Nourish
Cultivate Healthy Social Media Habits
Do you ever feel a bit of anxiety when you haven’t checked Instagram for a few hours? Or maybe you occasionally scroll through your Facebook feed while you’re sipping a cup of tea with friends, missing out on a real-life connection in favor of a virtual one. While keeping in touch on social media enriches our days, it’s easy to take things too far. But there’s no need to drop them entirely—these platforms absolutely have a place in our lives, and they even have the potential to be powerful motivators that inspire a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few tips for making sure social media is a positive force in your life.
Ask yourself: Is this a moment to post—or protect?
Nothing will pull you out of a special meal, meaningful conversation, or particularly magical moment like trying to nail the perfect Instagram shot. As you’re experiencing something that feels worth remembering, don’t hesitate to snap a quick photo (that’s the beauty of having a high-tech camera at our fingertips, right?). But don’t ponder the ideal crop and filter and upload it in that moment. A celebratory brunch with your friends, taking your daughter to her first sporting event or show, passing a milestone with your significant other—these are all slices in time that, in our view, might deserve to be held close. If you aren’t sure whether or not you’d like to post the image, just wait. After a few hours, you’ll likely have a gut feeling about keeping that moment private or making it public.
Give FOMO the boot.
We’ve all been there: Obsessing over an event we missed, drooling over photos of a coworker’s beach vacation, even feeling a tinge of jealousy for a friend’s perfect-looking family or adorable new puppy. It’s easy to forget that what we see on social media isn’t real life—it’s a highly curated version. We don’t see the 30 unfocused frames it took to snap that playful pup, or the next minute, when he began chewing a pair of brand-new sneakers. To maintain a healthy relationship with social media, we tend to follow this policy: If you begin to feel envious or down, walk away. Take a deep breath and force yourself to close your computer or put down your phone for a few hours. Crack open a book. Call a loved one. Fire up a barre3 online workout. Bake our Almond Power Cookies. In other words, when you sense that social media isn’t bringing positivity to you life, it’s time for a break.
Follow people who truly inspire you.
Have you ever done an audit of your circles on social media? It never hurts to comb through your feed and let go of anything that’s not adding value. In fact, it’s liberating. Unfollow the people and brands that aren’t nourishing you (for example, an infuriating politician) and restock your feed with friends, leaders, and smart brands that fill you up, mentally and emotionally. Here are a few of our favorites:
@darling magazine never retouches the women they photograph and feature (even their staff photos are makeup-free!)
@airbnb, our team’s favorite way to travel when we visit barre3 studios in other cities, delivers a healthy dose of wanderlust that’s actually attainable
@andreabemis reminds us to eat whole foods, straight from the farm
@caitlinwilsondesign, a barre3 client, shows how anybody can make their home a happy, fun, and healthy retreat
Learn to lean on your community.
Everybody here at barre3—from founder Sadie Lincoln to the instructors at your local studio—is rooting for you. We’ve got your back, because we firmly believe that being healthy isn’t all on you. Virtually and in real life, surround yourself with mini-spheres of influence that support an active, well-rounded lifestyle. Connect with people who are doing the same, and cheer each other on. Looking for a little motivation? Search #b365 and #barre3anywhere on Instagram.
Schedule time, sans devices.
And we don’t mean pencil it into your calendar, the way we like to plan workouts a week at a time. Try setting up an easy-to-remember routine that’ll help cut down on screen time and free up stretches, instead, for things that matter. Sadie Lincoln, for instance, makes it a rule to keep her phone and laptop out of her bedroom. This way, she’s not tempted to check email, scan the news, or mindlessly scroll through Instagram before bed or right when she wakes up. You could configure a parking space for your devices, or try another approach, like designating time (say, Sunday afternoons) to unplug. When you distance yourself from technology, even for a few fleeting moments each week, you might be surprised what else you suddenly have time for.
As a culture, we’re always on, and almost always plugged in. How do you make sure that you’re using social media in a way that brings you joy—and not the opposite? In the comments below, tell us your tips for using Instagram, Facebook, and more, in the healthiest and most enriching way possible.
Do you ever feel a bit of anxiety when you haven’t checked Instagram for a few hours? Or maybe you occasionally scroll through your Facebook feed while you’re sipping a cup of tea with friends, missing out on a real-life connection in favor of a virtual one. While keeping in touch on social media enriches our days, it’s easy to take things too far. But there’s no need to drop them entirely—these platforms absolutely have a place in our lives, and they even have the potential to be powerful motivators that inspire a healthy lifestyle. Here are a few tips for making sure social media is a positive force in your life.
Ask yourself: Is this a moment to post—or protect?
Nothing will pull you out of a special meal, meaningful conversation, or particularly magical moment like trying to nail the perfect Instagram shot. As you’re experiencing something that feels worth remembering, don’t hesitate to snap a quick photo (that’s the beauty of having a high-tech camera at our fingertips, right?). But don’t ponder the ideal crop and filter and upload it in that moment. A celebratory brunch with your friends, taking your daughter to her first sporting event or show, passing a milestone with your significant other—these are all slices in time that, in our view, might deserve to be held close. If you aren’t sure whether or not you’d like to post the image, just wait. After a few hours, you’ll likely have a gut feeling about keeping that moment private or making it public.
Give FOMO the boot.
We’ve all been there: Obsessing over an event we missed, drooling over photos of a coworker’s beach vacation, even feeling a tinge of jealousy for a friend’s perfect-looking family or adorable new puppy. It’s easy to forget that what we see on social media isn’t real life—it’s a highly curated version. We don’t see the 30 unfocused frames it took to snap that playful pup, or the next minute, when he began chewing a pair of brand-new sneakers. To maintain a healthy relationship with social media, we tend to follow this policy: If you begin to feel envious or down, walk away. Take a deep breath and force yourself to close your computer or put down your phone for a few hours. Crack open a book. Call a loved one. Fire up a barre3 online workout. Bake our Almond Power Cookies. In other words, when you sense that social media isn’t bringing positivity to you life, it’s time for a break.
Follow people who truly inspire you.
Have you ever done an audit of your circles on social media? It never hurts to comb through your feed and let go of anything that’s not adding value. In fact, it’s liberating. Unfollow the people and brands that aren’t nourishing you (for example, an infuriating politician) and restock your feed with friends, leaders, and smart brands that fill you up, mentally and emotionally. Here are a few of our favorites:
@darling magazine never retouches the women they photograph and feature (even their staff photos are makeup-free!)
@airbnb, our team’s favorite way to travel when we visit barre3 studios in other cities, delivers a healthy dose of wanderlust that’s actually attainable
@andreabemis reminds us to eat whole foods, straight from the farm
@caitlinwilsondesign, a barre3 client, shows how anybody can make their home a happy, fun, and healthy retreat
Learn to lean on your community.
Everybody here at barre3—from founder Sadie Lincoln to the instructors at your local studio—is rooting for you. We’ve got your back, because we firmly believe that being healthy isn’t all on you. Virtually and in real life, surround yourself with mini-spheres of influence that support an active, well-rounded lifestyle. Connect with people who are doing the same, and cheer each other on. Looking for a little motivation? Search #b365 and #barre3anywhere on Instagram.
Schedule time, sans devices.
And we don’t mean pencil it into your calendar, the way we like to plan workouts a week at a time. Try setting up an easy-to-remember routine that’ll help cut down on screen time and free up stretches, instead, for things that matter. Sadie Lincoln, for instance, makes it a rule to keep her phone and laptop out of her bedroom. This way, she’s not tempted to check email, scan the news, or mindlessly scroll through Instagram before bed or right when she wakes up. You could configure a parking space for your devices, or try another approach, like designating time (say, Sunday afternoons) to unplug. When you distance yourself from technology, even for a few fleeting moments each week, you might be surprised what else you suddenly have time for.
As a culture, we’re always on, and almost always plugged in. How do you make sure that you’re using social media in a way that brings you joy—and not the opposite? In the comments below, tell us your tips for using Instagram, Facebook, and more, in the healthiest and most enriching way possible.
