Thank you for writing Camille. I feel encouraged to return to my life off instagram. I spent 3 years with out it and returned to pursue a business venture that I dont care for anymore.
I am on a similar path - I also do "desktop only" social media and have narrowed the platforms down to LinkedIn and Substack. Although, I'm struggling to figure out how to meaningfully engage on this platform without it taking hours and hours of my time and attention ... there's still a lot to sort through and scroll and most importantly - READ!
You're brave for doing LinkedIn! Perhaps it's people I am connected with but everyone sounds like a finance bro / tech bro, haha!
I try to save articles for reading later on. Like a Sunday paper on the porch (or a quiet moment when my baby is napping and I reheat the morning coffee)
Ooo that’s a great strategy! And re: LinkedIn, my angle is that it’s soooo boring and buttoned up and bro-y over there that I hope my content feels refreshing. We’ll see!
I am, like you, writing once a week for my Substack new acquaintances and bi-weekly for my other email friends.
I know most marketers share that I should be throwing out valuable content every day for reach, but how overwhelming is that for my current lovely readers?
We are all over consuming everything, especially cake 🍰 in my world, but in my defense I did just make the most insane batch of chocolate brownies 😊
It’s just all too much! I like to calm it down, write to my pen pals regularly but not bash them over the head.
I love this pen pal approach to it Lucy! I can picture a slow day of writing with a good drink, and then giving what you've written as a gift.
I feel this way when I open select email newsletters that are weekly... bi-weekly, or even sporadically. I know it's always full of good stuff, so even if I can't get to it right away, I'll save and read for later.
Thank you for the food for thought here. I deleted TikTok off my phone about two months ago with intentions of taking a break for the weekend but Monday rolled around and I had no desire to re-download. It's been a breath of fresh air!
I'd love to try experimenting with only having social media on my computer to see how much more of the outside world my eyes are opened to. I was recently chatting with someone else about how they delete Instagram on Sundays and now hearing it here again is inspiring me even more! I'm going to try this Sunday :)
Oh gosh, I only use Tiktok for research but I hear it's even harder to get off of... Good on you Julianna. Give it a go!! I also started on a Sunday and it makes for a wonderful start to the week.
This is so insightful, Camille, thank you. I don’t struggle with staying off social media, I struggle with getting on it. But I know I need to make the time for it to be steady with content and growth. What are the AI repurposing tools that you’re finding helpful? Thanks for leading this important convo! x
It's a strange dynamic isn't it? Even though I do this for other people, I struggle with it too. I find creating a longer piece that encapsulates full thoughts helps my brain out. I used to try to stuff an entire web of ideas into an IG post... and it doesn't work.
AI tools for Content Creation: So far, the projects features and custom GPTs on Chat and Claude. And working on some more automated processes using Make to connect apps together!
Ah thats a great idea, thank you! And the resources are so helpful, I appreciate your sharing. 💛 This is great motivation for me to take the next step.
This post really gave me some great inspiration, thank you! I find it's so hard to get that balance between being online to share and connect as part of your business, vs mindless consuming! Your tips are very helpful, and I think sticking to one or two platforms is so much more sustainable.
I am ten days in to quitting social media cold turkey—and I cannot believe the difference. You hit my feelings and experience spot on. I just published a new piece here this morning and it felt so…purposeful. Thank you for your words ♥️.
Have you read the book Reconnected by Carlos Whitaker? He did this interesting experiment where he went without screens for I think 7-8 weeks, including time spent in a monastery and then with Amish farmers. He had a doctor do a scan of his brain before and after the screen free time and it was incredible the results… I think you would enjoy it ❤️
I’m on a similar journey as well. Brick sounds like a great option for supporting my digital minimalism goals. And yes! The beauty of AI is that it can help us be more efficient with our time so we can focus more on other things that matter.
Yes yes yes!!! I want more people to experience that. But it's strange. It's like it takes helping people first understand that getting more efficient with these tools doesn't mean you fill your time with MORE work. Let me how you find it if you try the Brick!
I love hearing about people who are finding ways to get off social media, it gives me hope! Substack is also my only form of social media now, and I also only consume on the laptop. It's taken a long time to ween off it all and I hope substack isn't just going to replace that doom scrolling habit, but at least my attention span is better! I love the brick idea, but in the end I just removed all my apps from the home screen and turned them into black and white so I could only access them through the very long, boring scroll menu - it's not half as appealing now, and even having to put effort into finding the apps helps! It's amazing what a bit of colour can do to our brains - maybe we should put our tvs into black and white too haha!
Hahah I resonate with the improved attention span. In my first month of Substack, I only wrote because my attention span couldn't handle how slow the pace is. But usually I'll just save articles until I want to read / study. And then Archive the ones I want to read again.
I WISH that worked for me. I would just search for the apps all over again when they were off my home screen, and undo the black and white setting. You've got discipline hahah.
haha! ah, well the black and white screen idea didn't come about until I was already off social media for two years! so its not exactly an easy fix. It's good to hear though that lots of people see how bad social media (and maybe it's more the doom srcoling that the social side) can be for us.
I’m literally in love with everything you post. It’s like all the thoughts I have about content creation that I keep to myself or share with just my husband are now here, in someone else’s words. It’s wild! But I’m so thankful to have found you.
Thank you Alyssia!! Hahah, my husband is also the dumping ground for filtering through all of the raw thoughts. Thankfully he helps bring order where I'm a little sporadic. A good husband is a real blessing.
This is so thought provoking and insightful. Thank you for sharing your experience. I have been feeling a similar pull over the last few years and love some of the tactics you use. Paring down on where my attending goes feels like a gift to myself and I too think it has opened the flow of my creative expression. For me it makes room for me to really get to know myself.
You nailed it. It is truly a gift to yourself. I feel so much more creative from more consciously choosing where my attention is going. I used to feel like I never had any thoughts worth writing or saying out loud... Turns out it was just clouded?
It does feel different! I’m relatively new here too, and there’s so much more of a community element. I think because it’s slower, you’re really able to sit with the ideas your read and reflect on how to use them in your own life. On Instagram, I found myself commenting emojis only because I just didn’t have time to think 🫠
Thank you for this. Lately I’ve felt a tension between creating art and creating content. The pressure of always posting to so many spaces meant that I never dove too deep into my stories or poems. I needed them posted, not perfect. It was freeing in a way, but it left me feeling frantic. I really like the idea of a “home platform” and only accessing it on desktop. That feels more organic and sustainable.
I had learned the same for the past decade! That “everything is content” and to just do it. You’re right, it is freeing! I’m also still looking for a good balance 😅 Because I get that more distribution of bite sized pieces can draw more people to discover your heartfelt pieces. So I think pillar pieces of work has been a good way of doing so recently 💛
Yes! Pillar pieces! Such a lovely concept. It also gives me permission to take time on them. Pillars hold up a lot; you should feel confident in their strength.
This resonated so much! It reaffirmed my decision to no longer consume IG or TikTok (3 months strong and don’t miss it at all!) and also gave me some ideas on how to strategically use the platforms for my business when it’s time. Thanks Camille! ✨
As I was reading this, I paused and deleted all social media off my phone! I have wanted to do it for quite a while but somehow needed a permission slip to actually make it happen. Thank you!
Thank you for writing Camille. I feel encouraged to return to my life off instagram. I spent 3 years with out it and returned to pursue a business venture that I dont care for anymore.
At this point it is a time waster.
I like the youtube, Substack, podcast dynamic.
YES! So much more depth. As I start free up time, YouTube will probably be next for me too. It seems like a fun platform to get creative with!
I am on a similar path - I also do "desktop only" social media and have narrowed the platforms down to LinkedIn and Substack. Although, I'm struggling to figure out how to meaningfully engage on this platform without it taking hours and hours of my time and attention ... there's still a lot to sort through and scroll and most importantly - READ!
You're brave for doing LinkedIn! Perhaps it's people I am connected with but everyone sounds like a finance bro / tech bro, haha!
I try to save articles for reading later on. Like a Sunday paper on the porch (or a quiet moment when my baby is napping and I reheat the morning coffee)
Love this minimal social media “desktop only” approach. Very very, interesting
And, totally totally agree with you re Substack…haha! So much to….REEEAAADD! Haha 🙃no but I love it! I do! 🥰
Ooo that’s a great strategy! And re: LinkedIn, my angle is that it’s soooo boring and buttoned up and bro-y over there that I hope my content feels refreshing. We’ll see!
Ok, this take on LinkedIn gives me strong food for thought… you’re right! More refreshing voices needed.
Do you repurpose substack content on there or create original pieces?
Desktop only, lovely idea 💡
I am, like you, writing once a week for my Substack new acquaintances and bi-weekly for my other email friends.
I know most marketers share that I should be throwing out valuable content every day for reach, but how overwhelming is that for my current lovely readers?
We are all over consuming everything, especially cake 🍰 in my world, but in my defense I did just make the most insane batch of chocolate brownies 😊
It’s just all too much! I like to calm it down, write to my pen pals regularly but not bash them over the head.
I love this pen pal approach to it Lucy! I can picture a slow day of writing with a good drink, and then giving what you've written as a gift.
I feel this way when I open select email newsletters that are weekly... bi-weekly, or even sporadically. I know it's always full of good stuff, so even if I can't get to it right away, I'll save and read for later.
I LOVE the idea of sharing as connecting with pen pals! It makes me want to start handwriting letters again!
Oh me too!!!! I’d love to reestablish my childhood passion for lovely stationery. I had so much it was almost an obsession.
I use a fountain pen still do you?
Thanks Camille!
The energy is different like this
Comfy & arouses more interest than scanning quickly not really taking it in. I think so anyway 😁
Thank you for the food for thought here. I deleted TikTok off my phone about two months ago with intentions of taking a break for the weekend but Monday rolled around and I had no desire to re-download. It's been a breath of fresh air!
I'd love to try experimenting with only having social media on my computer to see how much more of the outside world my eyes are opened to. I was recently chatting with someone else about how they delete Instagram on Sundays and now hearing it here again is inspiring me even more! I'm going to try this Sunday :)
Oh gosh, I only use Tiktok for research but I hear it's even harder to get off of... Good on you Julianna. Give it a go!! I also started on a Sunday and it makes for a wonderful start to the week.
This is so insightful, Camille, thank you. I don’t struggle with staying off social media, I struggle with getting on it. But I know I need to make the time for it to be steady with content and growth. What are the AI repurposing tools that you’re finding helpful? Thanks for leading this important convo! x
It's a strange dynamic isn't it? Even though I do this for other people, I struggle with it too. I find creating a longer piece that encapsulates full thoughts helps my brain out. I used to try to stuff an entire web of ideas into an IG post... and it doesn't work.
AI tools for Content Creation: So far, the projects features and custom GPTs on Chat and Claude. And working on some more automated processes using Make to connect apps together!
Ah thats a great idea, thank you! And the resources are so helpful, I appreciate your sharing. 💛 This is great motivation for me to take the next step.
This post really gave me some great inspiration, thank you! I find it's so hard to get that balance between being online to share and connect as part of your business, vs mindless consuming! Your tips are very helpful, and I think sticking to one or two platforms is so much more sustainable.
Yes! It's easy to feel like demands are coming from everywhere. Who knew we could come up with the rules and simplify?
I am ten days in to quitting social media cold turkey—and I cannot believe the difference. You hit my feelings and experience spot on. I just published a new piece here this morning and it felt so…purposeful. Thank you for your words ♥️.
That's amazing Maribeth and takes a lot of fortitude. Is Substack now your primary platform to create?
Have you read the book Reconnected by Carlos Whitaker? He did this interesting experiment where he went without screens for I think 7-8 weeks, including time spent in a monastery and then with Amish farmers. He had a doctor do a scan of his brain before and after the screen free time and it was incredible the results… I think you would enjoy it ❤️
I just looked it up!
From Amazon:
- how to retrain yourself to notice the world before you notice your texts;
- what technology does to your brain and what you can do about it;
- ways to prioritize in-person relationships even if you need screens for work or school;
- why turning down your phone's volume turns up God's voice in your life;
- the newfound joy of being bored, getting lost, and not having to Google every question that comes to your mind.
This sounds AMAZING Lisa. Thank you for the reco!
I’m on a similar journey as well. Brick sounds like a great option for supporting my digital minimalism goals. And yes! The beauty of AI is that it can help us be more efficient with our time so we can focus more on other things that matter.
Yes yes yes!!! I want more people to experience that. But it's strange. It's like it takes helping people first understand that getting more efficient with these tools doesn't mean you fill your time with MORE work. Let me how you find it if you try the Brick!
I love hearing about people who are finding ways to get off social media, it gives me hope! Substack is also my only form of social media now, and I also only consume on the laptop. It's taken a long time to ween off it all and I hope substack isn't just going to replace that doom scrolling habit, but at least my attention span is better! I love the brick idea, but in the end I just removed all my apps from the home screen and turned them into black and white so I could only access them through the very long, boring scroll menu - it's not half as appealing now, and even having to put effort into finding the apps helps! It's amazing what a bit of colour can do to our brains - maybe we should put our tvs into black and white too haha!
Hahah I resonate with the improved attention span. In my first month of Substack, I only wrote because my attention span couldn't handle how slow the pace is. But usually I'll just save articles until I want to read / study. And then Archive the ones I want to read again.
I WISH that worked for me. I would just search for the apps all over again when they were off my home screen, and undo the black and white setting. You've got discipline hahah.
haha! ah, well the black and white screen idea didn't come about until I was already off social media for two years! so its not exactly an easy fix. It's good to hear though that lots of people see how bad social media (and maybe it's more the doom srcoling that the social side) can be for us.
I’m literally in love with everything you post. It’s like all the thoughts I have about content creation that I keep to myself or share with just my husband are now here, in someone else’s words. It’s wild! But I’m so thankful to have found you.
Thank you Alyssia!! Hahah, my husband is also the dumping ground for filtering through all of the raw thoughts. Thankfully he helps bring order where I'm a little sporadic. A good husband is a real blessing.
This is so thought provoking and insightful. Thank you for sharing your experience. I have been feeling a similar pull over the last few years and love some of the tactics you use. Paring down on where my attending goes feels like a gift to myself and I too think it has opened the flow of my creative expression. For me it makes room for me to really get to know myself.
You nailed it. It is truly a gift to yourself. I feel so much more creative from more consciously choosing where my attention is going. I used to feel like I never had any thoughts worth writing or saying out loud... Turns out it was just clouded?
Love that visual of it being "clouded".
It does feel different! I’m relatively new here too, and there’s so much more of a community element. I think because it’s slower, you’re really able to sit with the ideas your read and reflect on how to use them in your own life. On Instagram, I found myself commenting emojis only because I just didn’t have time to think 🫠
Thank you for this. Lately I’ve felt a tension between creating art and creating content. The pressure of always posting to so many spaces meant that I never dove too deep into my stories or poems. I needed them posted, not perfect. It was freeing in a way, but it left me feeling frantic. I really like the idea of a “home platform” and only accessing it on desktop. That feels more organic and sustainable.
I had learned the same for the past decade! That “everything is content” and to just do it. You’re right, it is freeing! I’m also still looking for a good balance 😅 Because I get that more distribution of bite sized pieces can draw more people to discover your heartfelt pieces. So I think pillar pieces of work has been a good way of doing so recently 💛
Yes! Pillar pieces! Such a lovely concept. It also gives me permission to take time on them. Pillars hold up a lot; you should feel confident in their strength.
This resonated so much! It reaffirmed my decision to no longer consume IG or TikTok (3 months strong and don’t miss it at all!) and also gave me some ideas on how to strategically use the platforms for my business when it’s time. Thanks Camille! ✨
Woohooo!!! 3 months is incredible! I’m still on my 5th week but the difference is insane.
As I was reading this, I paused and deleted all social media off my phone! I have wanted to do it for quite a while but somehow needed a permission slip to actually make it happen. Thank you!
Congrats :’) I hope you’ve noticed a significant difference for the better!