When I was looking for inspiration for this week’s
“writer’s choice” assignment, I came across the article, “Ten
Mindful Ways to use Social Media” by Lori Deschene (@TinyBuddha).
Now, as a practicing Catholic, I don’t know much about the “Buddha” thing, but
this article is chock-full of wisdom we can all take into our own social media strategy.
The first thing
that caught my attention in the article, before even reading the ten tips, were
Deschene’s words, “I’ve realized, however, that the greatest lesson we
can all learn is that less is enough.” She is absolutely right about that.
There are so many social media sites vying for our attention (Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, among others) that it is tempting
to join them all. Yet, we only have so much time in a day and inevitably we
will either stretch ourselves too thin trying to participate in them all or we
will give up on social media all together. The best strategy, instead, would be
to pick two or three of our favorites and stick to those. If we choose wisely,
and concentrate on the ones that fit our purposes and goals, we will be less stressed,
more focused, and hopefully get the results we seek out of them.
Out of the ten tips, two particularly stood out for me.
The first was tip #2, “Be Your Authentic Self.” If you spend any time online,
you know it is very easy to spot a phony a mile away – someone who is only out
for him/herself. As Deschene alluded to, no one wants to connect with someone
with an agenda. People want to connect with people who can (and will be)
themselves and who will add value to the conversation.
The second tip that resonated with me was #8, “Use Social
Media Sparingly.” This tip struck me because one of my words”
for 2014 is “intentional” and that is exactly the point of this tip. You cannot
be in two places at once, even if one of those places is online. Strive to be
intentional in the use of your time online and off. If you are with friends, be
present to your friends. If you are working, focus on your work. If you are
having fun, have fun! Then, when it is time to be online, be fully present
online. Trust me, if you do that instead of dividing your attention, you (and
the people you are with) will get more out of whatever it is you are doing.
Deschene’s offers eight other tips that are just as good
so I encourage you to read the
full article. I would also like to give you a tip of my own: turn the
notification signal off. This is
especially important for those who can’t resist the temptation of checking
their email or social media accounts every time it dings. I remember suggesting
that to someone and he was horrified at the thought. He couldn’t imagine not
getting his notifications or looking at them right away. The truth is, you
don’t have to be a slave to your phone or computer’s notification system. The
world won’t end if you miss an update. :) So, turn it off and choose for
yourself when you want to participate in social media.
The article is all about using our time on
and off line wisely and mindfully so that we live our lives fully and
consciously rather than mindlessly and reactively. Good advice, that!
Now it’s your turn. What’s your tip for using social
media mindfully? Do share it in the comments!
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