Previously we talked about bringing email back in line to improve concentration, and this week leads us to social networks. I would love to know the progress you are making in your journey to living a more productive life. Please leave a comment about your progress or email me at [email protected]. If you are still struggling a little bit, revisit these great articles for more advice on email control.
- 4 Ways to Make Sure Email is Not in Control
- The Secret of Email: The Golden Rule
- Two Minute Rule: Quick Way to Get Things Done
The next biggest distraction in life after email is becoming social networks. The bottom line is that you don’t need to be on every social network. There are reasons for each social network. Taking back your time and concentrating might be as simple as evaluating the reasons you’re on each social network. Is this the social network for you or does this social network provide the value you need? My advice to you is to keep those that are useful and eliminate the rest.
- Facebook is used to keep up-to-date with family and friends, sharing personal moments and achievements.
- LinkedIn supports professional social networking. It is mainly used for more technical and industry related news feeds. 79% or more are 35 years and older. Tech, finance and manufacturing are the largest portion of audience on LinkedIn.
- Twitter is angled to create conversation and hot news and trends, much like a micro-blog. Celebrities and musicians find much success here.
- Pinterest is a clipboard of some sort that expresses ideas, how-tos, and best practices. It dominantly attracts women at 83% and uses images drawing in people.
- Instagram is a social sharing site which has found its place in branding and developing intimate relationships with photography. Most users range between 18-29 years old and it is growing in popularity.
- Google+ is intended for building circles and competitive brands. Most users appear to be top brands. It attracts mainly 25-35 year olds, and 67% of users are male.
These are just some of the social networks and select information about each. Just by considering this snapshot you can see what social network might best fit you. Finding social networks is the same as finding your niche. Get focused and uncover which social network best fits your target. A social network can provide an overwhelming amount of information. Confining yourself to just a few social networks can keep you focused and more effective throughout the day.
Same as with email, make an effort to only check social networks a few times per day. I schedule social networking three times per day. The very best advice I can offer descends from my experience. I check social networks after email at 10am and 4pm. Then again at 8pm. There are times in which I diverge from the schedule and scroll through the feeds during lunch or after a morning workout during cool down. You decide what your schedule permits and hold it to a minimum. Do not spend an hour at a time, but try to limit social networking to not more than 30 minutes at one time. The average user spends about 1.72 hours on social networking. If you limit it to 1.5 hours that means your spending 15 more minutes focused than anybody else on the important things. That could be the edge you need for the next promotion or the extra time you spend building solid relationships that matter. Those extra minutes may be the clear advantage you need in life.
Ultimately social media is about connecting with people. If we don’t use it to build trust, credibility, integrity, and respect, then we are missing out on one of the greatest tools we have in our toolbox.
Great post, Kirby.And it is something I have been doing better with as of late. I’m trying to limit the time that I was giving social media and I’m putting it into writing more articles and creating better content. We only have so much time, right?
I agree that social media has to maintain its focus on the “social” rather than the “media.” By way of example, I became aware of Adam through a mutual friend on social media, with whom I now talk regularly both digitally and via phone. For months, I engaged via the Comment sections here, becoming acquainted with the other bloggers; and this is, in fact, what led me to becoming a current blogger on this site. Through similar experiences using social media to connect with real people, I have made great friends who encourage one another and share ways of doing what we each do better.
As for focus, while I do keep up with four social media platforms, I’ve streamlined my output process, and spend minimal time with them. When connections or conversations started through social media gain any roots at all, I move them off of social media to other methods of communication. This still takes focus and time, but having my own set of “rules” for what type of engagement happens where helps me to be as efficient as possible, while still enjoying the benefits of building relationships.