Don’t Let Social Media Sidetrack You

Many people in business lose time daily while trolling and participating on the various social media platforms. Unfortunately, you can never get that time back. Getting more time in your day can be as simple as making some minor changes. We know there are only so many hours available, and adding more is just not possible. I think it’s important here to touch on the fact that we don’t want to waste any time while we are working on our social media marketing.

These three practices help me get more accomplished in the time I have available, and they help me spend my time wisely, especially when on different social media platforms.

1. Avoid unnecessary interruptions on social media. 
 How many times have you been immersed in a project or savvy post on Facebook only to get interrupted by a notification or an instant message? Then when you finally get back to what you were doing, you totally forget where you were. The best way to handle this is not to be interrupted at all. Especially when you are working on a project that has a deadline.

Make sure you have limited, if not eliminated, the possibility of interruptions. Here are some suggestions I have.

• Set your business time on social media platforms only for business.

• Close your email and turn off email notifications.

• Avoid reading other people’s feeds at this time.

2. Get rid of social media clutter.
 Get rid of unwanted emails that clutter up your boxes. Avoid having a lot of private messages not viewed. Answer any questions that need to be answered. Don’t let anything pile up! Also, sometimes friends add to the clutter. Stay focused and go back later on after work to have fun with your friends.

3. Make a social media schedule. 
 Making a schedule is the best thing I have done for utilizing social media for my business. This schedule is more than just a to-do list. I actually plan my day by adding allotted time and time frames to my calendar. I challenge you to set an appointed time for your post and your engagement on social media. Set reminders, then honor your commitment.

One other thing I do is schedule my content across the different social media platforms. I now have a content calendar. I really believe such a schedule helps you accomplish things.

Stop non-business-related activities and actually complete the task that you set up at the appointed time. This way, after you complete your social media marketing for the day, you can do other things to build your business and make it grow. If this is just not possible, reschedule to a more convenient time.

What are some things that sidetrack you on social media?