A Time To Engage In Social Media And A Time To NOT Engage

by Stew Shaw

in Social Media

A time to engage in social media and a time not to engage

In a telling video, today the energetic and passionate “Mr Crush It” Gary Vaynerchuk publicly announced he was refocusing his life, both online and offline. Avid Gary Vee followers have been expecting for a while that this would happen after watching him soldier on in his determination to personally attempt to keep answering every incoming email/tweet/comment/status update, all the many scores of 1000s of them. It’s not that we don’t value the personal attention he gives to his humblest followers; we do. The real issue is that individuals, no matter their celebrity status, do not have access to infinite resources in time or energy. Sooner or later the limits are reached.

When A-List blogger Chris Brogan hit the wall only 2 1/2 weeks ago he encapsulated the problem with this simple statement: “I can’t keep up.” (source: Chris’s March 19 blogpost – Redrawing). In comments I made on someone else’s blog about Chris’s gut wrenching decision to cut back, I predicted Gary Vee wouldn’t be far behind. I didn’t expect it so soon, but did have an intuition Gary would come to his senses on his long flight to Australia to keynote yet another conference this week!

Here’s a relevant excerpt of what I wrote today in a comment on Gary’s blog, referring to both he and Chris:

“Both of you are victims of what I call the insidious nature of social media. Like a cancer it attaches itself to some vital aspect of your life and eats away at your time in an almost seamless fashion until the day of realization comes.”

My observation and prediction is that 2010 will be marked as the year people rejigged their involvement in social media. And not just the big names — it will be necessary for ordinary folks like you and me to cut back, people with no brand and no real followers… yet.

Hence the title of this post, styled along the lines of what I think King Solomon would utter were he alive today, in that famous piece of writing that began with: “To every thing there’s a season…”

What do you think?

Is people’s hell-bent rush to immerse themselves in so many social media platforms simply a recipe for counterproductive activity and an eventual path to burnout?

  • beverlymonical
    It could be..You have to stay focused when online.You must set up your online time with scheduled because it is so easy to get distracted.A person with ADD may have a tough time.I feel if you work online,you have to be organized or you will struggle. This is here to stay and I believe it is just in the beginning stages.I would have never met you and many others without Social Media and the internet.
  • Stew Shaw
    Very valid points Beverly. Seems to be all about planning and organizing and setting limits. Too true that SM enabled us to connect and I'm glad it did. And expect a lot more of the same if Zuckerberg and his team continue to exert their incredible influence in changing the way we interact!
  • debbiestevens
    Hi Stew,

    This is a great post. I believe you are spot on about getting sucked in. I had to learn to schedule my social media time and stick to the schedule because I had gotten sucked in myself. I believe it is a useful tool for my business but only one of many tools that I need to use to build a successful business.

    Have a great weekend!
  • Debbie thanks for sharing your experience - it's a common enough problem spending way over budgeted time on SM. Nice also reminding us that it's only ONE of the tools.
  • Rob
    Yes, very good points Stew.

    I don' t think the self-proclaimed Social Media "Experts" have helped here either.

    There are some people out there making some really good posts and contributions to the SM space, but they are mostly drowned out by the crowds who have been told that it's really easy to make money just by having a twitter account, a youtube account and a facebook page and not much else. I woke up from this illusion myself.

    I think there will be a little less noise in Social Media once enough people realize the truth, leaving those who are there to share valuable and interesting content, like your articles instead of the incessant noise and time-wasting distraction that seems to dominate at the moment.

    My own projects have actually benefitted greatly since I stepped back from trying so hard with social media.
  • Rob, I'll add this. You & I were both students of one of those SM experts last year. As you've said, the problem is when the use of these tools is sold as an easy cash funnel. Tempting.

    So pleased to hear that your projects are doing well. Mine too.
  • Rob thanks for adding those great points to the discussion. Yes, and having been told to get into those SM platforms before it's too late, these misled internet marketers then proceed to blast their followers as if they are double-optin members of their list! No wonder people like you and me and zillions of others hate spammy ads in their steams.
  • IMPORTANT UPDATE by author.
    Four days ago in a significant post Chris Brogan shared with his audience the gist of the process he's using from now on to evaluate every call on his time. I was impressed at his approach, and felt foolish for earlier presuming he didn't know a way through his predicament. Here's part of the comment I made on his blogpost.

    When you first posted "Redrawing" I was among those who were quick to proffer advice to help our great Chris Brogan set about the recovery phase. What the? How stupid of me to jump in like that. Now, not 3 weeks later you have come out trumps with a well crafted piece proving you are well & truly in control of where you are going and how you intend to get there.


    Life is lived as a continuum of experiences; it's not easy to take some element and start over. But when I do it I tend to throw the baby out with the bathwater, as I blogged the day after Gary Vee announced this week that he too was finally taking himself to task to reorder what's important. I put 1 +1 together (you and Gary) and concluded Social Media was the villain. Now I realize I'm well wide of the mark yet again.


    I recommend you go and read Chris's entire post because, as he said, it has"everything to do with human business." Many of us are at overwhelm point in our online endeavors. If like me you're struggling to know how to go about changing to a better way, what Chris Brogan outlined just may resonate with you and make a difference. It has for me.
  • Eddie + Kellie + Lloyd
    Thanks for your valuable contributions. You've all mentioned the need for balance/moderation, and I think that's a sound approach to integrating social media into our business & personal lives. And, Kellie and Lloyd, I agree self discipline is key.
  • Stew, what a timely post as I am in the process of doing this myself. I got caught in the same trap of spending way too much time with social media instead of focusing on more important income producing activities. There is definitely a balance and I believe that just as you suggest, more people will be "cutting back" this year. Not totally withdrawing, just cutting back.

    Eddie
  • kelliefrazier
    Whoa....this is one thought provoking and stimulating post Stew. I would agree with you to a point. Self (control) discipline is one of our greatest tools to build and celebrate. It is what keeps us living life in moderation. I no longer use the term 'balance' as I feel our search for it creates more frustration but if we do things in moderation we will find a more even flow to life.

    Social Media is only 1 pull that can create more of a road block depending on your perspective. If you are grateful for it, can use it for a few minutes per day to market with and make if fun, you can easily stick with it if money isn't your only goal. Having meaningful conversations that draw people toward you will create value which in turn create money and success. If you try to please, focus on money and loose track of time, you will loose oxygen quickly.

    Thanks for sharing your perspective.
  • Hey Stew,

    A great article. Burn out seems to always come when we have the inability to balance our lives. One of the key words to apply for anything we do is DISCIPLINE. Without discipline we soon create chaos in our daily lives. This is a road map towards failure and burn out.

    Have a fantastic day!

    Lloyd Dobson :)
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