If you are an avid user of social media, and you greatly care about improving your life, your feed is likely to be packed with self-development/productivity content.
The number of people Googling the term ‘Self Development’ has been increasing substantially over the last five years — which given the rise of individualism, particularly within the West, this trend is unsurprising.
The self-development content out there is amazing stuff. But here’s the thing:
Too much of anything can be bad for you, and toxic productivity culture is slowly exacerbating feelings of anxiety and depression within a generation of social media users wishing to better their lives. When numerous people are proclaiming they know exactly how to optimise your morning, or make the most out of your calendar, it is no surprise that many people are left feeling as though they missed the memo when it comes to knowing how to succeed.
Why is productivity content so high in demand?
A by-product of capitalism is the fuelling of individualism. Most of us are too busy being caught up in a race with an ever-changing finish line, forgetting that not all of us started in the same position, and winning this imaginary race will not outwork the structural inequalities many of us are subjected to.
Entire organisations profit over people’s insecurities, and a large feeling of inadequacy about their way of living. It is a core essence of capitalism, proposing solutions to problems which may not have existed in the first place — creating endless manufactured needs without any fulfilment.
In turn, we always feel like we need more, and this concerted feeling of wanting more has led millions of us astray, getting lost in this so-called race and losing sight of communal issues such as poverty and climate change which can only be combated through community.
Now, most of the self-development advice out there has helped many people including myself - but I recently found myself quite burnt out from the overload of self-development information being put in front of me. The responsibility of using all this advice mostly lies in the consumer’s hands, even more-so than the creators - so to rejuvenate myself I did two things:
- Go on a Social Media Detox
It’s been around a month where I’ve taken a break from social media apps such as Instagram, Twitter and TikTok just to declutter my mind, and refocus my energy into the present moment. So I decided to remove most of my media consumption — It has helped massively, I feel so far removed from elements of comparison to other people, and my free time has been used for more useful things such as reading, writing, and going to the gym.
It’s also helped me become more in tune with the world around me, allowing me to provide more focus and attention to my friends and family. My attention span has also increased, which was also something affected through the rise in short videos such as TikToks and Reels.
2. Become Conscious about Consumption
This doesn’t mean to say retract yourself from consuming media at all. It’s more about having the discernment to choose carefully about what you are consuming. I have learned so much from YouTube, and below are two channels I watch religiously for chill, good vibes:
- Hindz ( @hindzsight )
His videos are extremely calming and soulful. I enjoy watching them in the morning, and would definitely recommend his channel for some relaxing vibes.
- To My Sisters (@tomysisterhood )
Highly recommended if you identify as a woman. Courtney and Renee are both Oxbridge graduates, now helping women across the world navigate adulthood through promoting holistic wellness, growth and development. Their conversations are intelligent, funny and thought-provoking.
Mindful consumption is necessary in a world where much of the content being pushed out is subtly implying that you are not doing enough.
A lot of creators are aware that this type of content produces results and whilst its purpose is merely to help people, as a consumer it is key to know whether the content is inspiring you or whether it is causing you to feel inadequate about the way you live your day-to-day life and perhaps doing more harm to your mental health than good.
So choose carefully, and remind yourself that your value is not determined by whether you’re able to wake up at 5am everyday, read 3 books in one week or save the world in a lifetime :P
Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :)
