Minimalism and social media. Is that going together and how do I combine that? How do I ensure that I do not lose too much time and really get something done?
Social media is inspiring and inspiring for me. With the articles on Lorelei Web I want to inspire you to think more consciously and then to achieve growth, the essence and a more sustainable life. Social media is a tool for me to convey this message.
Social media is a hammer
I see social media as a hammer. A hammer to hit a nail in the wall. Sometimes I hit and miss it the other time. With the hammer I can reach my followers and hopefully inspire the other person. I can broadcast something that gives or helps the other person. But I can also hit my fingers with the hammer.
Important questions for me are:
- With what I send out to the world now, do I give value to the others? Or is it more ‘Look at me, look at me!’
- Do I use social media as an escape from something I actually want to do or does it provide inspiration and good value?
I find it very nice to have one-on-one contact with others via social media. By listening and asking questions, I know what is going on and where I can help or inspire others.
Be inspired
I only follow the people who inspire me. It is important for me to continue to meet people who inspire me and you can use social media very well for that. Does he or she inspire me and do I get energy from this? Let’s drink coffee!
Remain absolutely that advantage of the medium. You can contact (almost) everyone and then invite the other person to drink coffee. And if you embrace more people in your life who inspire you, it can change your whole life.
The pitfall is that I am inspired in the wrong way. That I will compare myself with others in such a way that I have nothing on it. That I am just about to close off from the world and from the other. Do I notice that I am doing this? Then I read this article from the article ‘Tips for a physically and mentally healthier lifestyle’:
Everyone follows his own path. Walk your own path without comparing it with others. Comparing yourself with others simply does not make sense. You often compare yourself with people you are jealous of. Know that jealousy is a disguised diversion route to your own ambitions. What ambition is this and can you get started with it today?
Be happy that these inspiring people are there. That they do not do nothing all day but show their efforts to the world, just like you. That they are working on these issues just like you and they are committed to this. Enjoy their success and the happiness they give the world. Embrace and involve them in your life. Who knows what beautiful things you can come together. We are all different, unique and wonderful. And besides: life is too beautiful and too short to be jealous.
Or as Jiddu Krishnamurti says so beautifully in his book ‘Free from the known’:
If I am all the time measuring myself against you, struggling to be like you, then I am denying what I am myself.
Which platforms do I use the most?
On Instagram and Twitter I currently feel the most inspired and I can easily make direct contact. I am less inspired on Facebook. I mainly follow pages bu never the read the feeds.
In the area of social media, private and business intertwined with me. My work is my life and my life is my work. My goal is to always want to and can continue to do this work. Everything is basically businesslike. Only on Facebook do I have a private account with only friends that I have met in real life.
The balance between creating and consuming
I will have to continue creating something to broadcast. And I like to create. Keeping a balance between the time I spend on social media and the time I spend concentrating on something without distractions is therefore essential for me.
Stay vigilant and see what social media does to me and then choose again to switch to ‘work without distractions’. Because then I make the most beautiful things.
All my notifications are always off and I use tools such as Self Control, Tabagotchi and News Feed Eradicator to keep the focus on my laptop for good. I finish everything and then go to work. I often give myself this task for 2 to 3 hours.
I have no rules such as: ‘I can only check my mail after 13.00‘ or ‘I can only check my social media between 19.00 and 20.00’. (Although there are a few rules you should avoid when using Instagram) I am someone who loves the flow of life. You can not plan life, life happens to you while you make other plans…
More and more people are finding out that more things do not necessarily mean more happiness. In fact, our possessions stand in our way when we look for what brings happiness. From his own experiences, Joshua Becker shows that a minimalist lifestyle brings us numerous benefits: more money, more freedom, less distraction and less stress. Minimalism goes beyond organizing and clearing your stuff, but does not mean that you have to give up everything you own. It’s about removing all the noise and clutter from your environment, making you a happier, more concentrated and more satisfied person.
Great input, thanks!
What an inspiring and impressive article! I will be very honest in this comment, because I thought I had learned all the tricks from the ‘cleanup’ section from the books of Marie Kondo. I was living right next to it! Also, I was touched by the personal experiences that Joshua Becker shares in his blog. Minimalism is the deliberate attention to the things we value most and the removal of everything that distracts us from it. Let yourself be motivated by your love for your family. Help your family to receive a simpler and better life. Enjoy a more conscious and spacious existence for yourself and others! As Becker concludes in his book: “Jesus said that your treasure is where your heart will be.” This book is for everyone who wants to get more out of less!
I am such a bad road-goer. I am better in, out of sight is also tidied but that is not how it works haha!