Does social media ever just overwhelm you? I don’t mean in terms of learning this ever-evolving new way of communicating. I’m talking about its sheer size.
Now…wait a second. I’m a social media consultant. I help other thought leaders master their own online voice and connect with new customers. I’m not supposed to get overwhelmed, right? Puh-leaze! I’m human.
On a typical morning, I log in to Twitter, Facebook, Mashable and my favorite blogs to devour the amazing new tidbits, articles, studies and knowledge that my contacts share. I drink from the fire hose of information to educate myself, coach my clients and inform my peers. I’m an avid student of this social media world each and every day and I absolutely love it!
I’m an information sponge.
Other times, however, I feel like the social media world is just too massive! I can’t possibly tackle it all!
Gary Hayes’ Social Media Counter doesn’t help matters. (Kidding, Gary, this is pretty awesome.)
Just take a look at what’s happened since you’ve started reading this post…
How I Talk Myself Down
The reality is that once you’re immersed deep into social media as part of your work routine, this overwhelmed feeling is bound to happen.
So, I thought I’d share my way of dealing with days where enough is enough. (Then I want to hear from you!)
First and foremost, I narrow my intake for the day. I remind myself that Social Media is literally the world at my fingertips. The entire world! What I learn and who I meet during my “social hours” are up to me.
So, on days where casting a wide social net is too much, I zero in on smaller, cozier territory. I save Technorati and Mashable for another day and head to some close friends’ blogs, check out a client’s vacation photos on Facebook and connect with some colleagues on LinkedIn.
Bringing the immense world of social media down to single-bite relationships is what it’s all about, after all. It’s not about conquering it or meeting everyone and their brother. Sure, there will be awesome times when Twitter feels like a convention and I make dozens of quality connections! But for days where I’m not quite ready to face the endless world of information…I hold my close social media connections even tighter.
Okay…time to share. How do you bring YOUR social network down to size?
