#SelfCareSunday Social Media Management

July 16, 2017 — cell phones, social media detox, technology

heard it through the grapevine

heard it through the grapevine

Social media has a way of consuming more time than anticipated. The phone is a silent thief vibrating in your pocket, distracting you from whatever you are doing. There are now special programs at hotels for folks who want to do a detox. The deal is that the front desk will keep your phone locked up for you while you try to go cold turkey. You pay a fee for this service.  This example from 2009 is listed as a detox package for just $199 a day ( that is per person) at a fancy place just outside Washington, DC.  They were probably pioneers in the growing market, and DC probably does generate a lot of social media anxiety.

The terem social media management is normally used to refer to the marketing of a business using the various platforms.  What I mean is personal management and strategy.  You don’t need an expert to help you design a strategy.  You are the only person who knows how far social media has slipped into every aspect of your day.  You are the only one who really can asses your need for “likes” and what that need represents.  This is not a relationship with your phone, although it seems to be.  This social media presence is a self image, crafted by you.

There are now businesses designing custom social media detox retreats.  This is a high growth industry.  Just like the opioid crisis, the social media addiction problem can be treated with mindfulness and meditation for a long term cure.  Staying “clean” after one of these intentional cleanse periods will require a plan.  But why wait until you need an expensive intervention? Now is an excellent time to find balance between life and digital devices.

My own strategy, which works pretty well, is to have no relationship with my phone.  I don’t give out my cell phone number, and ignore my phone most of the time.  I have a land line to talk to people, and I don’t text.  I use the phone for GPS and to make calls when I travel.  I sit at my desk (like now) to write or read on the laptop.  I limit the desk time just because I am not the type who likes to sit for long periods of time.  When I finish my tasks on the computer, which include a couple of platforms, I leave it behind while I move around and do the rest of my day.  This keeps my focus on the task at hand, both at the desk (because I want to finish) and on the go.  I occasionally get sucked in for short times, but basically this system creates a functional boundary.  Have you ever thought about where your digital boundary is….or where you want it to be?  Take care of your time, gentle reader…it is a terrible thing to waste.

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