Now we all know that being internet marketers we cannot ignore social media, but this is our take on how you don’t let it ruin your life and keep your sanity at the same time, there’s important points here…
Social media is truly wonderful. It’s changing the Internet and all that we do online. In fact, experts say it’s going to be the new way we find information. So long, Google!
The only trouble is that it sucks you in and keeps you distracted. Everybody says to themselves, ‘Aw, I can’t really get into Twitter.’ But once you give it a try, you’re hooked instantly. It’s like the first hit of some super-addictive drug.
Before you decide to delete your accounts in frustration, wait. You CAN get a handle on social media overload. Take it from me. I’m a recovering social media-aholic myself.
Turn It Off
The first step is to garner the strength to simply turn it off. Don’t leave Facebook, Twitter or any other social media sites on while you’re doing something else. Only use them when you’re really using them.
The reason this is hard to do is that you can easily tell yourself you’re multitasking. Take it from me, I know a number of big name productivity experts and they’ve all told me the same thing – don’t multi-task. It destroys your focus, and if you’re doing it with social media, it’s even worse.
Log Out
Don’t just close those windows; log out of your account. There are two benefits to this. One is that you have to log in whenever you want to check to see what’s new. That’s just one more hoop you have to jump through in order to access your account and it really helps.
The other reason is that if you’re surfing the web logged in, you’ll end up on pages that are integrated with Facebook or other sites. You’ll think it’s an article, but when you click on it, it’s actually a Facebook page. Then, you’ll see your notifications waiting for you at the top and you’ll be checking those instead of getting work done.
Turn off Notifications
Speaking of notifications, I recommend turning all of them off. Set it so that your social media sites don’t send you emails for any reason whatsoever. Otherwise, every email check will also be a social media check.
Schedule Your Time
What I find works well for me is to schedule my social media time. I decide on a set number of minutes and stick to that. For example, I’ll spend no more than 20 minutes on Twitter. Then, work that into your schedule at some certain time of day.
These little social media sessions make great breaks from all the other work you have to do.
Socialize with Purpose
If you’re using social media for your business, treat it like that. When you log on, focus on specific tasks that need to be done. For example, if you need to update your followers that you’ve posted a new blog post, do that. Don’t get distracted and led astray by somebody else’s post or an unrelated message.
Social media is dangerous but we can all manage our addiction if we’re strong. Give yourself time to indulge in social media sites but make sure you don’t let them distract you from your important work.
Tony Phelps
