The always on, digitally connected world can become overwhelming at times. Recent current events pushed me over the social media cliff and I needed to unplug for awhile. It’s not simply social media that can become too much; but also constant access to news and other information. Sometimes, it’s just time to unplug and reevaluate before returning. This is my story of doing just that.
The social media meltdown
A recent current event dominating the 24-hour cycle spilled over into my social media stream. I found friends on both sides of the issue arguing, gloating, name calling and, in general, not acting very much like friends. I found myself becoming angry; and unfollowing and unfriending people I’d consider friends in any other circumstance. Fortunately, I caught myself before things had gone too far and took a less nuclear approach.
Within minutes I deleted all the social media apps from my iPhone (that included three apps for Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Google+, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and a few others). I then vowed to stay away from social media until I had calmed down and was ready to climb back up the cliff. After 36 hours, I began a slow return with a new strategy guiding my social media usage.
The silver lining in the meltdown
I decided that by making a few changes in how I use social media, I could accomplish two goals. First, I could find the fun that social media had been for me a few years ago as I built a new circle of personal and professional friends. Second, I could increase the effectiveness of social media for the marketing and promotion of my businesses.
Social media strategies need to be dynamic
Since social media and the entire digital world change rapidly, it only makes sense then that you need a strategy that is more dynamic than static.
Like any other task, social media should be done with focus. No more multi-tasking. When I have the time for social media, I will take a break and engage and enjoy for whatever period of time I have available. When my attention is needed elsewhere, I will shut down social media. Single-tasking is my overall goal right now and social media will be no exception.
I’ll be completely avoiding the issue (topic) that drove me over the social media cliff. I just won’t go there, and more importantly, friends who go there too much or too aggressively will be filtered from my social media streams. It doesn’t really matter what the topic was for me. I’m sure you have topics that pop up in your stream and you’d rather not see or deal with too.
Facebook just isn’t for me. The more I look at Facebook the more I realize it really is a high school re-do. I didn’t like it then and I like it even less now. While I’m not planning to close the account it will be slowly reduced to about 100 friends and I’ll seldom post. It will become a place I keep up with family and close friends.
Finally, I’ve tuned out “the news” for a period of time. Sure, I check out newspaper headlines or occasionally flip on the TV while exercising or doing other things but I’m no longer a news junky. I’ve decided those wasted hours can go back into running my businesses more effectively. You might choose to use those hours to pursue your hobby or a exercise regime.
The tricky part will be to revisit this strategy regularly and figure out it’s not working before I find myself going over the social media cliff again.
Do you have a plan when social media becomes overwhelming? If so, why not jump in the comments and let me know what your strategy is to deal with social media overload?
Jim,
My “strategy” for social media is more like a guidepost. If it’s fun, it’s going ok. If it’s not then do something else.
One thing I’ve found as the huge benefit about social media is the etiquette is there is no expectation to respond. I’ve had many “arguments” on twitter. Some are interesting, others get tedious. Usually around the issue of education. You might have stumbled across them in my twitter stream.
So what I’ve learned is that it’s impossible to change anyone’s mind about most things. It can be fun and interesting though to see how people think. So for me the “arguments” are much more about exploring mindsets they make no sense at all to me. Actually pretty fascinating at time…
For whatever it’s worth, my stance is “we are all stooopid, in our own special ways.” Of course I have the huge advantage of bring retired. Gives me the freedom to say what I mean using any language that feels right at that moment. I’m not sure if I were still in the game I could do the same..
At any rate, it’s good to know you will be back on the grid. I’ve missed your authentic voice.
Michael,
“Fun” really is the key. When anything in life stops being that it’s time to reevaluate.
It’s also turning out that tuning out from the 24/7 news media is the most beneficial component of this new strategy for me. Twice in the last ten days I either started reading a newspaper or turned on the TV and found myself becoming angry with the clear bias in the media and just put the paper down or turned of the TV.
I’m doing the same thing with social media. When it’s not working walk away. it will always be there when you are ready to come back.
That’s my new approach and it’s working. 🙂
Jim
Jim there are those days I just lay low and don’t say a word on any social network. Bad for my Klout score but good for sanity. I agree with what Michael says below and your follow up is correct that this needs to be fun. If it isn’t then I’m walking away.
People need to learn that differing opinions are just that differing. People get way to emotional over things that they believe forgetting that not everyone agrees. And we all need to chill the fuck out about those topics and remember to be a little civil in public. (I can drop the F’bomb on your blog without Shelby killing me, right?)
Your thoughts on Facebook are spot on. I feel as uncomfortable there sometimes as I do when my family gets all cranked up at Thanksgiving and gets into these same arguments. This is when I typically break out the scotch, whisky or anything.
People are emotional idiots no matter what they believe. When the emotions get high I find myself putting headphones on and ignoring all of it. Glad you found the way to unplug.
You can drop an f-bomb in the comments. Shelby only really frowns on that in the post itself which is a reflection of me, which is a reflection of this that and the other damn brand. Whatever.
It’s funny you mentioned Klout. I closed my account over a year ago and don’t miss that pesky little number at all. But me thinks that might have be a sarcastic comment. 🙂
It’s difficult to chill out when our “leaders” are doing everything they can (yet denying it) to polarize the country. And of course the media has become pretty polarized as well. I’ve been told because of the network I choose to watch that I’m and idiot – really? Again, whatever.
I’m just glad I found a topic that at least to people wanted to discuss in the comments. That’s what matters, discussion in a civil way as you so accurately pointed out.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment.
That’s the beauty of social media… you are in control of what you consume. Funny how many people forget (or never get) that point. 🙂 And I agree, usage will ebb and flow based on what it does or does not provide. Part of the beauty if everyone would see it as such.
Cindi-Great points. I don’t even let writing for this blog get in the way of life anymore. While I try to write once a week, when I can’t I don’t beat myself up about it. In many ways it would be like being upset I was too busy with work and family obligations to hang out with friends. Sometimes you are too busy and sometimes you are not – or as you say the ebb and flow.
Thanks for taking the time to read and comment. 🙂
I decided a long time ago that social media should be a servant not a master, not least when I read about Trey Pennington’s suicide in 2011.
Using Social media for business, should mean that the networks become tools for marketing and developing an audience. If we become dependent on these, we have a problem as they are also inherently outside of our control.
One of my Linkedin connections works for a business that claims to ‘own’ some of the largest Linkedin groups. Well, unfortunately, they own nothing. If Linkedin decide to close them, charge for them, or anything else, they’re audience is not really theirs.
We blog about this quite a lot on http://www.omnisocial.co.uk, feel free to pay a visit some time.
Well said. I also like “social media is just a tool” or “social media is just talking” to think it’s more than any of that is to over estimate it’s worth without real human beings being behind the messages.