The Balancing Act

In a time when activism doesn’t stop at marches and sit-ins, how do activists make time for self-care? Is wellness in the age of digital activism possible?

On May 25, 2020, George Floyd — a 46-year-old Black man living in Minneapolis, Minnesota — was brutally murdered by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin. A bystander’s video of the murder went viral on various social media platforms and led to public outrage, which many expressed using the same social media networks on which they originally learned about Floyd’s murder. According to the Pew Research Center, the hashtag #BlackLivesMatter garnered nearly 50 million uses between May 26 and June 7. Although certain demographics — largely Black and Latino social media users — are more likely to spread awareness and look for information using social media apps than their white counterparts, the Pew Research Center also found that there has been a general increase among young and middle-aged people regarding how they view the importance of social media when it comes to getting involved with and expressing their opinions on social and political issues.

While platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter can undoubtedly be helpful in raising awareness for, spreading information about, and raising funds in support of different social issues, digital activism blurs the lines between work and rest. When the app that you scroll mindlessly through when seeking relaxation also becomes a digital space that you use to gather and share meaningful information and have important conversations, is it possible to separate the two? If so, how does one go about doing this?

Before I get any deeper into this conversation, I want to address the privilege that I — as a white woman — have in being able to simply choose to step away from activism. I recognize that many people, specifically Black people in this situation, do not have this privilege because their lives depend on the activism that is being done. I do think, though, that it is often only possible to best show up for your community and others when you are devoting time to your individual needs — especially the basic ones: sleeping, eating, and hydrating — even if this means staying home from a protest but instead posting information about the protest as well as other actions your followers can take to support the cause you’re fighting for.

In a Pew Research Center study done in July 2020, 55% of adult social media users reported feeling“worn out” by the sheer amount of political posts and discussions they saw on social media — a number that had increased by nine percent in only one year and 18 in four. Any form of activism can, and probably will, be exhausting if it is done without incorporating any self-care practices, and because many of us constantly have access to social media in the palms of our hands, digital activism seems to be especially difficult to step away from — despite the exhaustion that it clearly produces. While part of this problem is likely the easy access that most of us have to social media, another seems to be a “culture of selflessness” that is encouraged and perpetuated by social justice organizations and activists alike. This culture, which sociologist Kathleen Rogers cites as at least partially influenced by activists’ “commitment to the cause and guilt at not being able to do more” in her article “‘Anger is Why We’re All Here’: Mobilizing and Managing Emotions in a Professional Activist Organization,’ makes people feel ashamed for taking a break and diminishes the importance of self-care and community care in activism. I’d guess that this culture of selfishness is strongly felt by digital activists, who maybe don’t feel like they need or even deserve a break because posting something on social media “shouldn’t be” draining.

Despite the common sentiment that taking a break is selfish and maybe even unnecessary, many studies, such as a 2016 one published in the Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking journal, prove that reducing time on — or, better yet, fully taking a break from — social media can be beneficial to one’s life satisfaction and emotions. Environmental peacemaking researcher and educator Rebecca Farnum is one person who finds “electronics-off time” an important part of their self-care routine.

“I used to really roll my eyes at old people who were like, ‘You need time without your phone,’” Farnum said. “I don’t know if it’s because I’m older or because the pandemic really messed everything up, but I have now been intentionally enjoying turning off the Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok notifications for even two hours.”

Farnum also points out that even though many of us are engaging in social media activism, the actual efficacy of our actions is important to question. She explains that unless you somehow go viral, the likelihood that your posts, reposts, and conversations will be seen is quite low. Instead, she recommends saving the energy that it would take to write something that maybe a hundred or so people will read and put that into finding and highlighting powerful voices from people who perhaps gain energy from writing.

Further, Farnum emphasizes the importance of learning where your energy comes from and using that to your advantage. “Genuinely, that can be work, and that can be activism as well as books and baths and chocolate and hiking and Drag Race watching,” she said. “Figure out where energy comes from for you and make sure that you are intentionally building in those kinds of activities in balance. It’s less about work-life balancing to me, and more about energy flow balancing.”

"I'M NOT GOING TO CHANGE THE ```````` WORLD. IT'S TOO BIG. BUT I CAN CHANGE SOME PERSON'S WORLD."

REBECCA FARNUM

As Farnum explained to me, even though talking to people and speaking publically don’t phase her, she is much more of an introvert than it may appear (meaning she renews her energy by being alone rather than around other people). She’s learned that in order to be as successful as possible, she needs to take at least one afternoon a week to be on her own and not have to speak to another person for five hours. Maybe you’ve realized that you’re an extrovert. Instead of scheduling alone time, maybe you need to schedule a lunch date with a friend. Or maybe you gain energy from watching shitty reality televion. Maybe your Sunday morning needs to consist of a minimum two-episode binge of Love is Blind. Whatever brings you energy — ideally this would be an activity that doesn’t involve social media if you’re a digital activist — make a point of incorporating, or even forcing it into your daily or weekly routine.

Kind of ironically, Farnum prevents burnout and exhaustion by having her fingers in multiple different pies. If you’re like me and had never heard this phrase before, no, she is not literally putting her index finger in a cherry pie and her pinky in an apple one — in fact, she much prefers cycling as a method of self-care to baking — she’s speaking of being involved in a multitude of activities. As a self-proclaimed workaholic, Farnum is basically always doing something. When she doesn’t feel capable of taking on one responsibility or processing something she’s just seen on social media, she’ll choose another task (maybe a less mentally-involved one) to focus on for the time being. She is realistic and flexible in her goals and expectations of herself, a mindset that has helped her since her time in college.

“I think that there are a lot of people who are clued in today, especially via social media — where you start to see just how much is messed up, and that can feel so, so daunting. But, probably around halfway through my undergrad, I got the point where I was like, ‘I’m not going to change the world, it’s too big. But I can change some person’s world. I can change what the world looks like for a particular individual or community or experience or in a moment,’” Farnum said.

I can’t do everything. Neither can you. Neither can Farnum. Coming to this realization may be difficult, especially when social media bombards us with bad news from all over the world, but it’s important (if not absolutely necessary).

It may be helpful to pick one or two causes to focus your attention and energy on and truly reflect on what you as an individual can realistically do to help these issues. Again, maybe you’re someone who gains energy from writing. Or maybe you gain energy from sparking conversations with people in your personal life. Or maybe you gain energy from petitioning. Figure out what your activist “superpower” is and really hone in on that — it’ll benefit you and the cause you’re supporting more than trying to do everything all the time will.

If you’re someone who is especially affected by the mass amount of bad news that are pretty much constantly being published and shared all across social media, actively searching for and sharing good news can and should be a part of your activism. As Farnum shared, good news inspires action and joy, and joy is a form of resistance.

Through my conversation with Farnum, I’ve realized that self-care is not only activist, but it is oftentimes also radical. It is necessary and it can and should take up space in your everyday routine.

“There are poets and whatnot who have said this much more eloquently than I’m about to, but as you’re changing the world or healing the world, don’t forget that your world also matters and is worthy of healing. It’s really okay if that’s the world you’re fixing at times, that’s not any less activist. That’s not any less important,” Farnum said.