When discussing social networking with others I often get the question, “How do you keep up with all those sites?” I’ll admit that its overwhelming at times and the thought of just taking a break from it all is an appealing one. It’s easy to become burned-out on sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Ning, LinkedIn, etc. The pressure to join site after site is high and, in turn, allows usernames, passwords, and account after account to continue piling up.
WebWorkerDaily featured a great article on how to avoid a social network burnout. Georgina Laidlaw suggests:
1. Be realistic. Different sites promote different purposes. Set a goal and stick to it (think increasing business, spreading a message, or simply catching up with high school friends). As the article states, when signing up for a certain service ask yourself “what’s the point?”
2. Be choosy. Keep your goal in mind and select a social network site based on that concept alone. You don’t have to sign up for every single site that comes your way. The article suggests, “The fact that a social network exists, and targets you, doesn’t mean you have to join.”
3. Pace your participation. “The secret to longevity is to pace yourself.” Pencil a time into your schedule to interact with your social network. This can be daily, weekly, or whatever works for you. Keeping it on your schedule and out of your mind allows you to focus on other tasks. It should revolve around your goal and what you hope to accomplish.
4. Keep control. Just remember what your mother used to say, “If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?” Only do what you are comfortable with. Being yourself is much less exhausting than trying to keep up a facade.
5. Don’t let it dominate. Putting pressure on yourself leads to guilt which leads to stress and that ultimately leads to failure. Try to find the line between updating your status with relevant information and updating just to update. If you find yourself stressing about what to share, try reevaluating your participation schedule. The article suggests, “Decide for yourself where social networks fit within your professional and personal life, and you’ll likely find your participation with those networks more enjoyable and beneficial than if you allow them to take over.”
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