The Art of the Afternoon Reset

In the era of touching grass, us brave soldiers who work in social media marketing know what it’s like to struggle with finding a balance between taking time away from your phone and always being in the know in an ever-changing digital space.

Finding the perfect work-life balance is like walking a tightrope in a circus act. Lean too far one way and you’ve missed ten possible viral moments for your client. Lean too far the other way and you find yourself burnt out with a 16 hour screen time…both equally as terrifying. But the key to juggling your work-life balance is more simple than you think. The goal isn’t to unplug forever, it’s to step away long enough to come back clearer, calmer, and more creative.

This is where an afternoon reset comes into play. Now, this isn’t groundbreaking by any means, but it’s a simple and powerful time during your day that can help you stay motivated and refreshed. Think of it as a deliberate pause in the middle of your day that doesn’t involve scrolling, consuming, or performing. Not sure where to start? Analog activities are the way to go, and bonus points if it’s an activity that sparks creativity to power you through the rest of your workday.

An afternoon reset is something I’ve been trying to proactively implement into my routine this year. Now, these don’t need to be grand hobbies. Through trial and error, I’ve found that tapping into what you loved to do as a kid sparks the most joy and can help you disconnect with ease.

Loved bike riding as a kid? Try a beach ride while listening to a lighthearted podcast. Were you more into drawing? Pick up an adult coloring book and sip on your favorite coffee. Or do you have fond memories of climbing trees? Find a local rock-climbing gym. You don’t need to break the internet (or your wallet) with the biggest and most extravagant activity. All you need is one hour out of your day and the motivation to just do it. Ironically, stepping away from the screen is often what brings the best ideas back to it.

Now, as a fellow scrollaholic, taking an hour or more away from your phone can be challenging at first. I know this is a safe space, so I have to admit I started writing my thought starters for this blog in my Notes app during my afternoon walk… where I was supposed to be screen-free (we’re all human). It’s important to give yourself grace when small slip-ups like this happen. We’ve become so conditioned to constantly being glued to our phones, fearful that we’ll miss a funny text in the group chat, the next social scandal (TB to the days of the YouTuber apology videos), or a client email asking for the millionth edit on a TikTok. And as dramatic as it feels in the moment, missing a notification isn’t a crisis. It’s just a pause, and everything will still be waiting for you.

So go outside and touch grass (literally), tailor that nostalgic hobby to your adult life, and for the sake of your sanity, just put down the phone. Your future self will thank you.

xx

a chronically online social media manager