Comparison. This has got to be, by far, the number one thing that kills a lot of our productivity. I’ve definitely dealt with this and still do! Interestingly, comparing yourself to others can do one of two things: it can either motivate you or it can make you feel like you’re not good enough… for some, to the point where you just stop doing the thing.
Sadly, we often lean toward the latter. So how do we fix this? How can you stop yourself from falling in the trap of comparison in the first place? Try these five suggestions…
UNFOLLOW Pages That Make You Feel Less Than
What a concept, huh?! We obviously started following the pages we follow because we took an interest in them. But if, over time, someone’s posts constantly have you thinking “why not me”, it’s time to hit that “Unfollow” tab!
No need to feel guilty about it! They’ll be alright. You need to do what’s best for YOU and your mental health!
FOLLOW Pages That Bring You Joy
…and people who make you feel good!
Is there a really good food page you like? A funny page, a plant-lovers page (for my plant mamas out there), a positive quote page? Or maybe it’s the page of a boss mom who’s always genuine, helpful & super encouraging.
Whatever makes you smile and motivates you to be better, fill your timeline with that! Whenever you come across these types of pages and you’re not yet following, go ahead and follow. Start commenting on and saving some posts as you go, and you’ll find that the algorithm will start filling your timeline with more of that kind of content!
But honestly, sometimes, to help you stop comparing yourself to others, you just need to…
PUT YOUR PHONE DOWN!
Instead of scrolling through, wishing you had the things or circumstances you see others posting on social media, remember the things you do have, what you’re currently able to do and BE THANKFUL for those things.
Step away from social media and live your life. Be present and spend time with your family. Go for a walk outside.
To my fellow creatives, CREATE MORE THAN YOU CONSUME.
Listen, I get it! You have intentions of only hopping on Stories or to post to your feed… but then you see a funny Reel… and you scroll to another, and another. Then you tap on the handle for a closer look at the page and before you know it, an hour has gone by!
Endlessly scrolling on social media kills productivity AND creativity! That time could’ve been spent creating a bomb video or helpful blog post. But now, thanks to an hour of scrolling, you started comparing your posts to someone else’s or wondering why this content creator seems to get more opportunities than you do…
STOP. Put… the phone… down!
Dress: Christopher John Rogers for Target (sold out) – available on eBay | Sneakers – Nike Blazer ’77 (other options here & here)
Put Things In Perspective
Keep in mind that social media is a HIGHLIGHT REEL! Everyone’s posting what they want you to see, which is often the highs. You don’t know everything that’s going on behind the screen or what it took to get what they have.
Also, how long has the person been working at the thing you’re comparing? It’s unreasonable and unfair to you to compare your chapter one to someone else’s chapter ten.
Shift Your Mindset
Ok, so… you spot someone on social who’s seemingly doing better than you. Maybe you’ve been trying to build your Instagram audience with little success yet they’re gaining followers rapidly. Or maybe you’ve been yearning for a new place and they just bought a new, gorgeous house or moved into a dope apartment.
Or how bout you’re struggling in your natural hair journey but everyone else’s hair seems to be thriving!
You have the power to decide what you do with that information – will you allow it fuel you to implement the things necessary to reach those goals or will you just “hate from outside the club”?
Decide that you’re gonna use their success as motivation and use their example and tips (if they give them) in your own situation to reach your goals! If you figure you can’t do that, then please refer to suggestion number one! š
At the end of the day, do what you have to do to protect your peace. In the meantime, know that YOU ARE ENOUGH and you’re doing great!
What steps have YOU taken to help you stop comparing yourself to others on social media?
Photos: Marta Skovro McAdams
Hi l must say I have been telling my daughter to put the phone down and stop comparing her story with others.like you stated they only post the highs and you don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes and what it took to get them there.
Author
Yes! It can be really tough, especially for younger people… any of us can be affected. But if we keep in mind that those are just highlights, we’ll have a more realistic view. Thanks so much for chiming in! š