Social Media without Burnout with Chris Emmer

Meet Chris Emmer, Founder and Strategist of Mindful Social Co (which I'm proud to be a member of). She's a brilliant social media expert. But what drew me to Chris is that in an age of social media overwhelm, Chris decided to help business owners connect with the right audience on Instagram without being online 24/7.

In this chat, we will learn more about Chris's journey, and take a peek behind her everyday. We will also hear her advice on how to be present on social media without burnout, because we've all been there.

Xi: Hi Chris, tell us why do you do what you do, and how did you get started? 

Chris: I've always been obsessed with how art + copy work together to tell a story. My career began in graphic design working at big, global ad agencies. I loved the teams I worked with and growing my skillsets, but craved working more 1:1 with real people I could help. From there, I made the leap into entrepreneurship and honed in on working with female business owners to grow their biz with social media without burning out.

Xi: A big part of designing our clothing is to allow women to be comfortable and confident in their everyday, so they can more easily navigate between the many aspects of work and life. Tell us a bit about what a typical day looks like for you and how you find balance between work and life. 

Chris: I split my weeks – I have help with childcare 3 days a week. The other days, I'm a nap-time go getter :). On my childcare days, I wake up early to get some 'me' time before the day begins... I like to center myself with breathwork and journaling before my kiddo wakes up. Once she's up, it's mom mode 100%. When she's at school, I focus my time into work blocks to make sure I can't get shiny object syndrome... but I always factor in time to move my body, whether that's going for a run with my dog or rolling out my yoga mat. For me, physical activity is a non negotiable. I find balance by bucking the normal 'work week' structure and focusing instead on what works for my family in this season of life.

Chris in her WFH outfit

Xi: What struggles or misconceptions do you see in the way people use social media?

Chris: I see many people feeling overwhelmed and stressed out by how much they have to be on social media. There are a lot of Instagram gurus teaching that, in order to grow, you need to post every day or - even worse - multiple times a day. I think that misconception has led to even more overwhelm and burnout. 

Xi:  That's so relieving to hear. So do you have any advice on how we can start to reduce social media burnout, especially if social media is a necessary part of business?

Chris: Social media is really important in today's world and a great opportunity for your business. But my advice is to set boundaries for social media usage within your business. Designate at least one day a week to go completely offline (no scrolling, no posting, nothing) and give yourself at least one hour before bed and after waking without social media.

Xi: I love how actionable your advice is. Something we can start to be more mindful about right now. Any thing else you would like to share with our audience?

Chris: On Instagram @mindfulsocialco - we're running a free 2-day challenge to help you cruise into 2021 feeling confident, efficient, and strategic with your IG marketing; click our link in bio to join!