Social media isn’t going anywhere. In fact, it’s likely to become an even bigger part of our daily lives. While there are a lot of amazing things that can come from it there are also things that can harm us. We’ve heard that social media can increase depression, anxiety, and loneliness, but what about reducing creativity? It sounds almost backward. Surely, having endless access to beautiful images and creations will only help you in making your own ideas. Maybe that is true to some extent, but more likely it’s hindering your creativity. Here’s why:

Distraction

Distraction is a big one. Not only does scrolling on social media platforms a major time killer (time you could be plotting your next idea), it’s also a surefire way for you to get tangled up in comparison, likes, and comments. Plus, it can lead to analysis paralysis — where you feel like you have too many ideas and options swirling in your head and you can’t take action.

How to combat this: Be very mindful of the amount of time you spend on social media. Pick an allowed time that works for you and then remove the app from your phone or maybe from your phone’s home screen. If you’re starting a new project, try to only allow yourself to gather a little inspiration or maybe don’t use any at all. This will help you generate ideas that are true to you.

Too Much Curation

Social media is most typically everyone’s highlight real. It’s amazing how quickly we forget this. If we consume too much social media we lose touch with reality. And reality (as messy as it is) is where true inspiration is found. Not only that, but you likely will feel more confident about your work if you’re not always viewing everyone else’s. Have you ever shared something you loved only to get crickets on social media? I have and it hurts. It can make you doubt yourself. It’s always smart to take people’s feedback, but too much of it will cause you to lose your spark. You have to find balance.

How to combat this: Get out into the real world. Go to the bookstore, to a gallery, take a walk in the park or meet a friend for lunch. These real life interactions will rejuvenate you and hopefully boost your new ideas, too.

Comparison

Remember that idiom “Keeping up with the Joneses”? It means: “… the comparison to one’s neighbor as a benchmark for social class or the accumulation of material goods. To fail to ‘keep up with the Joneses’ is perceived as demonstrating socio-economic or cultural inferiority.” (Wikipedia). Well, now we have to keep up with literally everybody! It’s insane. It’s no wonder people are suffering from anxiety. Our life and work is being showcased around the world and it’s there for everyone to judge and comment on.

I love that quote: “Comparison if the thief of joy” because it’s a great reminder that comparing yourself to others only diminishes happiness. It’s human nature, but it can be limited by reducing social media use. It’s also smart to mute or unfollow people who make you feel bad about yourself. There is no need to torture yourself.

How to combat this: Unfollow people who bring you down, set timers for your usage, follow people who make you feel inspired and are supportive of you and your endeavors. Put on blinders while working on a new project to protect yourself from looking at others.

Everyone is a Curator

Don’t get me wrong, I do love that everyone can put their work and ideas out there now. It’s great. However, it creates a lot of noise and a lot of mediocre work. In order to create the best work you can, it’s best to really pick and chose who you are viewing and to try to filter out a lot of the stuff out there that isn’t going to help you. Pick social media platforms that are right for the kind of work you want to make and ignore the rest!

How to combat this: Limit yourself to one or two social media platforms that you feel are going to be the best place for you to consume content and also to share your own. Ignore the rest. You don’t need to be active on everything!

A few extra tips from my personal experience:

• When I’m feeling overwhelmed by social media I like to take a day (or even longer off). It’s amazing how much better you feel even for just a day.
• I have been reading a lot more now in place of scrolling. It really helps to be present and immersed in someone else’s words and story. I find it helps my creativity.
• When I need to fine-tune an idea I like to make bubble maps of them and draw out how I can make that idea happen. Ideas are much easier to flush out when it’s on paper than in your head.
• Take social media platforms off your home screen. I find that I often end up in apps like Instagram without even realizing it. If it’s not visible to you it will be easier to ignore.

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