Over the last month or so, I’ve been posting less frequently on Instagram.
When I started the account, I averaged about 3-4 posts a week. And for a while there I almost got caught up in the “gotta post every single day” train.
It's common with my generation, (millennials), along with Genz's to look at older people in the context of their professional life with pity that a lot of them they got stuck in the race of climbing the corporate ladder or keeping up with the Joneses. And sometimes say it with a sense of superiority and pride that “thank goodness they don’t care about that.”
But we’re no better! We have a rat race too! It’s just a different one. The digital one. The selfie, “look at my life, I have to post about every single thing that happened to me today” one. And some of it is on a personal level, some of it- for business.
“Gotta post every single day! Gotta beat the algorithm! I can’t wait to go viral!"
I agree that social media is now vital to a business, but when does it become more about quality than quantity? That maybe substance matters more than having something new to look at every day?
And although I disagreed at first with my husband when we discussed pushing the brake pedal on Instagram and putting more gas pedal on other avenues of my work, I definitely agree now.
This reluctant but eventual surrender came to fruition partly out of the natural commitments that is being a mother, having a family and a household to run. And partly out of taking a good hard look at where I was spending my time.
I believe the content I put out into the world has substance and is helpful, however, my opinion is that things need to slow down in this arena just as much as fashion.
Traditional fashion tells us to keep up, keep shopping, and keep up with the trends and so does Instagram. It’s a continuous feed of new new new.
And it’s overstimulating, exhausting, and a time suck.
So my approach is to continue posting “less”on Instagram (about 1-2 times a week). And if I post more often than that, it means I had extra time or was inspired and excited to share something!
Instead of spending oodles of time that I don’t have planning out content calendars.
I may get pushback on this but the fact is that my main source of revenue doesn’t come from Instagram. That comes from me reaching out to brands, collaborations, connecting with other freelancers and putting myself in proximity to conscious denim brands.
I do value how the platform connects me with other like-minded people and how it informs others- and that’s why posts on the page will continue :)
One day I’ll get to the point where I can hire someone solely for social media, (while continuing with quality over quantity), but until that day, I’m a one-woman show and this woman’s doing a lot!
Thank you to my husband. I'm now unafraid to let go of the digital rat race and sssssslllllllllooooowwwww down.
Another HUGE benefit in slowing down on social media as well as the general benefits of the freelance work life is getting to choose all this! And having the bandwidth to be present in other areas of life! I get to decide how I run my freelancing career and when I can and want to take time off.
Of course, all of this would not be possible without my husband who has always been endlessly supportive and is the primary financial provider for our family.
Getting to this position of being able to live on one income took YEARS. We are feeling so blessed to be where we are now.
Below are some photos of a recent family ski trip to Idaho :) And my trip to Washington (where I'm currently at) to meet the newest member of the family, my niece Amelia :)
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