Social media can take a huge bite out of your productivity if you aren’t careful. You log onto Facebook or Twitter to do a little marketing or interacting, and before you realize it half the day is gone. Like forum marketing, social media can be a huge time suck – and it’s easy to get distracted.
Here are a few tips that will help you manage your social media campaigns without interfering (much) with productivity:
Set a timer. While it may sound funny, it actually works. If you have an old-fashioned timer, set it as soon as you hop on Twitter for however long you intend to stay. This could be 10 minutes, whatever you’re comfortable with. Or, consider some of the plugins available today that limit your time on certain websites. You set the length of time to spend on specific sites, then are “locked out” of that website until the next day. LeechBlock is a good choice for Firefox, Stay Focused is great for Chrome users.
Even if you’re the world’s greatest multi-tasker, don’t do it. Trying to blog, set up a PPC campaign or write an article while networking on social media sites doesn’t work. You get distracted, and soon your whole day has run off track. Set aside separate time for social media tasks, or do it while you’re taking a break.
Keep it balanced. If you’re very disciplined, set up a schedule so that you can complete tasks such as writing a blog post, doing a little forum marketing or writing a new web page. For instance, focus on your social media efforts for 5 or 10 minutes out of every two hours. Give yourself sufficient time to complete other important tasks, so you don’t leave them “hanging” undone to come back to later. Sometimes when your brain gets off track, the quality of your work suffers.
Do it at the end of the day. This is the best solution for many people, although it can be tough. Don’t look at your Facebook, Twitter or Google+ account until after the day’s work is completed. This way, you won’t get distracted and will enjoy a productive day, yet you can spend all the time you like on social media once you’ve marked off your “to-do” list for the day.
You know social media is a must today to reach your ultimate success, but you also know it can really wreck your day productivity-wise if you don’t have a system in place. Keep these tips in mind, and get more done in a day than you thought possible.
