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February 20, 2024 15 mins

I know I'm not the only one… 

 

After a stressful day in the office, or once the kiddos have gone to bed, it's easy to slip out of real life and into my internet one. 📱

 

I spend countless hours on my phone, getting sucked into content and ads I didn't ask to see…

 

Or, posting the perfect Instagram reel that ends up not being engaged with anyway. 😞

 

It doesn't feel great. It doesn't sit well. 

 

And I know my time is precious. ⌛

 

So, why do I keep turning to it at all? … 

 

In this season of Lent, which kicked off last Wednesday, a period of prayer, fasting and giving that ends the Thursday before Easter… 

 

I am releasing my grip on social media. 👋

 

For the next 40-ish days, you won't see us posting on social media, except to share a guest interview or two that expands on this topic.

 

I hope by being off social media, we inspire you to think through what it would look like to give up social media too. 

 

And, to replace it with a healthy alternative that is good for your mind, body and soul instead. 🕊️

 

If you're curious what those alternatives are, grab your headphones. 🎧

 

We have 10 healthy ideas for all that new found time!

 

+++

 

Ready to stop spinning on social media and take a bigger and bolder step into your marketing and PR efforts? 𓊍

 

Book a free 15-minute discovery call with Austin: https://bit.ly/chat-with-austin

 

In our 15-20 minutes, we'll chat through:

 

1. What it is you're struggling with,

 

2. Tangible ways to get off social media 

 

3. And, new EXCITING marketing and PR strategies that will meet your audience exactly where they're at. 🙌✊🥳

 

The time is now, my friend! Book a discovery call today.

 

Always grateful to be on this journey with you. Until next week….

 

+++

 

LINKS:

  • Book a free 15-minute discovery call: https://bit.ly/chat-with-austin
  • Join the Marketing Your Purpose FB community: facebook.com/groups/marketingyourpurpose
  • Join our email list: plumandparcel.com
  • Follow us on Instagram: @plumandparcel
  • Connect with Austin on LinkedIn: austinkapur
Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
I want to stop consuming content and ads I didn't ask to see.
I want to stop recording, editing, and posting the perfect reel or Instagram story,
only to realize the copious amounts of time it took to create the content that
barely was engaged with anyway and could have been allocated elsewhere.

(00:20):
And I want to prioritize what matters, which is not this right now.
So here we are. Take these alternatives as you will, and I am confident you'll
benefit from subbing at least one of these in place of social media.
Welcome to the Marketing Your Purpose podcast. I'm Austin, a marketing and PR

(00:42):
gal and small business owner passionate about enabling purpose-driven businesses
to be seen and heard through my purpose-giving gifts.
If you're an entrepreneur, marketing leader, or work-from-home boss lady that's
tired of crafting campaigns and pitching stories that feel purposeless and in
need of a reminder of who you were purposely created to market for,
you're in the right place.

(01:03):
Inside this podcast, you'll find basic integrated marketing and PR tips that
break through the darkness, thoughtful plans to help you launch and sustain
your purpose-built thing, encouragement in helping you live by your values in
and outside your workplace, and much more.
So friend, if you're ready to drive more light into this world by simply marketing
your purpose, turn up the volume, grab your coffee, and let's dig in.

(01:27):
Are you a seasoned Marketing Your Purpose podcast listener? If you've been around
since our launch, thank you. If you're just finding us now, welcome.
My goal with each episode on this podcast is to leave you with practical marketing
PR busy life tips that encourage and inspire you in marketing your purpose.
If you've been following along since day one, my guess is this podcast is doing just that.

(01:49):
And as a minor thank you for the time it takes to produce each episode,
I'd be so grateful if you left a written review on Apple Podcasts,
wherever you tune in and listen, sharing how this podcast has impacted your
life or purpose thus far.
Every additional review helps more people find out about this podcast and encourages
them to market their purpose.
Thank you in advance for those who leave a review. I can't wait to read them.

(02:13):
As a reminder, we love serving our clients within the PR and marketing space.
Whether you own a purpose-driven business that's been around for 10 plus years,
or you're just getting started, we love to encourage you and support you in your efforts.
Whether you're a do-it-yourself maven or an outsource queen, we can help you.
Whether you need help getting your vision into reality or a marketing PR coach

(02:37):
that helps you get to the next level in your credibility, exposure,
and sales, We are here to be with you on day one through year 10.
Let us enable and empower you to be seen and heard. Book a discovery call today
at plumbandparcel.com.
Hello, and welcome back to another episode of the Marketing Your Purpose podcast.

(02:58):
I'm Austin of Plum and Parcel PR and Integrated Marketing, and I'm so glad to have you here.
If you caught last week's episode, it was an ode to Valentine's Day.
I had to talk about how PR and digital marketing, they're a match made in heaven.
And if you didn't get a chance to listen to it, I recommend you go back and take a listen. in.

(03:19):
Although the two go hand in hand, it's really hard to do all of it as a small team, to do both.
So in this episode, I talk about what to prioritize and what to deprioritize.
And I'm guessing with the title of this episode, you know where I'm going with all of this.
Not only was last Wednesday, Valentine's Day, but it was also Ash Wednesday

(03:43):
and the start of Lent, Something very important to me.
Lent is a 40-day season of prayer, fasting, and giving that begins on Ash Wednesday
and ends at sundown on Holy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter.
The observance of Ash Wednesday is rooted in various biblical traditions,
including from the Old Testament,

(04:04):
ashes were a symbol of public sacrifice and mourning, and in the New Testament,
Jesus fasted for 40 days in the wilderness before beginning his public ministry.
Lent is a time set aside each year for similar fasting, observing an intentional
season of focus on Christ's life, ministry, sacrifice, and resurrection.

(04:25):
If this is a practice you are familiar with, you know that people fast anything
and everything for Lent.
Usually it's recommended to give up something that is truly difficult to give
up, a real sacrifice, or distracting you from being more present with God.
In the past, I've given up things like coffee. The headaches were definitely painful.

(04:45):
And I thought about going deeper this year with something that involves my mindset,
like fasting from the icky feelings, thoughts, and actions that come with failure or perfection.
And maybe I'll focus on that next year. But this year, as simple as it is,
I've chosen social media, both personally and in my business,

(05:07):
to fast from, and here's why.
In the era we live in, people are attached to their phones constantly,
and social media might be one of the biggest culprits of that. that.
Unfortunately, I'm watching myself and the people around me in all areas of
my life sign in as a way to escape, whether from exhaustion at the end of the

(05:27):
day or boredom while we wait for our name to be called at the doctor's office.
And I don't want to be a part of that right now. I want to stop consuming content
and ads I didn't ask to see.
I want to stop recording, recording, editing, and posting the perfect reel or
Instagram story only to realize the copious amounts of time it took to create

(05:51):
the content that barely was engaged with anyway and could have been allocated elsewhere.
I don't want to make it look easy. It's not.
And I want to prioritize what matters, which is not this right now.
I know this is super counterintuitive to everything I talk about and do with
my life and in my business, but

(06:12):
I couldn't feel more called to give social media up for the next 40 days.
I want to be an example for what it looks like to walk away from social media
for 40 days straight, and I hope I can inspire many of you to do the same.
If you're wondering what in the world this could do to an online marketing business,
I'm just wrapping up an interview with a friend who has made such an impact

(06:35):
in my life and business and teaches other like-minded women how to build a successful
online business and less than two hours a week without social media.
I'll be sharing that episode very soon, so be on the lookout for it if you're
curious how you can pursue a similar path.
But for today's episode, I want to inspire you to think through what it would

(06:57):
be like to give up social media for 40 days, whether you are an entrepreneur,
a marketer, a communicator, or simply an individual who's looking to take a
break from something this year to refocus and reprioritize.
If you give up social media too this year, I think you will quickly realize

(07:17):
how much time it actually steals from our everyday lives. And you may be in
shock or in plain confusion as to what to fill the newfound time with.
Of course, the goal of Lent is to fast from something that will allow you to
reflect back on the story of Jesus leading up to Easter and give you time to
walk with him in gratitude and thankfulness and need in place of whatever it

(07:41):
is that is currently taking away from that intention.
So of course, I'm going to point you to 10 healthy alternatives that I think will help with that.
But you know, whether you believe or not, take these alternatives as you will,
and I am confident you'll benefit from subbing at least one of these in place of social media.

(08:01):
So here we are, 10 healthy alternatives to social media that are good for all of us.
So let's start with number one. Number one healthy alternative to social media is reading. Reading.
Whether for your personal development, business, or spiritual growth,
those are my personal favorites.

(08:22):
Reading is a great place to start. With Reading Across America on March 2nd,
yes, I'm thinking about this as a mom of two littles. I love reading.
I'll be sharing a book update that's actually related to my own 2024 reading
goals, which I shared in a previous episode in the coming weeks.
So I'll talk about that soon, about how that looks,

(08:43):
what that looks But I'm super excited to share how cutting out social media
led me to completing the same number of books in the month of January that I
read in the entirety of last year.
Yes. So here's to reading more books.
I also had been struggling to pick up my Bible daily, and I'm being totally

(09:04):
honest with that, and that's another alternative that completely replaced my time for the better.
Now I'm consistently reading the Word both morning, right when I wake up,
and before I go to bed, versus mindlessly scrolling or checking my notifications.
So here's the first healthy alternative to social media.
Number two is journaling or writing. Have you ever wanted to take your short-form

(09:27):
writing on social media to writing a book? Yeah, it's not impossible.
Or starting an email newsletter or a blog. The time is now.
I personally loved writing and placing more editorial pieces online over the
last couple months and have seen the fruits of that in so many ways.
Being able to process my story, my purpose, my why, and my how through the act

(09:51):
of long-form writing has been so freeing and to get to share that with others
in a non-time consuming evergreen way has been a blessing.
Personally, I also would love to start doing even more contemplative,
reflective journaling as I did as a kid, teenager, and young adult.
And I think that's really more of a goal here of mine.

(10:13):
I am taking baby steps with this one and maybe you do too, but journaling would
be a great healthy alternative to social media.
Same goes with number three. Number three is sitting in stillness to pray,
to meditate, whatever you wanna call it.
Truly taking time to sit still and do nothing is probably the best thing we could do.

(10:38):
This one should be number one.
Be bored, have no agenda, clear your mind, your body, your soul,
and sit quietly uninterrupted.
Wait and listen.
Now, how often do we take time to do something like this? I know I'm adding this one to my list.
Now, number four is rest. You know how much time social media probably takes from our rest? So much.

(11:04):
Instead of spending another 30 minutes scrolling, go to bed early.
Get some extra rest. Your body will probably thank you. So that is number four
for a healthy alternative to social media.
Another thing your body will thank you for instead of spending more time on social is exercise.
Number five, a walk, a workout class. lifting weights.

(11:27):
Keep your hands busy with some much needed endorphin producing exercise.
Definitely a healthy alternative.
Number six is connect with new and old friends.
Invite people over for dinner. Schedule more coffee chats. Hop on the phone with an old friend.
Spend more time connecting with people in person and online through real conversations

(11:49):
versus versus one-off DMs.
I really think this would produce so much more fruit than being on these very,
very one-dimensional conversations online.
Now, number seven is to find and create new family traditions or rhythms.
This one may be hard for some people, which is why you should go listen to last

(12:11):
week's episode where I talk a lot about how family extends beyond bloodlines
and is the communities we surround ourselves with and serve.
So if you're wondering how this one might apply to you and how to set other
goals and boundaries around it, I encourage you to take a listen.
But in general, finding and creating new family traditions, activities,
rhythms would be a great replacement to, again, being on social media.

(12:35):
Now, number eight is to sign up to serve. You know what another great use of
your time is, is volunteering.
Getting involved with a local nonprofit or community partner and offering your
time once a month or once a week, get involved with a nonprofit board,
join a leadership or discipleship group that needs more facilitators.

(12:56):
There are so many options here.
And it's almost crazy because probably a lot of these things are things we've
been wanting to do, but we didn't recognize where that time would come from
until we left social media.
There is time. There are ways to prioritize these things,
but we have to take from other other things

(13:17):
and that includes this one now number
nine is to attend more events network attend more events to meet more people
whether as friends or as business partners again this could be in person or
online but in general i think we could all use some more real connection with
each other in episode 17 it's all about why your business should participate in local events.

(13:41):
And I talk about just the value of making those real life connections.
I recommend listening to it if community is top of mind for you.
Now, lastly, number 10, listen to or start a podcast or another fun hobby.
Maybe selfishly plugging podcasting, but I'm not the only one.

(14:03):
My upcoming guests will talk a lot about this one and why it's so valuable in
terms of your time if you're looking to grow or build a business in place of social media.
There are so many podcasts out there, so I really hope that you fill your head
with the the ones that encourage and inspire you and don't take away from your
joy, passion, and purpose.
Of course, picking up any hobby that brings you joy is highly recommended as

(14:27):
a healthy alternative to social media.
I'm sure one comes to mind for you and I encourage you to pursue that.
And that's it. Those are 10 healthy alternatives to social media.
And it may seem so simple, but you may just need a reminder of what they are.
I'm excited to hear which ones you'd replace social media with over in our Marketing

(14:48):
Your Purpose Facebook community.
And as I mentioned last week, if you're ready to stop spinning on social media
and take a bigger and bolder step into your marketing and PR efforts this year, it's time we chatted.
Book a free 15-minute discovery call with me at plumbandparcel.com to chat through
what it is you're struggling with and how we can help you start replacing social

(15:09):
media with other integrated marketing and PR strategies.
I'm excited to hear how we might empower you in spreading your vision,
mission, and purpose soon, be on the social media grind.
Until then, I'll see you here next week. Go market your purpose, friends.
Hi, friend. If this podcast inspired you, encouraged you, or helped you feel

(15:30):
more purposeful, the biggest thank you would be to leave a quick review on Apple iTunes,
reshare on social media, tagging my team and me at Plum and Parcel,
or pop this episode over to a friend via text, letting them know that this podcast
might have a positive impact on their their life too.
I hope to meet you back here real soon. Now go out into the world and start
marketing your purpose. See you next.
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