Burnout update

[futureapppsy2]

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Hi all,

Thanks for the replies to my thread the other day. I did some more digging and realized that I actually really enjoy my social justice-themed research--I just absolutely am drained and exhausted by social justice Twitter/FB/other social media. I care deeply about social justice issues--hence devoting my career to it--and am a member of multiple marginalized groups, so I should like social justice social media, but I just find it endless, performative, judgmental, and completely exhausting, to the point where it makes me start to dislike my own work. I deleted my academic Twitter account and already feel so much lighter and more energized.

 

[Sanman]

I find social media exhausting generally, which is why I rarely use it other than to wish someone a happy birthday or similar.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies to my thread the other day. I did some more digging and realized that I actually really enjoy my social justice-themed research--I just absolutely am drained and exhausted by social justice Twitter/FB/other social media. I care deeply about social justice issues--hence devoting my career to it--and am a member of multiple marginalized groups, so I should like social justice social media, but I just find it endless, performative, judgmental, and completely exhausting, to the point where it makes me start to dislike my own work. I deleted my academic Twitter account and already feel so much lighter and more energized.

Yeah, social media in general is exhausting. Glad to hear you're feeling better. Hopefully the social media vacation helps re-energize you.

 

[Justanothergrad]

social media is best for promoting grad students and memes.

also dog pictures

 

[Sanman]

social media is best for promoting grad students and memes.

also dog pictures

 

[foreverbull]

Hi all,

Thanks for the replies to my thread the other day. I did some more digging and realized that I actually really enjoy my social justice-themed research--I just absolutely am drained and exhausted by social justice Twitter/FB/other social media. I care deeply about social justice issues--hence devoting my career to it--and am a member of multiple marginalized groups, so I should like social justice social media, but I just find it endless, performative, judgmental, and completely exhausting, to the point where it makes me start to dislike my own work. I deleted my academic Twitter account and already feel so much lighter and more energized.

I’ve read some of the extreme things people say on social media about social justice topics and it really is deeply draining and a rabbit hole you can go down if you want to feel really bad about the state of the world and even inadequate in your own work. At some point you have to detach from it (at least temporarily) unless you want to constantly feel like you’re not doing enough to solve the world’s problems and/or feel like no one else has any empathy for others given how they blast people and make faulty assumptions. I also see a lot of criticisms/complaints/blasting from folks in both sides of the political spectrum—and sometimes I wonder if there’s some race happening to see who can be the most miserable, angry, extreme, conservative, or conversely, woke on social media. Or some combination of those. But either way, some people are really spreading their unhappiness around through this format.

This is not to say that we should bury our heads in the sand instead of engaging in advocacy, but to set appropriate boundaries where needed. Constant news and opinions shared with the world on every topic in our faces isn’t always needed or helpful.

Glad you're setting some boundaries!

 

[singasongofjoy]

Ooof, social media is just unproductive, emotional energy - sapping black hole for all except the above stated reasons of birthdays, memes, and cute animal pictures. The people I know doing hard work in social justice areas are letting go of social media more and more IME - and, well, just people I know in general this year. Survival instinct I guess for exactly the reasons you mentioned. It is not additive to mental health most of the time and therefore makes it harder, not easier, to get to where you want to go. As foreverbull mentioned- healthy boundaries. Virtual high-five to you for time spent figuring that out and then modeling how to set them.