The Struggle of Experiencing Burnout and Imbalance in the Face of Digital Overload: A Gen Xer’s Journey Toward Balance and Digital Minimalism

As a Gen Xer on the cusp of 4x, I know all too well the struggle to make sense of my relationship with technology. For many freelancers and small business owners, especially those who are just starting out, it can feel like there is an unspoken demand to be everywhere online. We're expected to constantly post content, respond to messages, and stay engaged with our audience. This can quickly become overwhelming, leading to burnout and imbalance. 

So how can we fight digital overload without sacrificing the benefits that technology brings? The answer lies in the concept of digital minimalism. 

Digital minimalism is a philosophy that encourages us to be mindful about which technologies we use and why. It also encourages us to use technology intentionally and consciously, without getting carried away with the latest trends.

This doesn't mean we have to abandon technology entirely; it means we need to step back and evaluate our relationship with digital tools. We need to be honest about what is beneficial for us and what is not. From there, we can make practical changes.

My Journey: A Nostalgic Stroll Down Memory Lane

My journey with computers began with Oregon Trail on an Apple IIe in Ms. Sasaki's Computer Lab at Edendale Elementary School in San Lorenzo, California. I was there once a week on Fridays. I begged my dad for a computer, and what I got was not what I expected: a Tandy computer from Radio Shack that had to be connected to the TV and the Commodore 64, where I would play Spy vs. Spy before it completely ran out of juice and became a massive paperweight on my roll-top desk. It would be another 2-3 years before I'd touch another computer.

When I was 15, my boyfriend at the time sat me down at a computer and introduced me to the MS-DOS prompt. From there, I created my own .bat files and learning how to install software. Learning how to install hardware came much later. 

We moved to Las Vegas, where we ran a bulletin board system (BBS, that's vintage Reddit, y'all!), and I was so proud of myself for offering TelNet. TelNet essentially allowed users to connect to the Internet. I won't go into all of the details, which you can look up yourself, on how this actually worked, but if you had TelNet and more than two nodes (lines) on your BBS, you were it.

Back then, I remember using the net for only a few things: email, IM/AIM, doing research, and uploading photos to my GeoCities page with a ridiculously long URL. In its infancy, we were enamored with the shiny new object. I could see where this was going, and I thought to myself, this is probably how the Gold Rush felt. 

The Evolution of Computer Usage: From World Book Encyclopedia to Instant Communication

As time went on, I found that many of my friends wanted to communicate with me more via IM. We were making plans to go out to eat and to the movies, and IM started slowly replacing the phone. The phone rang less, but we used this new piece of technology to communicate faster with each other, never in lieu of the actual face-to-face conversations.

As computers and the Internet became more commonplace, I found myself using them for more than just communication – I was consuming content from various sources, including news sites, blogs, and forums. With this new access to information came a world of possibilities and an addiction to staying connected. I now wanted to create websites and got myself a copy of CoffeeCup software, where I learned HTML.

I no longer needed my 26 volumes of World Book or Encyclopedia Brittanica or wait for a letter via snail mail when email did the job. I could offer desktop publishing and voicemail box services straight out of my bedroom. The pager/beeper provided a convenient way to contact me, eliminating the need to return home just to check my voicemail. With a mere quarter in my possession, I could relish the feeling of being Superman in a phone booth.

And what about those Starcraft LAN parties?

The Arrival of Smartphones: A Quantum Leap in Digital Connectivity

Smartbeep was a cheap beeper/pager service that let me have the coolest, latest type: an alphanumeric beeper. Leave me a voicemail, and the words would appear on my screen, which saved me time and money. But once I got a cell phone, a new door was unlocked.

I had my first cell phone at about 18. Back then, you could text, play a game of Snake, and choose from a cacophony of chiptune MIDIs for your ringtone. Mine was Funkytown. It was still new, and if you had a cell phone again, you were the coolest kid on the block. Plans weren't cheap. So I had no intention of wasting money just to look cool outside a Starbucks while drinking a Mocha Frappuccino and typing away on my laptop.

“Call me after 9 pm when my minutes are free.”

It was the beginning of what I like to call the convenience economy. I guess we call it the gig economy now, but you get the picture. People were leaving "normal" jobs and going for the next big thing in tech. A coworker of mine left his job at Starbucks to go work at Webvan (vintage Instacart) only to comeback a few years later after Webvan had filed for bankruptcy. 

New opportunities came along as technology became more entrenched in our lives. By the time I made it to the corporate world, I had a Dell PocketPC with me at all times, and I felt empowered. I could look at my spreadsheets from this device on my way to work. It soon became like a digital planner, with everything in there. Anything my phone couldn't do, the PocketPC could. 

I remember looking at my phone, wishing it could go on the internet. Maybe Steve Jobs heard my cries and answered my prayers. Everything seemed to go into ludicrous speed after that.

I was late to the party this time. My iPhone 3GS replaced my hard-disk MP3 player, Palm Pilot, and Motorola Razr V3. Yes, that pretty silver one. 

The Dawn of Social Media: The Catalyst for Digital Overload

As we moved into the era of smartphones, another phenomenon was taking shape – the rise of social media. Not only could we reach out to our friends and family at any time, but we also had access to a global platform to share every aspect of our lives, from the mundane to the extraordinary.

This revolution added a new layer of digital interaction that profoundly changed our world, positively and negatively. We could connect with anyone, anytime, but this accessibility came with a price. The pressure to be ‘online' and ‘engaged' all the time started to peak, leading to a state of constant digital overload. My personal experience with this new facet of technology and our ‘always on' culture was never for me. 

Dragged Onto Social Media Kicking and Screaming

It was my sister who convinced me to get a Classmates.com account, where I'd later find my future husband. Other than that, I had no intentions of reconnecting with anyone from high school. I thought that was it and could continue with my life. Instead, it opened up a can of FOMO I didn't know I had. I never had a Friendster account and only found out about it a few years ago. I had enrolled at the community college, worked full-time, and was also in the middle of a music career that demanded my attention.

MySpace was recommended to me by my classmates in the Music department. It was a way to connect with other artists, promote your music, and show. I reluctantly created an account. It was fun for a while. I made friends, created some great music with those friends, but it also became a distraction that filled me with anxiety. It's one thing to feel the need to upload photos or videos to a platform like Instagram or TikTok, but quite another to have the same expectation with music. 

I struggled with feeling the need to keep up with everyone. I felt like I had to do something musical every day or risk being irrelevant. As a GrammyU campus ambassador, I needed to strike a balance between leveraging social media's power and maintaining control over my own life. Given the widespread presence of everyone in that space, it was crucial for me to be there as well.

“Everyone's on…”

While I was happy to see people finding me and my music online, I also started to feel disconnected from the art of making music. This was unsustainable. Business relationships seemed informal and untrustworthy. I felt guilty for not contributing to the conversation and, at times, even my own music, but I knew that I was fighting against my own instincts. That is for someone who is relatively private offline. 

A Social Media Timeline

🚨 I’ve Officially Left Meta Platforms

As of Thursday, January 23rd, 2025, I’ve officially closed all my Meta accounts. That means Facebook (and Messenger), Instagram, and Threads are no longer active. 

I'm also not on TikTok or X (Twitter).

Facebook

My husband invited me to this one. I had one main account for the Business Suite and three business pages. I've since deleted the accounts.

Instagram

“Oh, it's like Facebook, but just pictures.” I created this account to showcase my photography. Also deleted these accounts.

Twitter

“Whatever comes to your mind, just put it out there.” Overposting on Facebook makes you look crazy. Overposting on Twitter, you fit right in. Deleted all of my accounts in 2022.

ReverbNation

“It's like MySpace and your own website.” Don't have your own website, but need to promote your music? Here you go. Once I stopped my music project, the account went with it.

Snapchat

“THE FILTERS!” I was late to this and didn't care for the filters. I had it briefly, but then deleted the accounts and the apps from my phone.

ello

“Get off of that evil Facebook! It's for us artists and creators!” Created an account for my music and another for my travel blog. Hardly used them and then deleted both accounts.

LinkedIn

“If you want to get a job or reach customers, you have to be on LinkedIn!”

SoundCloud

“We're not doing ReverbNation anymore. You gotta get on SoundCloud.” Another way to become part of another content marketplace. I should probably delete these, too.

Clubhouse

“If you have a business, you need to be on Clubhouse. You can have your own channel.” I received an invitation, signed up, and then never used it. Deleted the app from devices.

Twitter Spaces

“Totally better than Clubhouse, and you don't need another account.” Only participated in some Spaces. Stopped using it altogether after deleting my Twitter accounts. 

TikTok

“It's so fun!” I created accounts for my businesses and never used them. The accounts existed, but no content was ever created for them. App deleted from devices.

Mastodon

“Twitter is dying, and Elon is a poophead. It's like Twitter, but better.” I created the account, which remained dormant until February 2026. I'm crossposting here from Bluesky, via the third-party app, Blog2Social.

Threads

“It's like early Twitter. SOOOOOO much better. Everyone is on there now. You have to get on there.” Downloaded the app, linked the accounts, posted once to tell people I wasn't going to use it, and then deleted the apps from my phone again. Deleted the account along with other Meta accounts.

Bluesky

I opened the account back in November 2024 (received the invitation a year prior). My first post was on November 12th, 2024. I'm the most active here, only second to LinkedIn. And by active, I mean that at least 90% of my posts are scheduled.

Note: I intentionally exclude online services like Amazon and Netflix, as well as the technological advancements that have revolutionized the way we work from this blog post. Exploring these topics would require additional lengthy essays, which I currently lack the energy for. But, if you wanna know, I don't have Amazon or Netflix. 

Sincerely, Management 😊  

The Path of Digital Minimalism

During the quarantine and lockdown, I realized that many things held little significance for me. The thought of deleting my entire Facebook friends' list and Twitter accounts crossed my mind. As I had stopped traveling, my presence on my travel blog's Instagram account dwindled. I wanted to reclaim my time and energy. But to prioritize what truly mattered, sacrifices had to be made. 

In March 2020, I began experiencing a decline in my health. After years of neglecting my well-being, I was finally confronted with the need to address these issues head-on. Consequently, I made significant changes to prioritize my overall wellness and focus on my journey to recovery.

I decided that the best way forward was to cut down on anything that no longer served me. Food is often seen as the sole source of fuel, yet we must not overlook the importance of emotional and spiritual sustenance in our lives. Anything we consume can nourish or deplete us.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

As I began reassessing my relationship with technology, I asked myself: “What impact do these platforms have on my life?” This question pushed me to take a step back and truly evaluate the impact of platforms like social media in comparison to other activities that bring joy into my life. 

With this new perspective, I was able to identify which platforms I still wanted and needed to be part of, as well as areas where I felt overwhelmed or uninspired. 

While some accounts provided me with a sense of community and connection, others no longer served a purpose in my life and only distracted me from what truly mattered. On one hand, I cherished the connections and community I found. On the other hand, I recognized the need to let go of profiles that no longer added value to my life.

After months of contemplation, I realized that it was time for me to make a change. By understanding the pros and cons of each platform, I was able to decide which to keep and which to delete or deactivate. 

Addressing Digital Overload in the Business Realm: Strategies for Effective Management

The Meta platforms were the easiest. Since the rise of Reels, my feed has been flooded with accounts I should engage with rather than the ones I actually follow. The TikTok clone greatly annoyed me, because I felt that if I wanted to be on TikTok, I'd be on TikTok. This prompted me to disengage from the platform and let it fade gradually from my device's real estate.

Around that time, I decided to clear my Facebook friends list. I had been pruning for years, but this time I wanted it completely gone. Ok, well not completely. There was one person on my list, my husband, who, surprisingly, doesn't use Facebook at all and has considered deleting his account altogether. My last post on my personal account was simply: 

"Hola, quick heads up. I'm going to clear the friends list completely. I just want to use FB for the biz pages. If you don't have my contact info, now is a good time to grab it. Otherwise, you can find me on the biz pages: 

Elizabeth Alarcón - B2B consulting - courses - workshops

Allez Elizabeth - travel + language

Thanks."

Last time I attempted to remove people from my friends' list, I was bombarded with texts and Facebook Messenger messages asking me if something was wrong. I wanted to avoid that drama this time around, and it worked! As of today, the list is almost empty, and the peace of mind it offers is priceless.

I began curating my feed by unfollowing brands and focusing only on groups more aligned with my values. This gave me the opportunity to build a different and more meaningful relationship with social media by focusing on quality over quantity. This strategic approach not only streamlined my online experience but also allowed for more meaningful interactions within my existing communities. I am ruthless when it comes to deleting and blocking. When a Facebook group started to lose its appeal, I was out. From now on, I've decided to refrain from joining any new groups anywhere. This also reminded me of why I never wanted to build a community on social networks.

Deleting Twitter was the hardest one. I had been using it for years to connect with people. Of all the social media platforms, I spent the most time on that one. But after a while, I grew tired of posting just for the sake of posting and of engaging in conversations that drained me rather than energizing me. It didn't feel worth it anymore. 

So after much contemplation, I finally deleted the accounts.

What I'm left with are the accounts that suit me and my businesses. I've also decided to add more platforms sparingly. At some point, you and I have to stop chasing the next big thing.

Using Third-Party Apps to Avoid Digital Overload

I wanted to be on social media without being immersed in it. I knew I needed to have a presence there, but it didn't need to be an all-consuming activity. Third-party apps are a great way to manage digital overload in the business world.

I decided to use apps like Blog2Social (WP plugin and browser-based web app), RSS.app, and Repurpose.io to schedule posts instead of manually posting each one. This allowed me to focus on quality content rather than constantly trying to stay up to date with the latest trends. 

Trending audio? Don't know her. To be fair, I don't need to worry about copyright strikes this way either.

These apps also allowed me to reach more people by enabling cross-posting across different platforms. I can easily connect my accounts, schedule posts in advance, and access a variety of analytics tools to better understand how my content is performing on each platform. 

More importantly, it meant I didn't need to have the apps on any of my devices. I could still stay connected without constantly checking my phone. I can now respond to comments and messages on a designated schedule via desktop, and I'm no longer glued to my phone waiting for the next dopamine hit.

I rarely respond to comments. Not out of laziness, but because not everything requires a response. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Leveraging the Privacy Settings on Each Platform

One thing I cannot forget to mention is how using the privacy settings on each platform has helped me avoid digital overload. That is using the privacy settings on each account to block, mute, or restrict comments and messages. 

Blocked words help with trolls, and help filter out conversations about topics that don’t interest me. There are hurdles they need to jump over if they want my attention. Additionally, it helps keep out spammy messages from automated accounts that have nothing to do with my business or interests.

Muting lets me temporarily hide certain conversations without deleting them. This is also useful when dealing with conversations that don’t need a response, but you still want to stay updated. 

Restricting comments helps me moderate the conversations on my accounts. By restricting certain words, phrases, people, or groups, I can ensure that no one engages in offensive behavior or attempts to push any political agenda on my page. Keep it cute, or keep it on mute, I say. 

I've also taken advantage of YouTube's comment moderation feature, which holds every comment before it goes live on the platform. This allows me to review all the comments and decide whether they are appropriate for my channel.

This site has a similar feature that allows me to manually approve comments before they go live on my blog. This helps keep spam out and curate the conversations in each post. Comments are also disabled after a period of time after the blog post goes live.

My channels and platforms exist to inform, engage, and inspire. I want to keep it that way, and the privacy settings help me achieve that. I don't want to be part of that digital noise, and I don't want to inadvertently contribute to it either.

Conclusion

The digital world can quickly become overwhelming and even draining; however, it doesn't have to be. By taking a digital minimalism approach, we can create an online experience that is more meaningful and rewarding. 

Curating our feeds, leveraging privacy settings, using third-party apps to schedule posts in advance, and removing ourselves from conversations that don't add value to our lives are ways we can create a digital experience that not only helps us avoid digital burnout and overwhelm but also helps us focus on the things that matter most. 

It's important to remember what our online presence is ultimately for – to reach more people, build meaningful relationships, and make an impact in the world. That should be the focus of all our digital activities. 

I'm excited to see how digital minimalism will help each of us take control of our online presence, so we can continue leveraging the power of technology to create a life and business that's meaningful and rewarding for years to come. 

It doesn't have to be all or nothing. There's a lot of power in taking it slow and learning as you go. Start small and work your way up. I'm sure you'll find something that works best for you. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel. Good luck on the journey and happy decluttering! 😊 

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