How To Eliminate Social Media Distractions And Get Work Done
Nov 18 2009 
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Social media is such a huge distraction sometimes. New followers, new replies, new private messages! Oh look, there goes a new Twitter list. It starts to become easy for us take our eyes off the real ball: our work. We struggle with getting out of the conversations and content to get back to what we’re supposed to be doing. As naturally social creatures, we can’t help ourselves. Well here are a few techniques I use to get back to the money as they say.
- Make A Work Flow (And Stick To It)
Inside of my Google Calendar I have a workflow that I try to stick to everyday no matter what. I set aside time to participate in my friend’s Twitter conversations 2x a day for about an hour. While I may not always stick to it, it helps to remind me of what I should be doing to accomplish my goals. I recommend Louis Gray’s Social Media Workflow post to get a better idea of what you should create. - Social Media: Trick or Treat
Trick yourself with a treat. Whenever you know you need to get off Facebook, just trick yourself with a social media treat. The sooner you get your work done (or a part of your work done), the sooner you can take a break and finish playing Farmville in Facebook.
- Play Music That Moves You
I am a hip-hop addict! Hip-hop songs move me and motivate me in ways that technology can’t begin to touch. So, I listen to songs that energize me or put me a mood that’s conducive to getting me to work. Sometimes, I’ll create a playlist and let the music play in the background while I work too. Try it and see if it helps you too.
- Research Your Tasks Using Social Media
This technique almost always gets my creative juices going. Whatever I need to do that social networks are distracting me from, I start reading about it within those social networks. Reading about what I need to do stimulates me to want to do it and can even help me figure out better ways to accomplish the task at hand. It’s a win/win situation if you just can’t help yourself.
Social Pause & Reflect
Using a mixture of these techniques over time, it’s become a lot easier for me to not only get in and get out of the conversation, but also make the most of it. They’ve become great habits through discipline, focus, and commitment.
- How do you stay focused on work, while making the most of your social networking time?
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Hey Corvida,
I have to shut down everything – email, phone, twitter and music included and just focus on the topic and on finding some good images to post. It helps me to have quiet when I'm proofreading too.
I need to create a checklist for all the social promotion tools I plan to use. I alway forget to include the share icons and trackbacks until I get the first comment! Then I'm reminded to go back an add them.
Thanks for the post. I need to get started on that checklist right now!
Great post Corvida! I liked your ideas for a calendar and a workflow. I've been using CoTweet to help stay immediately engaged when I get mentions or DMs if I don't have TweetDeck open. I try to stick to a posting schedule as well, although I'm so addicted now it's hard to stay away. :)
I am so sorry that I have to point out the massive amount of fail all coiled up and ready to strike anyone who reads this article with the intention of actually learning something about how to avoid blowing off time on social networking sites. Looking on social networking sites to avoid looking on social networking sites sounds so much like masturbating to learn why you may want to cut back on masturbating. Yeah, not gonna happen. Listening to music, good point, unless the person wanting to hear a catchy tune goes to Last.fm or Blip.fm to do it. It's the possibility that someone may understand our own viewpoint that makes social media so delicious. If I *really* need to get work done, and do not expressly need the internet to accomplish it, I disconnect, or, if I need the internet to finish my work, I use an OS/machine/browser I hate, to lessen the chance I'll fall off task. Generally all of these issues are solved by actually enjoying the work that I do, so I never really see it as doing work. If you like what you do for a living you never “have to” go to work anyway.
Nice post Corvida !
Getting off track is something that is easy to do. Using a workflow is a great idea. One thing that I have found that works for me is to break my daily workflow up and use a kitchen timer to allow myself a set amount of time for each task. This especially applies to time on Twitter and Facebook.
This social media thing has taken over. When twitter was down this summer I got an assignment done in two hours that I had been struggling with for TWO WEEKS! I downloaded leech block. I pray it works. I am going to try that workflow idea. Anything.
It definitely sounds like you need a workflow and a little more discipline on your part. Social Media isn't a pop-up. You control when you see them and for how long. Keep me posted on how your workflow comes out.
Timers are very helpful for sticking to workflows. I'll had to update the post and add that in today. Thanks for the idea Stefanie.
These suggestions are to be used to help anyone's lack of focus, concentration, or motivation. One size won't fit all, but what I suggested are popular and effective ways to combat typical and average problems that take us away from our work. Disconnecting is a great way, but the majority of my readers can't afford to do that for every block, especially when they're work is online.
However just like any type of knowledge, it's only good when you use it.
I think your masturbation observation is an absurd analogy and these tips aren't a one size fits all. They're only guidance to help others discover what is actually the best fit. While listening to music may not fit someone, reading a book might. These tips are for others to draw parallels to what might work for them too.
Good post, they say the truth will make people squirm – but not me :-) Thanks for sharing..
Great Post – Cool idea about scheduling Twitter time (and the like) into google calendar – I might try that!
Cheers!
Great post ,very cool!
I guess many people already do this, but I find keeping Facebook notification emails turned off really helps my productivity. I used to receive frequent emails about someone commenting after me or accpeting a friend request. Those emails really increase my temptation to stop what I'm working on and log on to Facebook for at least a few minutes.
Glad you found it helpful Jodie!
I guess many people already do this, but I find keeping Facebook notification emails turned off really helps my productivity. I used to receive frequent emails about someone commenting after me or accpeting a friend request. Those emails really increase my temptation to stop what I'm working on and log on to Facebook for at least a few minutes.
Glad you found it helpful Jodie!
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