I haven’t blogged in several months because, to be perfectly honest, I got tired of it. I did not stop writing, reading, editing, and researching. But I did stop blogging. I also let my social media lag a bit, until recently.

I was just plain tired of it all. And at this point in history, who isn’t? The past couple of years have been crazy—and social media has made it all both better and worse. Better, because it’s allowed us to communicate with each other, and to realize that despite everything, we’re not alone in our struggles. And worse, because, well…just scroll through Facebook for ten minutes and I’m sure you’ll find at least two videos that lower your IQ, and at least three posts/articles/memes that make you mad.

Anyway, so what should you do when you’re just tired of it all and want to delete all social apps from your phone? Here’s my take:

Take a social media break. 

If you’re exhausted and fed up by social media, then by all means take a break. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the drama and bad news, or frustrated by your lack of reach or other results, then it might be time to take a step back for a bit.

For an author/entrepreneur, being active on social media is pretty much a must. You’ve got to have a platform for anyone to find you. But it’s okay to pause your professional social media streams so that you can give your mind a break, and regroup with a new passion and plan. Frustration lies in the action of doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. So take a break.

Give your social media a purpose. 

Why do you use social media anyway? Because you used to love the simplicity of nothing but cat videos and poking people on Facebook? I miss those days, too, but 2008 is long gone. If you use social media simply to have fun and keep up with friends, that’s fine. So trim your list of friends/pages you follow, block some accounts if you have to, and be intentional with your friends and fun.

If you’re a writer or are using your social media to promote/represent your business or art, then treat it with that level of professionalism. Again, some culling or blocking of people or pages might be in order so that you can better control what comes across your newsfeed. Be intentional about what you post and what you share from others. Does it fit with your brand/message/theme? Is this something that you want your fans/followers/customers to know about you?

Give your social media a schedule and a time-limit. 

A few months ago, when I got active on Twitter and Facebook again and launched a new Instagram profile, I made myself a schedule. Every Wednesday I take some time to plan out social media posts, create/edit pictures, research hashtags, etc. Now that I’ve decided to break my blogging fast, I will be adding “write blog post” to my Wednesday to-do list, so I can get back to a monthly (or more frequent) blogging schedule.

I use a social media scheduling tool so that I have at least one post every day or every other day. I also check all my accounts nearly every day, so that I can respond to any comments, as well as interact in real time with others. Even though I do check all my social media streams every day, I limit the amount of time I spend on each one. (To be perfectly honest, I’m still working on the time limit thing.) I usually try to check all my accounts during the morning, and then leave them be for the rest of the day. Having a schedule and a time limit can really help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

What do you think? Have you ever taken a social media “fast?” How can you be more intentional with your social media?