Over the last week, I’ve made it a point to watch and see how many people have been focused on their smartphones. Now I’m not saying they are all locked into Facebook or Twitter… but it’s a pretty good bet many of them are. I watched as people almost walked into traffic and watched those who didn’t realize they were walking down the middle of the roadway in a parking lot because their eyes are glued to their screen and not aware of their surroundings.
Facebook, Twitter, and Blogging great ways to drive attention to your website and better your SEO standing, and engagement is a must and has great benefits. But how much is too much or not enough, do you know where to draw a line?
We all use social media for business and personal connections and it has fantastic benefits. But like all good things, too much of anything can also have drawbacks.
I would love to eat ribs & wings every day but it’s going to show up in some not so good places…like when I get on the scale or look in the mirror and the side profile looks like half a light bulb.
Here are a few simple steps to make sure you don’t fall into the black hole of social media controlling you and not the other way around.
- Take time through the day to disconnect, even if it is just for an hour or so. We need to step away from our daily tasks & routines to recharge our batteries. Take a short break, stand up stretch or walk around just to give your mind a short break.
- Set times when you check your Facebook or Twitter accounts, don’t let your smartphone notifications dictate your schedule. Better yet, turn off your social media notifications so you can focus on doing one thing at a time, and not get distracted by the bings and bongs. Do you remember a time before social media? We all survived without it before and we can continue to survive without it for 23 hours per day.
- Set limits on how many social media groups you will be involved with, or before you know it you’ll find you are no longer in control.
- Know when to disconnect for the day and say “tomorrow is another day and now it’s time to relax”. Play with the kids, take the dog for a walk, read your favorite book, watch your favorite TV show, get a hobby… and joining another social media group is not a hobby.
- Finally, stick to your guns and respect the limits you set up for yourself.
- Do you have a time every day where you say “ok its family or me time” and disconnect from your social media connections? Do you control your social media or does social media control you?
I believe it is safe to say that many of us are inadvertently falling into the ‘wasted time’ quadrant because time flies quickly when engaging in social media. I wrote about it back at my blog last year in the context of time management and then again via LinkedIn Publisher which was well received.
Sometimes one has to go cold turkey, Joe and make it a conscious activity to make sure that there is a life outside of the internet. I log onto social media sites only once a day and with my trusted egg timer next to me unless I am running a Group Coaching program and Facebook is the community hangout. Discipline is the name of the game.
Thanks for your feedback and I agree 100% with you “Discipline is the name of the game”.
It is horrible! It used to be good conversation, describing events, etc… now, it’s pick up the phone and show us. Really? I have a rule at my house when my married kids come over to shut those things. It’s a battle cause they seem to want to sneak them – but I’ve warned them that if I’m going to give them my undivided attention when they come, I want it back. It’s a respect thing… and they really try to do it. 🙂
Yes getting the younger crowd to turn it off can sometimes be a challenge. Good on you, your house your rules.
I was once one of those people who are glued to their phones looking at social media, but now I do not do it anywhere near as much. I have taken the opposite approach to what you recommend where instead of putting aside time to not be on social media, I have scheduled the time I will be on it. My productivity has gone up, I notice more people around me and I bump into a lot less things. 🙂
Excellent addition to simple steps only use a schedule time. Definitely would increase the productivity.
I’m doing what Ian and Joe have mentioned. I only check Social media for our two businesses in the morning. On Friday, I prepare the weeks content for my clients. Productivity has skyrocketed. I don’t go on social media in the afternoon or evening unless it’s something that just can’t wait and under no circumstances do I go onto social media in a social environment. I can’t stand it when at a family function and certain family members are checking their social media. I mean, please… is the conversation that boring LOL!!! Joe you are excluded from this because of one particular client 😉
I personally only do social media when I am home and on my computer, so I am quite safe when away from home and with people in the “real” world. I don’t open email or social media on my phone either, so generally I would say I am not controlled by social media. When I am at home, I do have the computer and my email open at all times, although my doctor has asked me to turn it off at least two hours before bedtime, as the glare from the screen can interrupt your sleep patterns too. It is becoming a huge dilemma in the world and it frightens me when I see people so addicted that they cannot leave their phone alone for even a few minutes. A great post reminding us that we need to be aware and conscious of our patterns and habits, so that they don’t control us! Thanks Joe!
These are very important tips Joe for staying focused while on Social Media, thanks for sharing 🙂