Why We Prioritize Work-Life Balance at Monarch Social Media

I’ve worked in social media or at least adjacent to it for 14 years now. And if there’s one thing that has never changed in this industry, it’s the completely unrealistic expectations of what this job demands.

I’ve seen it at every stage of my career: employers or clients hiring a “social media manager” but expecting them to cover every other marketing discipline at the same time. Social media, when done well, is a full-time job in itself. It’s free to use, but it is not free to make work for a brand. It requires real strategy, real effort, and real investment.

At Monarch, we don’t put the weight of an entire company’s social media presence onto one person. That’s how you end up with burnt-out social media managers and half-baked content strategies. Instead, we break social media into its individual parts.

Community Managers engage with your audience, build relationships, and ensure algorithmic connections are happening.

Creative and Communications teams track trends, analyze what’s working, and produce content that actually resonates.

Strategy and Analytics oversee execution, adjust for performance, and handle paid advertising when needed.

It’s a team effort. It has to be. And because of that, we’re very clear. Monarch Social Media is available to our clients Monday to Friday, 9 to 5, and that boundary is non-negotiable.

Why We Enforce These Boundaries

If we didn’t, we’d be getting texts, emails, Slack messages, and DMs at all hours of the day and night. And quite frankly, that’s unethical. No one should be expected to be available 24/7, but in social media, that expectation still lingers.

The reality is that social media management has one of the highest burnout rates in digital marketing because it is relentless. If you don’t believe me, try running social media the way we do for just one day. Track trends, create engaging content, optimize posts, analyze data, respond to messages, stay on top of platform changes, and manage expectations for performance. Then add in the constant pressure of “going viral” as if that’s a strategy or being asked to “just post something” with no clear direction.

This is why I built Monarch. To prove that a healthy, sustainable work environment in social media is possible. I’ve watched too many talented professionals burn out, leave the industry, or struggle with their mental health because of toxic work expectations.

The Emotional Toll of Social Media Management

Let’s talk about what people don’t think about when they imagine this job.

Social media managers are on the front lines of everything happening in the world. Plane crashes? We see that. Wars? We see that. People getting canceled, outrage cycles, misinformation, online harassment. We see all of it, whether we want to or not. Even if we try to scroll past, the algorithm serves it up again. And again. And again.

Now, add to that a demanding boss or client who expects instant responses and immediate results. It’s no wonder people are burning out.

Social Media’s Role in a Bigger Strategy

Here’s the reality of what social media actually does for a business.

It builds awareness.

It generates interest.

It fosters relationships.

That’s it. Social media is top-of-funnel. If your other marketing efforts like email, SEO, content, and website aren’t working, social media alone is not going to save your business.

That’s why our starting package in 2025 is $2,000 per month for basic presence-building. Because social media is not just “posting,” it’s an ongoing strategy that takes work.

What About Emergencies?

A lot of our clients ask, “What happens on weekends or evenings if something goes wrong?”

We have a process for that.

If an account is hacked, if trolls attack, or if a natural disaster affects a client’s business, they can submit an Emergency Response Form. That form immediately alerts our entire team via Slack, and key stakeholders are notified for quick action.

Weekend Monitoring. While we don’t actively manage accounts on weekends, our community managers keep an eye on things. If something is escalating, we’re aware.

Weekend Management (Optional Add-On). If a client needs full weekend coverage, we offer it as an additional service with flex resources.

But for our full-time team, evenings and weekends belong to them. Because they deserve to be human. They deserve time with their families, their hobbies, and their friends. They deserve time to disconnect.

Setting the Standard for a Healthy Industry

The only way this industry is going to change is if we, as professionals, start setting the standard from pricing to workflow to ethical expectations.

A good client will never have an issue with this. I can tell you right now, the clients we work best with understand the value of what we do and respect our boundaries. And in return, we go above and beyond for them. The ones who don’t get it? They don’t last long.

And if you’re new to this industry or trying to build your client base, I know it can be terrifying to lose a client over boundaries. But let me tell you this. Nature abhors a vacuum. Every time we’ve let go of a bad-fit client, a better one has come in to take their place. If you hold your standards and do good work, the right clients will recognize it.

A Note to Employers and Those Hiring Social Media Managers

If you’re hiring for social media, I encourage you to think about the job through this lens. Be an ethical leader. Create a healthy work environment.

Work-life balance isn’t a perk, it’s a necessity.

Because when social media managers don’t have it, mental health suffers. Exhaustion takes over. Burnout happens. And when that happens, you lose incredible talent.

And at Monarch, we’re not letting that happen. And if you’re navigating the social media industry, whether as a brand, a freelancer, or a business owner you don’t have to either. Want to stay ahead of ethical, sustainable social media strategies? Sign up for our newsletter for expert insights, actionable tips, and industry updates.