SOCIAL MEDIA + YOU

In 2004, facebook was founded in a Harvard dorm room. This small invention paved the way for a whole new way of connecting personally on the internet. 8 years later, and we’re still watching this idea take shape and form into something so large… it’s almost inconceivable.

facebook is the leading empire in the social media world in the US, and with statistics like that… it really feels like this whole thing is overwhelming. 

I’ve been a Social Media Coordinator for almost a year now - and things have already changed drastically since I first truly immersed myself in this world. 

It’s easy to get lost in the social media world. Between checking your facebook, and twitter and updating your Linkedin and blog, oh and don’t forget adding photos to your flickr and checking in on foursquare… how do you find time for everything else in your life? 

I’ve started to feel the Social Media Burnout. I get overwhelmed by the constant demand for my attention on these sites. Every time facebook updates their interface, I feel like I have to learn something entirely new. I check my Twitter feed when I’m in the middle of a conversation with a good friend. I checkin on Foursquare when I’m on a nice date with my man. I see QR codes on the side of cars and ‘like’ us on facebook decals on EVERY window. The first thing I do in the morning is check Twitter, facebook and instagram… in that order! Why is it all following me, why is it ALWAYS on my mind!?

I’m getting burnt out. You know how your mom always said, “You can’t eat candy for every meal because it’s just too much of a good thing!” That’s exactly how I feel about social media… I’ve gotten too much of a good thing, and I’m paying for it.

Social Media is awesome in moderation. It’s also necessary to compete at all in this fast paced society we find ourselves in. If you’re a full time Social Media Coordinator, I’m sure you know where I’m coming from. However, if you’re just a dedicated user I believe you know where I’m coming from too. We’ve all had too much of a good thing and we need to learn some self-control.

Any good Corporate “self help” guy will tell you to “leave your work at home”.

• So, if you are a full time Social Media person, take a break during your off hours. Scale back on the check-ins and updates, they will still be there in the morning. 
• If you don’t get paid to be on Twitter all day, but you still feel the burnout, allot yourself some time in the morning, or evening to check all your social media sites. Leave that time for the stalking and updating, and when it’s not that time of the day find something else to do.

I’ve allowed social media to be a space filler, but… it’s also an addiction. It’s an incredible tool, but I don’t want to get so burnt out by it, that I start to hate it. It’s all about remembering not to let yourself have too much of a good thing.

How much of the social media world do you occupy (or how much of it occupies you), and are you starting to feel the burn out?