There was a moment in the past couple of weeks that really had an impact on me. I was staring at my iPhone after spending several minutes hopping around from social network to social network, reading, clicking, and saving for later. Then there was a moment of nothing. I was just staring at the screen, with a still hand and a tired brain. All of a sudden four words popped into my head.
“It’s not in there.”
The topic of social media has been coming up between me and some of my blogger friends lately, but not in the way you might think. Some of us…well,…are feeling a little over it. I’m not talking about the pressure that some people feel to model a perfect #DIY life on Instagram, or using social media to promote yourself or your business, or even spending some time on Twitter during the day to chat with your far-flung friends and co-creatives. I’m talking about the freaking huge time suck hole that is so easy to trip and fall into face first. You’ve had those days, right?
You just want to find that one pin on Pinterest for that DIY that teaches you how to sew your own string that you just saw again on yet another blog…click…OMG there’s an awesome sundress. How did she get her hair to do that? Click…click…I want to go to Jamaica. Click…I want chocolate pudding. Click…click…click…How could I….OH MY GOD!!!! Do you think my apartment will let me have a potbellied pig?!?!
By the time you resurface, an entire afternoon has gone by and your TeuxDeux list is still telling you to start your book proposal.
There is a problem brewing in interwebs land and it’s getting in the way of our lives, our businesses, and our progress.
So, what are we going to do about it? I’ll tell you what we’re going to do.
We’re going to learn how to use social media responsibly.
We’re going to eat a meal without photographing it. We’re going to stop documenting every antlers purchase that we make. We’re going to just wear the damn shoes and walk in them. We’re going to take real vacations and not write about them on our blogs. We’re going to re-engage with our families, our dreams, and making art on paper.
But don’t worry. We’re not going to give up the Twitters. We’re not crazy! We’re just going to make some necessary adjustments.
Here are a few quick tips to help you curb your social media habit.
- If you have your social media sites saved in your bookmarks bar, move them. I tucked mine into a folder called “distractions.” Now I don’t automatically click on Twitter when I need “a break” from or have completed a task. If I want to see your newest crosspost on every social media outlet, I have to really want to go there.
- Close all those extra browser windows that are interrupting your train of thought to tell you that your first-grade classmate just posted a new photo of her recycled dog wig collection on Facebook.
- Don’t get any notifications from Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest sent to your email address. Do you really need more inbox guilt?
- Start building social media time into your schedule. Allow yourself reasonable amounts of chatting for business and pleasure, and make sure they fall after long blocks of concentrated work time. When I’m being really good I’ll work on a task for 90 minutes before rewarding myself with a pleasurable Pinfest.
That’s a good place to start. Add your tips to the comments section! We need all the help we can get.
Speaking of help, do you guys know Tiffany Han? She’s a life coach for creative peeps, a super helpful business contributor over at my friend Brittni’s blog Papernstitch, a great writer, and an all-around awesome and hilarious person. I haven’t met her in real life yet, but we have a theoretical brunch all planned out. It’s going to kick ass.
Anyway, Tiffany has a brand new workbook that I’m going to add to my collection really soon: 30-Day Social Media Rehab. Oh yeah…she went there. And I’m going there too. Are you?
See you tomorrow! xo