You may have read Social AF’s recent report, Wellbeing Insights from Social Media Professionals, which highlights some key areas of concern for those who moderate social media channels on behalf of charities.
One common concern was how the struggle to switch off from work was negatively impacting wellbeing. This came as no surprise, considering how accessible social media is and the fact that it’s available 24/7. But also, switching off is something many members of our team have also struggled with. If you’ve ever found yourself checking comments at midnight or replying to DMs on a Sunday, know you’re not alone.
Within this blog, we’ll share some tips and advice to help you switch off from work.
1. Give yourself permission to switch off
Burnout is real. Working at 100% every day isn’t just unsustainable, it’s also counterproductive. If you’re constantly working over, there is a problem which needs to be addressed, both for you and for the good of the charity.
2. Preparation
It’s much easier to switch off from work if you have confidence that things can be handled in your absence. Social AF have shared a lot of information in recent months about building moderation foundations, covering suggestions such as filters, rotas, answer banks. If you haven’t read those yet, you can check them out here:
3. Review pinch points
It’s worth considering why you’re struggling to switch off in the first place. For example, do you post content at 6:30pm and always feel the need to check it’s been posted OK? In which case, what could you do to change that? Could you add a second check of the content before it’s posted? Could you add in a check to the moderation rota so people can see it’s coming through OK? Could you change the time and post at 10:30am instead?
Reflect on what your struggles are and come up with a plan to adjust.
4. Manage your notifications
Notifications are awful for helping you switch off. Utilise pause/snooze functions on apps, delete apps, remove them from your home screen, use your out of office…the list goes on.
You could also explore browser blockers after certain times, or applying a timer to apps to help limit usage.
Some members of the team also kept very separate personal and professional social media accounts. The accounts they follow on their personal accounts are very different and not remotely tied to work. This means when they’re scrolling, they aren’t interrupted with thoughts of work.
Be proactive about limiting interruptions when you’re not meant to be at work.
5. Define clear boundaries in case of emergencies
This links back to point 2. Ensure your escalation processes are defined so people are clear as to when and how they can contact your outside of your working hours. It’s amazing how fewer questions you’ll receive once you define and instill clear boundaries.
6. Write lists at the end of the day
A lot of people start their day with a task list, which can be a really great way to start work. But one of the best habits to build is ending the day with a list.
It helps put a full stop on the working day, reduces any anxiety about tasks which still need attention and means you’re more able to tackle the next day from the moment you log on. If this isn’t something you do already, it’s well worth trying.
7. Review team culture
Consider how teams are helping and hindering the ability to switch off. Do you regularly receive last-minute requests to post content at 4:45? Is time off respected? Do you share timed-messages to land when people are back at work?
Ultimately all teams should be working towards the same charitable goals, and having a fully functional, happy team is only going to enhance performance and therefore your charity’s impact. Be honest with colleagues about what is causing an issue and suggest an alternative proposal. If this means applying a cut-off for content requests, or introducing policies for wellbeing, that can only be a good thing if it’s means productive ways of working.
8. Be conscious about how you spend time outside of work
Many more people in the sector now work from home, which means the transition from work to home-life is blurred. How can you embed better habits to put a full stop on your day?
Is it a walk around the block? Is it a 10 minute meditation? A spell listening to your favourite band?
Re-direct your energy to your personal life, health and family the moment you’re on personal time. You don’t have to do it all at once. Start with just one change — even turning off notifications after hours can make a big difference.
9. Build good sleep habits
The ability to follow through with any good habit is massively enhanced by quality sleep. Do you know what can negatively impact sleep? Being online a lot. Particularly late at night.
10. If you work alone, find some help!
We’re very conscious that some people reading this will be lone workers, who are thinking “this is all well and good but I don’t have a colleague to help me”. But just because you work alone, doesn’t mean you should be on-call 24/7.
We hope this blog has helped provide a few pointers on how to switch off from work. As with most things, we’re all juggling different loads in different circumstances, so there’s no one format which will work for everyone. All you can do is acknowledge that it’s a problem, make a plan to address it, and start building better habits — ones that support your wellbeing in the long run.
If switching off still feels out of reach, or if you simply need some breathing room, we’re here to help. Social AF work with a wide range of charities, for some we cover social media moderation 9am to 9pm, seven days a week, 365 days a year. For others we cover on an out-of-hours basis, Monday to Friday 5pm to 9pm, and 9am to 9pm Saturday and Sunday. If you’d like to learn more, why not book in a chat.
