In these early days of bringing the first volume to life, how to balance the need for digital presence with a print product was one of our first decisions. There is undoubtedly a need for digital anchorage; its value is standalone in gently threading together community with selective, creatively nourishing stories. We write for the Modern Jetsetter, a gentlewoman who balances her life experience between town, country and continent; she thrives on the balance between career and home; she roots her values in heritage, family and modernity. Wellbeing and mental health are paramount to her, to us and to our readership as a whole. We support stories and habits which nurture the imagination, not algorithms or fast content which distracts us from its power.
We are inspired to share a few guiding principles on just how to create healthy boundaries with social media and how to cultivate healthy digital rhythms which inspire mental wellbeing.
Notifications Don’t Decide Where Your Attention Goes, You Decide
Turn off all notifications save the essential: phone calls and work emails. Pick a time in the morning and evening to intentionally pick up the phone rather than cultivating subconscious urgencies. I personally take one hour in the morning for correspondence (to properly respond to friends, family and important emails) and another hour in the evening to post to social media and engage with community. By turning off or at the least limiting notifications, you are taking back command of your attention.
Do Not Be Constantly Available
Many of us are guilty of running our correspondences as instant messaging. Naturally, quick response time in most industries is essential. If you do indeed find yourself with the privilege of creating your own schedule, harness the power of it. Cultivate a habit of feeling the intention in meaningful, more thorough communications. I adore curling up with my coffee in the morning as the early morning light fills the flat, and writing mini Whatsapp letters and emails for family, friends and work. I thrive on that meaningful communication rather than haphazard correspondence on the fly.
Respect Morning Religion Before Picking up the Phone
Creating a healthy, religious morning routine sans smartphone is so essential for ensuring those first sparks creativity are nurtured for a whole day of productivity. Journaling, meditation and even an at-home workout can all be done in a little over an hour. Simply choosing one of these activities before picking up the phone fosters a necessary mental space between yourself and the screen.
Regular Social Media Detoxes
Taking mini holidays away from social media should become normalcy when it is so tied into our personal lives and careers. Choose two weeks at the beginning of every season to go inward. Feast your imagination with traditional means of inspiration: magazines, literature, essays, podcasts, theatre, films, journaling, people and nature. The free flowing clarity that comes when we starve our minds of inessential inspiration is how our imaginations should always feel. Our own vision of ourselves and our path always becomes more vibrant when we stop prioritising our attention on that of others.
Embrace Traditional Correspondence for Occasions
Handwritten thank you cards and happy wishes sent by post rekindle our physical connection and emotion to the words we write. Even if only for Christmas, maintaining some traditions of handwritten correspondence is at the very least a joyful British habit.
Don’t Complain & Don’t Explain (Especially on Social Media)
Apply this to your life and career. Social media should be the last place you update the world on your move. Quietly and soundly execute.
Privacy is Luxury
It is increasingly clear that privacy is a luxury. Being present for our life and focusing on how it feels rather than how it appears is the gold. Yet, digital media and social channels will keep evolving. Social media has the potential to be magic — for our careers, our imaginations, human expression, building communities and bridging cultures. Start investing serious thought into how you want that magic to serve you without ever hijacking your privacy or attention.
How are you creating boundaries with social media? Start a conversation in the comment section below.
