My personal social media blackout
Posted by Lindsayanng 
photo by Leanri van Heerden
This little switch flipped inside of me and I realized that I really seriously absolutely need to buckle down, get my ducks in a row, and get my priorities straight. Social media has been pretty much a godsend for me. I have gotten new clients, learned new things, and networked with exciting people all via facebook and twitter. Want to know what else I do with facebook and twitter? Waste time.
So I announced tonight that I will be doing a 7 day social media blackout. That means absolutely no facebook and twitter updates. I will not be responding to private messages, replies, or DMs from any of the mentioned websites and I will stay away from any websites linked to the aforementioned (like daily booth).
It is so hard to not get sucked into all of the interesting stories and articles and videos out there, so I need to figure out how much time I can spend on these sites by cutting them out completely. Personally, I think this is the only way to truly see how much you need social media and/or how much you don’t need it. The sub-goal is to also break my obsessive habit of checking and rechecking and refreshing and all of that stupid garbage!
So is anyone with me? Anyone else want to try a social media blackout? You don’t have to do it this week, and you don’t have to do 7 full days. Just do it on your own time and announce it here so I can check up on you when your days are up!
I have set up an auto-tweeter to just mark each day and let followers (who might not have seen my announcement) know that I have not fallen off the digital earth.
So thanks a bunch for the support and look forward to connecting with you on the tweet-side!
Ohh, and if you do want or need to connect with me, I am not cutting myself off from all digital connection. I am 110% reachable via e-mail and as always I will be responding to comments on my blog.
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8 Comments »
I probably should do exactly this. And maybe I will… as soon as PodCampCT is over..
Well, I haven’t been involved in social media nearly as long as you have but already I can get what you are talking about and why you have decided to do this. I think it is smart – which doesn’t surprise me since it is your idea!
Social Media blackout, yes, dear God it pains me to admit it, but I think this is what I need too. Help me Rhonda, I’m addicted! Trouble is I find so much interesting/useful stuff which ceases being useful as soon as the next thing comes along 5 mins later and distracts me.
Thanks for all the support guys!! Ohh, and Kim, I might have found a good tool for you to use in your business tweeting. I am testing it out while on my blackout (it autotweets for me). I am going to be “autotweeting” every day twice a day just to let my followers know I am around.
Jools – you should try it with me!! We can be each other’s support group and visit blogs to keep that “connected” feeling. And yes, the bombardment with useful, useless, funny, sad, infuriating, mindless, poetic, tragic, mundane, interesting information makes it really easy to get lost in distraction and disarray!
Lets do it together.. You know you wanna!
Viewing & commenting on blogs is part of the problem for me!
Well then you can add that as part of your blackout!! Record your thoughts on your own blog and just ping this post (so I can read it). For me, blogs aren’t the issue when you remove twitter and facebook because I find all of the blogs I comment on via twitter and facebook. I have a few blogs in my RSS feeds that I check on weekly, but they are mostly design inspiration blogs.
Try it out – even if you can start with one day.. I am finding that this morning was difficult. Every morning while I have my first coffee I check all social networks. Now I am going through emails and organizing my desk instead.
The SWCT crew missed you at PodcampCT today. It’s a shame you didn’t pick next week for your social media blackout. :\
I know John!! Bad timing, but then again it was good timing for me because I needed it. I needed to get back to focusing on my creative side and during this blackout I have learned quite a few things about myself as well as the social media “habits” of the average everyday twitter user.
I can’t wait to publish my little mini journal
And don’t worry, I will attend the next mmetup/tweetup/camp