to determine if it’s time for a reset for you as well, learn how your business can still be just as (if not more!!) successful when you spend less time on social apps, AND get some practical tips on setting healthy boundaries in your personal and work life.
I’ve been here, and there’s FREEDOM on the other side when you get a clear perspective on the role social media needs to play in your business.
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Episode Transcript:
Speaker 1: (00:00)
Hey mama. Welcome to today’s podcast. You guys. I had to grab a diet Coke for this one because we are getting real. In today’s episode, we’re talking about social media and specifically, if you might have a social media addiction, and I am not calling out anyone here, this is as much a reality check for me, anyone else, but it’s a problem that I really see plaguing. A lot of mamas, a lot of mom entrepreneurs get bogged down with this addiction and this feeling like we have to be on social media all the time. So if you are getting kind of burned out and you’re really over the whole social media game and you feel like it is you and you want a better way to grow your business. The first step is to recognize that there may be a problem and you may be spending too much time on social media and you might need a break and a, uh, just a quick detox from it so that you can really focus on the things that are important in your business and in your life.
Speaker 1: (01:00)
So that’s what we’re chatting about today. I’m gonna give you guys a couple of ways to know if it’s time for a social media break time for a detox and what to do about it. So let’s get started.
Speaker 1: (01:49)
Okay? Social media are you addicted to social media and how to know that’s what we’re talking about today. And like I said, this was a reality check for me. I’ve been here in this space, like I can say now, like yeah, looking back, I was completely addicted to social media and I don’t think I even realized the hold that it had on me, but there were a couple of wake up calls and that’s what we’re gonna be talking about today. So before we dive into that though, I did wanna let you guys know that the doors to the group growth blueprint, it are still open. We are accepting new mamas into the course. Now this is a self-led course on how to start and grow and optimize. And most importantly, monetize a Facebook group. What this course teaches you is how to create your own personal brand, because I know, and you, you probably know deep down inside that you are more than just your company and more than just your products.
Speaker 1: (02:50)
And so creating a personal brand is gonna give you a platform to build upon. And then you’re gonna start your group, get your first or your next 500 members that are gonna be your ideal audience. People who are ready to buy from you or join your team. And then I’m gonna teach you how to sell to that audience. Monetizing your group is so effective and a group is a phenomenal way to grow your team and to grow your sales. And if you’re thinking well, Shelly, that’s on social media. And if I’m listening to this episode and I’m thinking I might have a problem with social media, then how does the group growth blueprint fit into that? And that’s something that I’m really passionate about in the course. I teach you how to run a business using Facebook groups, because you can set boundary with Facebook groups.
Speaker 1: (03:40)
There is absolutely a way to grow your business online without being chain to your phone. Twenty four seven. And that’s really who I created this course for is for the mama who has her hands full as a mom. Like you’re doing all the things, right? You’re taking care of your family and you’re raising babies and you all also wanna grow a business, but you’ve been stuck or you feel like you’re spinning your wheels because instead of focusing on one thing, your Facebook group and pouring your time and energy into that in very structured time blocks of time throughout the day, you’re trying to do all the things like you’re over here on Instagram and you’re trying to make talks. And then you’re like posting on your news feed and you just feel like you’re doing all the things and it’s exhausting. And I get that. I was there.
Speaker 1: (04:29)
And when I started focusing though on growing my business, using my Facebook group, I’m actually now able to spend less time on social media. I don’t even have social media apps on my, on you guys because I was able to completely delete Instagram, but also delete the Facebook app off my phone so that I’m not constantly scrolling. I have my laptop. And I check in on my group a couple of times a day, I spend maybe maybe 30 to 45 minutes a day on social media. And that is how I’m going my business right now. And that is how I’m enrolling people in my course. That’s how I’m reaching new prospects. I run a marketing company. You guys, social media is something that I do for my clients. And yet I still can run my own business on social media. And like I said, 30 to 45 minutes a day.
Speaker 1: (05:19)
So I want that freedom from, for you, especially if you’re listening to this podcast and feel like social media has a grip on you, and it’s getting really hard to handle the group growth blueprint is gonna give you a roadmap for how you can grow a business online without feeling like you are chained to your phone constantly. So if you wanna check the at out it’s group growth, blueprint.com, it’ll give you all the details. All of the training that’s included in the modules, everything is laid out right there for you. So you can decide if that’s the ni next right step for you in your business. So go check that out. Group growth, blueprint.com, and we’ll see you there. Okay, so let’s get into this. Okay. We’re just gonna rip the bandaid off and look at this from, um, an outside perspective where we can be really honest with ourselves about this also from a place of no judgment, because there’s no shame here.
Speaker 1: (06:20)
Like I said, this was literally me, okay. I’m not perfect right now, but I did actively put things into place so that I could break this addiction. And I could strive to do better daily for myself, for my mental health and for my kids so that I wasn’t robbing of time spent with me, but was still growing my business. So I feel like this is important. And the whole reason we’re talking about this today is because I see a lot of my students and the moms that I mentor and coach, I see them falling into this trap because you feel like you need social media for your business. Like it’s essential. It’s like I have to be on my phone because I’m working. Or if I’m not constantly checking my DMS, I’m gonna miss something. What if someone reaches out or I have to be on Facebook because that’s how I connect with my team.
Speaker 1: (07:12)
And that’s how I support them. Like that’s how I interact and grow my team where that’s, where I’m sharing about my product or my company. And I totally get that a hundred percent because my business is literally teaching Facebook groups and how to use social media to grow a network marketing business as a mom using groups. But I want you to be really honest with yourself here, just like I had to stop and be really honest with myself. Like I had to stop and look in the mirror and say, Shelly, you’re probably consuming more than you are creating. And I want you to ask yourself that, are you consuming more than you’re creating? Are you scrolling more than you’re actively having conversations? Like, yeah, I can raise my hand and say, that was totally me. I was scrolling and calling it work. But I did that more than I was creating content or having conversations or are you just numbing out more than you’re making an impact?
Speaker 1: (08:14)
And that was a wake up call for me, but here’s the thing. Okay. All of this, it’s not even been your fault because this is literally what these apps and what social media and these platforms were designed to do to us or what they evolved into doing. Okay. That’s what they’re for. And if you haven’t seen the movie, um, the social dilemma guys, it’s definitely worth a watch. Um, I watched it on Netflix. It’s a documentary on there and they interview people who are actually past employees and people that were on the inside of these big social networks, like Facebook, Instagram, like these huge players in that online space. And they actually helped develop the algorithms. Okay. These are the people that they’re interviewing in this documentary and it is fascinating. It is really worth your time to watch and see how these platforms were created in the beginning and then how they have changed and evolved to actually keep a us more addictive addicted.
Speaker 1: (09:17)
Oh my gosh, guys. It’s so eye opening, you should definitely watch it, the social dilemma. But if you haven’t seen that, I’m gonna just give you like a quick rundown of how this works. Okay. Here’s a little science for you. You ready? Listen to this. So due to the effect that it has on the brain media is addictive both physically and psychologically. Okay. So I’m pulling this information from a Harvard study that was done. They did research on how social media affects the brain, right? So according to a new study by Harvard university’s self disclosure on social networking sites, lights up the same part of the brain that also ignite nights when taking an added an addictive substance. So there’s a difference in spending a lot of time on your computer and creating content and doing these revenue generating activities, and then just spending a lot of time on social media.
Speaker 1: (10:10)
Okay. And this research study, and there’s so much research out there that was just a really, I thought succinct way to put it into like one line about what social media does to our brains, but there’s so much research out there. So, but I probably don’t have to tell you guys this, okay. You probably know that that’s what social media does. Right. You know, that the whole point is to keep us on our phones and consuming it. So what we really need to get to is here’s how to know if you have crossed the line and actually have an addiction and it’s time to stop and take a social media detox. Okay. So a couple of things to ask yourself, number one, do you check your phone first thing in the morning and last thing at night? Is it it maybe right there next to you on the bed?
Speaker 1: (11:00)
Is that the first thing that you grab for in the morning and the last thing that you check at night and lay down, if you do just like I did, that was so me, um, then yeah, you might have a social media addiction. Another thing is, do you feel anxious, like anxiety when you’re not connected to social media and this can feel different for different people? I know for me, I felt like, I mean, anxious, anxious is the best word. It’s almost like I was searching like, oh my gosh, like I don’t have my phone I’m. And I say, when you’re not connected to social media, but even just your phone, like, is it such a habit? The, it, you feel anxious when it’s not right there, or you’re not connected. If your finger automatically habitually goes to the social button, like you automatically tap Instagram or you automatically tap Facebook and then just start scrolling.
Speaker 1: (11:52)
And it’s funny because I see this happen a lot and it was happening to me too. But like I opened my phone to do something completely different. And just outta habit, it’s like, you can’t even control it. Your finger straight goes to that button and clicks it. So what I had to do was I had to get Facebook off of my home screen to quit it. Like I, I was like, okay, my finger is just automatically going here and seriously cold Turkey. I just had to delete the app off my phone. So I had to stop and actually make myself put, thought into opening it. Like I have to open up my laptop. I have to go to facebook.com if I’m gonna sit there and scroll. And so that was how I did it. That was how I kind of like broke that habitual addiction of like automatically just opening a social media app right when I opened my phone.
Speaker 1: (12:41)
So that might be something that works for you too. Okay. Another way to know that there might be a little bit of a problem here is if you’re experiencing FOMO, like fear of missing out and you ask yourself, what if I’m missing something or, you know, you’re searching for your phone when it’s not in your hand. And so if you’re experiencing that might be a time for a detox. Okay. Here’s another way to know. It might be time for a detox. Are you jealous? Are you finding that, like you’re comparing yourself to others online now this was especially true for me with like material stick things and seeing stuff on social, but it can just also be like this overall feeling of discontent. Like when you’re done scrolling on Instagram or Facebook, like, do you ever have just this feeling of comparison or like what you have isn’t good enough because that’s a definite sign that it could be time for a de just for your sanity, for your mental health, just to take a break.
Speaker 1: (13:38)
And that’s actually why I quit Instagram. I mean, I’m being honest and vulnerable here. Like it was such a pitfall for me. And so, yeah, I deleted Facebook off my phone so that like, I wasn’t habitually opening the app and wasting a lot of time on it, but like, I still use Facebook, obviously I’m in my group and, um, use it to grow my business, but Instagram, like, I just had to go cold Turkey. I deleted it. I haven’t signed into Instagram in months. Like if you go over there and you follow me, like, you’ll see, I haven’t made a post in a long time. And that’s because it was, I mean, it was just something that I didn’t feel good after or spending time on the app. And so maybe I’ll get back to that. I mean, I haven’t been on Instagram probably in six months.
Speaker 1: (14:22)
I think I could probably get back on now and not feel that same way, but I had just really gotten sucked into this trap of comparison. And I didn’t like how that made me feel. So that’s one thing to ask yourself and then here’s another way. And this is such a telling sign that it is time for a detox and probably time for you to like set some boundaries with social media as if your kids or your loved ones are starting to notice how much you’re on your phone or they’re starting to comment on it. And when my kids made comments about me being on my phone, oh my goodness. Like, it was just, my heart was ripped out. I was like, yeah, you know what? They’re noticing this. And it’s not fair to them. And so when they’re with me, I, I can’t have this thing.
Speaker 1: (15:10)
I can’t have this phone in my hand, twenty four seven, because they don’t understand that maybe what I’m doing is work related or that, you know, I’m checking emails or messages and that like, I have to do this for work. They don’t understand that they don’t get it. All they see is that I’m constantly looking down at this phone in my hand. And there’s a business mentor that I really look up to and, and I’ve taken, you know, some masterminds with her. And one thing that she says she really strives to be intentional about is when her kids talk to her, like she looks them in the eye and eyes and responds. And I know that sounds simple. Like dove, of course you should do that. But if we really stop and think about it, like, do we do that? And so that is something, it, when she said that was like a light bulb for me.
Speaker 1: (15:53)
And so now I’m really intentional about that. If the phone’s in my hand, when they talk to me, like I will put it down, face down, look them in the eyes, answer them and say whatever, but I really strive to just not be on my phone all the time anyway, when they’re around. And that has made a really big difference because they want that attention. And they’re, they’re craving that attention from us. And like I said, they can’t, um, differentiate between what we’re doing is working or, um, you know, doing something for our business or that we just always have this phone in our hand. And so to me, that was just a big wake up call. And so it might be for you two, it’s probably time for a detox and to put some boundaries in place, if your kids or your other loved ones are noticing or are commenting on that.
Speaker 1: (16:40)
So yeah, this is a good checklist to start from. These are some ways to know that, okay, I’ve crossed the line from using social to just grow my business to, I might have, um, a little bit of an unhealthy really here with my phone. And you may be wondering like, Shelly, why aren’t you even talking about this? When you know, businesses are built on social media and businesses, you preach can be grown on Facebook group. And I’ll tell you why it’s because I feel a responsibility to show you that yes, it’s possible to work and to do all of these things and grow an audience. And you can do that using Facebook groups without having to sell your soul to the machine of social media. And that’s what it’s become is something that can be such a distraction, but there are also so many positives to it.
Speaker 1: (17:29)
And when you use it for the tool that it is, it can be a really productive resource. It can be a really productive tool to grow your business. And some of the most successful entrepreneurs that I know they have very strict boundaries in place for their phone and social usage. And if you think about it, it makes sense because you can’t really connect and serve and think, and be in like a creative space when you’re constantly scrolling, right? You also can’t be as productive as you need to be when you’re stepping into your role as a CEO and a business minded mama, can’t do that when you’re addicted to scrolling. And so I just feel like it’s my responsibility. If I’m gonna teach you guys about social media and I’m gonna preach, you should be in Facebook groups, you should be interacting on there. That’s where your audience is.
Speaker 1: (18:23)
I feel like I should also be preaching. Social media is a tool, and we should always be cognizant that of the time and energy that we’re putting into it. And so that is my feel for the day, couple of ways that you can know if you’ve established this unhealthy relationship, social media addiction, and some of the things that I’ve done to help me put boundaries in place. But I also, I want you to know that there is an entire section and module in the group growth blueprint, the course that I mentioned earlier, that walks you through setting up systems in your business so that you can use this as a tool. It includes the exact system that I use. It helps you time block. It teaches you how to prioritize revenue, generating activities when to do what, all of that, even in the templates and the Trello board that I created and the systems that I made, they are all there to help you keep this in check it is that important to me that you hear what I’m saying about social media being a tool, and that it is possible to use it in a productive way without constantly being addicted to it.
Speaker 1: (19:32)
It’s so important that I made an entire section in my course all about that. So you guys check out the group growth blueprint, and also come hang out with us. We can be social and chat about these things. If you have something on your heart to share, or, you know, you’re struggling with this, or you’re looking for a healthy ways to use social, we are there to support and encourage you in your journey and just to support and encourage you in your business. In general, we don’t have to do business alone. You guys, and there is a group and a community of other mamas who are growing their businesses as well online. So you can join us over there at these successful net, working moms, Facebook group. And I hope to see you over there. We’ll see you on the next episode,
Speaker 2: (20:24)
You’ve been listening to the successful networking moms podcast. If you are ready to take action, start reaching your sales, recruitment, and income goals. Now then join us in the successful networking moms Facebook group. This free community offers support from me, plus the accountability of a thousand other networking moms, scaling their businesses, search on Facebook for successful networking moms, or check the show notes for the link to join.