As I mentioned in a recent post (the word "recent" being extremely subjective) since I spend many hours a day socially networking, and managing social media and editing copy for my employer, when I come home, I'm a little (a lot) reluctant to stick my head back into the computer during what should be "ME Time." I've been pondering this conundrum lately, and I've had some breakthrough ideas, (Breakthrough, not earthshaking mind you) but maybe reading this will help someone else struggling with what I consider to be social media burnout.
Since my daylight hours are spent doing Internet things, when I come home, I want to do other things to entertain myself, you know, beyond dishes, laundry, cooking.... things I actually want to do. But since socially networking and managing social media and editing copy felt too much like work, I took a break of sorts... I haven't actually accomplished any life changing goals during this time, but what I have done was actually finish some things. I'd forgotten how great that sense of accomplishment is. Some of what I finished were chores, but others we’re things that I wanted to do for me. Things like watching the entire second season of Game of Thrones, or reading a book, or yoga, or going to the gym. The difference, was that as opposed to reading and commenting on social media, I accomplished the task, I finished.
When you read a book, or watch a particular program (not channel surfing), you do it for a purpose. Granted, the purpose is usually to entertain yourself. Unlike social media Twitter, Facebook, and even blogs, where the purpose is constantly shifting. It’s a two way, conversation, but you still have to manage that conversation - listen or talk, participate or follow, write or read. On the surface, this is a wonderful thing, but I just never have that sense of completion I was talking about. It’s an open loop that never closes in my head.
It used to be that I wanted to write posts for my blog, it gave me a satisfying sense of accomplishment, and fed my creative needs. But in order to have readers, you have to read, and if you want comments on your posts, you have to comment on others. I'm preaching to the choir here when I say this takes time! It seems like Facebook and Twitter have diminished my urge to blog. Lets be honest here, you can scan 50 Facebook and Twitter posts in the time it takes to read one blog, and posting a picture with a caption or 140 characters, is much easier and quicker than creating an actual long-form blog post.
Sure, this is self centered, and really just a big ole slice of Poor-Me-Pie. You can point out why I’m wrong and how selfish this sounds, and how I'm over thinking this. But I can't believe I'm the only one who feels this way! I love reading other blogs, and I love commenting on them, almost as much as I love writing a great post, and having others comment. I'm just not sure where to draw the line. I'm sure there are people that have a clear purpose when it comes to using social media and somehow, they are able to stick to their plan. Do you have a plan? How do you manage your social media time? What's your secret, and will you teach me your ways?
