What does social media have in common with kids? (Part two)

Last time I wrote, I touched on some ways that babies and social media marketing are the same. If you haven’t read that blog yet, you can find it here, but I also promised to offer some tips for dealing soon. So, this piece is dedicated to helping us all ride those waves of change.

As I reflected on in my prior piece, social media marketing and babies/toddlers are similar in that they are both constantly changing. For someone who thrives on consistency, having a baby and working in marketing (simultaneously) has really thrown me for a loop. Sometimes for a full week, I feel like I’m running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Anyone else? But the good news is, in spite of a life full of continuous change, I’m sort of getting the hang of it.

So, what can we do to prevent burnout? Here are three ways I’m dealing right now.

1. Expect change – Begin by preparing yourself mentally for it. This helps the change itself to be less challenging and less surprising. When you mentally prepare for change, though you don’t know how you will have to pivot, you know that eventually you will have to pivot. Continue to work within the strategies that you know, continue to plan ahead, but always know that you may have to make changes to your plans.

Perfect your skills right now, while keeping yourself alert and not getting overly emotional or invested in the current trends. Remind yourself that things will change eventually. This can be good, too, if you are working in a trend that you don’t love. Remind yourself, “this too shall pass” the same way that you remind yourself, “this too shall pass” when your child is in the midst of a sleep regression.

2. Let go of control; observe and learn. – If you are constantly trying to do, to control… you will miss both what is already happening and what can happen. Sometimes when we get comfortable with what is already happening, with the way things are, we don’t want to allow them to change. 

Here’s the thing: when we let our children experience, when we sit back and watch, when we hold ourselves back from intervening… Sometimes they surprise us; they take those first few steps, they figure out the toy on their own, they do or say something new. Because they can.

Social media marketing can be the same. When we aren’t focused on controlling the circumstances, on keeping everything the same or constantly trying to change them for new results, we might be pleasantly surprised. Stop, pause, and observe. Look at your analytics. What are they telling you about what is already performing well? And what are they telling you about how they can perform under slightly different circumstances?

3. Teamwork – Something challenging always feels easier when you have someone to walk alongside you. This is true in personal circumstances but also when it comes to work. 

The general public probably isn’t going to commiserate with you when that social media trend you’d perfected is suddenly old news, but your coworker who spent the last year priming her skill in the same area? 🙋‍♀️ She will. What about when you’re pulling out your hair trying to hone in on the next new thing? She’s still there, plugging along beside you. And bonus: if your coworker is catching on quicker than you, that’s someone you can rely on to teach you!

Rely on your coworkers when you need help (giving you tips on that new trend) or just someone who feels your pain (misery loves company). The same way you rely on your partner when that baby is awake again at 2am; help changing the diaper now, and bringing you an extra cup of coffee later.

*Note: Do you work solo? That’s okay! Find a tribe of people who do similar work as you through a class, conference, or even a facebook group. That’s your team! Just like a single parent relies on their friends, family, and maybe facebook tribe to ride the waves with them. 

Change isn’t easy. We like things to stay the same, because knowing what to expect feels comfortable. But when we take the time to expect, understand and allow change, we encourage forward movement and growth for everyone involved. When we can let go of control a little bit, we may even find ourselves having fun by the new trend or developmental leap. And lastly, don’t forget your people. Find them, and let them help you (and guess what? You can help them too).