Dopamine, Burnout, and Why Estheticians Feel So Drained by Social Media

Jun 28

Lately, I’ve been reading a book that hit way too close to home, especially as someone who teaches sales and marketing to estheticians and spa pros. It’s called Dopamine Nation by Dr. Anna Lembke, and it dives deep into how our brains respond to tech, pleasure, and modern overstimulation.

As a Millennial, I had a screen-free childhood... and then suddenly, a screen-filled adulthood. I remember what my thoughts felt like before smartphones. I bet you do too. And the shift? It's real.

Let’s break down the science quickly:

🧠 Dopamine is your brain’s “chase” chemical.
It doesn’t spike when you get the thing, it spikes when you’re anticipating it.
That next hit of validation.
That “maybe this post will go viral” feeling.
That itch to refresh and check your notifications.

And when you’re:
→ Constantly chasing trends
→ Refreshing for engagement
→ Trying to keep up while also running a full-time spa or solo esthetics business...

It’s not just tiring.
It’s biochemical burnout.

What Dopamine Depletion Actually Does to You

When you overstimulate your dopamine system, your baseline levels drop. That leaves you feeling less motivated, less creative, and even more dependent on quick hits of stimulation, like endless scrolling.

And here’s what that leads to:

➡️ More scrolling
➡️ Less creating
➡️ Full-blown content fatigue

Sound familiar?

If you’ve ever wondered why you feel so tired before you even open the Instagram app—it’s not just you. It’s your brain chemistry.

You Don’t Have to Chase Every Trend to Grow

That’s part of why I built the Esti Content Club and Waxers Content Club in the first place.

I wanted estheticians and waxers to have a content system that doesn’t rely on nonstop phone time or trend-chasing burnout.

💡 You don’t need to be glued to your screen to stay relevant.
💡 You can protect your peace and still show up consistently.
💡 You can run a profitable spa business without sacrificing your mental space.

Here’s How ECC and WCC Help

These memberships were built to lighten the content load—while still growing your visibility and credibility online.

✔️ Plug-and-play content you can personalize
✔️ Weekly trend reports so you only focus on what matters
✔️ New luxe-style graphics so your feed stays modern, branded, and beautiful

I use these systems myself to avoid burnout, because let’s be real, I’d fizzle out fast without them.

Final Thoughts

Reading Dopamine Nation gave me so many “aha” moments about how our desire for engagement, attention, and growth online is often tangled up with our biology.

But the solution isn’t to disappear from the internet.

It’s to use tools that reduce the pressure so you can stay inspired, visible, and booked, without draining your creative well.

If you’re ready to stop chasing and start creating again, ECC and WCC were built for exactly that.

Need more help with creating content? I’ve got you! Since 2021, I’ve been running the most trusted content and marketing membership for Estheticians and Waxers! To learn more, click the links. 👇