(Blog-Off II Entry) Juggling act: How to be active in social media and still manage your time

I sat down today to blog about social media and personal time management, and the more I wrote, the more I realized that most of these guidelines work just as well in helping to manage everyday life - online or off.  It’s still a balancing act.  Ultimately, you are in control of how you spend your time.

A recent study reported that the majority of Americans are spending 34% of their total media time online.  They are also watching three hours less television per day in favor of adding up to five hours online. Where are they finding the time?  What is everyone short on? Time. I can't add hours to the day, but I can share several tips that may save time instead of waste time.

1) Manage Your Own Disruptions - The key to managing interruptions is setting daily priorities. It sounds simple, but it isn’t always. Maintain a To-Do List. Choose three things that you have to get done today, and focus relentlessly on those three things and only those three things. (My secret weapon: Break big projects down into smaller pieces so daily goals are always tied to larger goals.) Only a true emergency should stand in your way.

Realistically, unexpected things happen all the time. The phone rings, a really funny email pops up...someone knocks at your door. Document new tasks as they come in so you can deal with then later. Give yourself permission to forget all about new items until they pop up on the To-Do List. If you have to address something else now, be sure to make a note of what you were working on so you can come back to it quickly.

2) Control Information Overload - Stop trying to be everywhere. Just stop. You are one person. In social media, all information is yours to manage. Pick two to four sites you like to visit regularly and, unless your JOB is to figure out the next big thing, it's OK to stick with what works for you. Adopt new online tools and strategies only when you have a compelling reason to do so – like a new job, class, friend or other specific need.

Subscribe to blogs you read, and unsubscribe from those you don’t. Delete email that you know you won’t be responding to (be honest now), and never use your in-box as a daily To-Do List. Also, turn off the Instant Messaging (IM) feature when you’re trying to work on something.

3) Leverage Your Tools - Use a desktop tool like TweetDeck, Seesmic Desktop, CoTweet or HootSuite to streamline your Twitter use. Better yet, forget Twitter. It’s really worth everyone's time (but maybe that’s just me). If you blog, use a fluid tool like WordPress or Blogger that has a suite of plugins to make your life easier.

4) Share Liberally - If you don’t have one already, start a De.licio.us.com account and use it for all your bookmarks. Bookmark freely! Even if you never get back to reading a certain page, if you need something later for reference, you’ll be so happy you placed it in De.licio.us. If you need to find anything, it’s easier to go to your notes than to search all over again. Bookmarks and links are valuable resources. Send your friends tags on all topics of mutual interest. (They will appreciate it!)

Use sites like Slideshare.net to share presentations, and to get ideas for new projects. Try Flickr Creative Commons for sourcing images and sharing pictures. Get to know and love the collaborative power of Google Docs or Zoho, so you don’t have to send everything via email. Leverage your intranet tools and share information. The less time you spend looking for stuff, the more time you have to DO stuff.

5) Don't Let Tasks Manage You - When you’re processing email or items in your social media inboxes, every time something pops up, you need to make a determination. Delete, reply or save? There are programs to help with this - even that simple task list available in Microsoft Outlook. If you’re overwhelmed by what you need to get done in a day (or by the sheer volume of material in an inbox), just process one item at a time. Ask if each item requires action, and add notes to your running To-Do List. If you tag all the items on your daily list that are doable in less than five minutes, you can plow through a handful every day and gain momentum – not to mention that great feeling of accomplishment.

6) Communicate Expectations - You don’t have to answer everyone. Sometimes, you don’t have the time. Perhaps at some point, you will. Honesty and humility go a long way toward helping manage expectations about your responsiveness – at work and especially online. It’s OK to send a super-short note to say that you’d love to respond or provide information, but you need a week to do it.

7) Establish Routines - If you have regular tasks to focus on, carve out the time. For example, set a time for blogging, for reviewing and responding to email, for monitoring news and information, and for checking in on your networks – Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Forums and the communities you manage or belong to. Once you set a specific hour in the day, turn off all distractions. (Yes, close your email.) Put your phone on Do Not Disturb or let it go to voicemail. Thirty minutes of focused time spent on a single task, on a regular basis, will ramp up your productivity.

8) Unplug - Please. Get offline. Go outside. Soak in the tub. Play with the dog. Go see a movie. Attend a Meet-Up (you can find one at Meetup.com). Volunteer. There is nothing that can derail your social media effort more than never walking away from it. The unplugged view gives you perspective and allows you to focus on your priorities. After all, everyone needs time to just think.

Productivity isn’t always about how much you can juggle.   Sometimes, it’s about carefully editing how you do – and don’t – spend your time.

Comments

[Amanda T.]

Wow, Zoho is really neat! I've been using GoogleDocs for a while, but Zoho offers some neat additions. Thanks for mentioning it on your blog!

[Kenneth]

Organize, organize, organize, then unplug for awhile - that's such good advice! Thanks for offering some realistic time management tips for us mere mortals.

[Elizabeth Thomas]

Thank you, Joy. Preserving the sanity is what it's all about. It's great to hear that my post was well received. I've also written a series of articles on Time Management and Organization in the Digital Age at my personal blog: http://msuwprdsmith/blogspot.com

I plan to post again on this subject here later in the week! Thanks for reading. Happy holidays!

[Joy Roach-Duncan]

Great tips, Elizabeth... and I learned quite a bit, too. I am just now getting into Twitter, and was not even aware of TweetDeck, Seesmic Desktop, CoTweet or HootSuite!

However, like everyone else, I do spend quite a bit of time online. I can use these tips to preserve my sanity!

[constance alexander]

I couldn't live without lists. It's an old habit. I'm still getting my feet wet on social networking, but the article helps. Thanks for letting me know about this.

[Jeff Butterfield]

Elizabeth:

Your observation that people are watching three hours less television per day in favor of adding up to five hours online was an eye opener. I've given up on TV cold-turkey to fuel an Internet addiction. Probably need to read ahead to the Unplug suggestion ;-)

[Elizabeth Thomas]

Tim, you couldn't be more right. I'm living by his teachings today as you can see. Honestly, I feel blessed by the outstanding quality of the graduate education I've received at Murray State University. I can proudly call myself a Racer today!

[Tim Todd - Dean - College of Business - Murray State University]

Great advice, Elizabeth. You are a scholar learning from the best, Dr. Mangold.

Tim Todd

[Sam Diener]

Elizabeth,

GREAT POST!!!!!

Very interesting!!!!

Sam Diener

[Rita Shelton]

Elizabeth,

Very good information. I'll try to implement some of your ideas.

[Kate Reeves]

Good suggestions, I try to unplug myself,I will try some of them. Kate

[Elizabeth Thomas]

Thank to Alan and N. Martin for weighing in here. From all the comments received, I think "unplugging" is indeed the hot button in the discussion...sometimes, we need to be reminded that the computer or the overflowing in-box are not actually putting pressure on us, but we are putting too much pressure on ourselves at time.

I thank everyone for commenting and for checking out the blog. Happy Holidays!

[Alan Blaylock]

Hi, Great article. Info overload is my biggest problem. I didn't know about the bookmark site. Thanks for the tip!

[N. Martin]

Good information. As said, it's sometimes easier said than done. Unplug is the best idea.

[Elizabeth Thomas]

Stephanie and Sandy - Big hugs to you both! Rich, you are why I wrote the article...so many people are literally addicted to social media and the new toys that make it so much fun to participate in. I am recommending that you step away from the Crackberry or the iPhone for just a few hours. Surely, someone will start a support group soon!

Seriously, I just love all the responses today. To its credit, social media does offer so much in the way of good information and great human interaction!

[Stephanie]

Great concepts. Implementation seems harder ... Ugh! I'll start with soaking in the tub. :)

[Sandy]

This is well thought out and excellent advice. The key is to exercise self control and follow this excellent advice.

[Rich]

Elizabeth, a very good post. Your suggestions for "unplugging" are all excellent. But what about those of us who are "plugged in junkies"? I confess that my Twitter, Facebook, instant messenger, E-mail, and internet are all attached to me whereever I go in a little black holster. (if I was to "soak in the tub", it would sit on the sink edge). For some, being "plugged in" is an addiction.
Good thing I can quit anytime I want too.
There must be a 12 step program somewhere. :)

[Nancy]

Good suggestions! They are really helpful in this Internet age when everybody is Facebooking or Twittering all the time. It's high time we've thought about how to live efficiently with the Internet.

[Elizabeth Thomas]

Wow! Thanks for the feedback so far everyone. I, too, believe that "unplugging" is the key. I love the story about Thanksgiving dinner turning into a text-a-thon. And to think that "back in the day," mom wouldn't allow anyone to answer a ringing phone during the dinner hour. How times have changed.

Gordon, your pointers are so helpful and I will be sure to use each of them in my next post!

Laurie, I just love the analogy about stones in the jar - beautifully said.

It seems in the age of social media, that we are often alone at our computers and not spending enough time relating one-to-one. I think it is possible to form intimate bonds through social media, but nothing beats the warmth of a hug!

I appreciate all the comments so far. This just goes to show that we all need a little "uncomputer" time every now and then.

[Melanie]

Thanks, Elizabeth! I think I struggle most with the first one - managing disruptions. I think a study was done (maybe I learned this from your blog, actually) that mentioned something like an average of 8 minutes to get back to your original task when you are interrupted. With the level of contact we have with the world nowadays, emails popping in every 15 seconds is not unheard of in a day for my office. It can be overwhelming.

[J Dillon]

Most logical is the advice on Unplugging. I was at a Thanksgiving dinner last week with a younger crowd. We talked during the eat-a-thon, but when the food was done everybody at the table got out their portable devices and started checking e-mail, texting and FaceBooking. The potential for "screen addition" seemed very real. Indeed, Unplug and get a life!

[Stephen C.]

Elizabeth,
A lot of helpful information here. Now comes the hard part..implementation! Keep up the good work! Thanks!

[Patty Parish]

Good post. Thanks for the helpful information! It's a really good idea to unplug for a while. The demands of technology can be overwhelming!

[Frances]

Good suggestions. It's all about balance.

[Janet Barclay]

Great post, Elizabeth! As someone who recommends social media to others, one of the questions I'm asked most often is "How do I make time for these activities?" Thanks for sharing some excellent pointers, and for reminding us that we need to get away from our computers every once in a while!

[Conrad Hall]

Hi Elizabeth,

Good post with useful content.

Be sure to engage the folks who have commented in conversation, too. That's part of your "grade" for the competition.

A couple of notes about formatting your post. The first item is Links.

Your post will do better with search engines and readers if you insert a link for each of the sites you mention. At the very least, put the URL in brackets after the site name. People like it when they can connect to the resource you're describing.

Also be sure to pay attention to site names. For example, delicious.com changed their name to make it easier for people to access the site.

When you're writing, watch the paragraph length. If you go past 6 lines, double check to make sure you have only one thought in the paragraph. Shorter paragraphs are more friendly to the eye, and build reading flow.

You've made ideal use of bolding to draw attention to the sub-heads. If you want, you can make them stand out more by giving each sub-head its own line.

This is a solid post, Elizabeth. You're giving people useful information they can take action on. Good work.

Sincerely,
Conrad Hall

[Glynn Mangold]

Great blog post, Elizabeth! Very helpful. I'll try to implement your suggestions.

[Robert P]

Great post. There is some really good advice here. Balance and control are really important and is something that Social Media lovers need to bear in mind. I wrote a blog post from a similar angle that you may want to see.

www.robertpickstone.com

Your post takes it to more of a practical level though and was useful to read through.

Thanks

Rob

[Robert P]

Great post. There is some really good advice here. Balance and control are really important and is something that Social Media lovers need to bear in mind. I wrote a blog post from a similar angle that you may want to see.

www.robertpickstone.com

Your post takes it to more of a practical level though and was useful to read through.

Thanks

Rob

[laurie]

Great post Elizabeth. I remember a boss once told me about a jar with large stones, little stones and sand. If the large stones are not put in first, followed by little stones then sand, nothing will fit. I see the large stones as the big three to dos you speak of.

[mike@bigredshoes.com]

Elizabeth,

You give real time good advise. It is interesting that TV habits are declining at such a high rate. How you DON'T spend your time is an interesting concept. If I don't unplug I get goofy.