8 hours and 14 minutes. That’s my average daily screen time across all my devices. Some days it’s more, some days it’s less.
As a social media manager who works from home, it’s no surprise that most of my day is spent staring at a screen. I love what I do, but I’ve learned that even doing something you love can take a toll if you don’t set boundaries.
Setting Boundaries
The hardest part about this job is that I can never truly step away from my office. It lives right in my pocket. There have been plenty of nights when I’ve been casually scrolling and spotted an issue on a client’s account—like a reel cover that didn’t upload because of a glitch. My instinct is always to jump on it and fix it right then and there.
But here’s what I’ve been reminding myself lately: Not everything is urgent.
A missing reel cover can wait until morning, when I’m actually at my desk and within “normal” working hours.
The pressure to be perfect in a role that’s visible online 24/7 is exhausting. Perfection isn’t realistic—it’s anxiety-inducing—and I’m learning to accept that.
That’s why I’ve started setting office hour boundaries for myself. I try to stick to 8–4 or 9–5, and I don’t usually work or answer messages after 5 p.m. Of course, real emergencies happen. Once, a client needed a video taken down immediately because someone featured in it requested removal. That’s a situation where I’ll step in, even after hours. But if an issue is not urgent, it waits.
I treat weekends similarly. I wouldn’t be expected to work weekends in an office, so why should I work weekends simply because my job resides at home? Reminding myself of that helps me give myself a little more grace. Even though social media never sleeps, that doesn’t mean I shouldn’t.
So What Do I Do When I’m Off-Screen?
That’s become a really important question for me. Because I spend so much time online, I crave screen-free moments whenever possible. I love taking my dog for walks—without my phone—just to look around and exist in the real world for a bit.
I’ve also been exploring hobbies that don’t revolve around screens (which is harder than it sounds). I love reading, painting, coloring, walking, and doing puzzles. Of course, I still unwind with some TV, video games, or the occasional doom scroll—but I try to find balance.
My hunt for offline hobbies is ongoing. I get bored easily, so I’m always on the lookout for new ideas.
If you have any suggestions for screen-free hobbies I should try, please send them my way—I’m desperate for recommendations and value your input!
