Social Media Mania . . . And How I'm Striving for Sanity

Social Media Mania

Is it just me, or does it seem ever more increasingly difficult to "disconnect" from work? The world truly is getting smaller, and so is the amount of time we are able to spend in self-reflection and being focused on our personal relationships.

I am first to admit . . . I am pathetic. I find myself sitting at the dinner table, lunch table or wherever, constantly checking my BB. Ubertwitter, Foursquare, Facebook, I.M., SMS. Sometimes I just want to scream "Calgon, take me away"!

Therefore, starting today, I am establishing some boundaries in my life cyber-life. Boundaries are established to protect me, not to harm others. Working constantly and not taking time to breathe, think, and disconnect from business causes burnout and ultimately is harmful to my productivity and personal relationships. To quote a friend of mine, "you can't give out what you don't have".

So, here is my plan:

1. When I am at work, I will focus on the appointments I have scheduled, and will no longer allow others to steal my time and focus.

2. When I am at home, I will turn my phone OFF after 6:00 p.m. If it is important, the caller will leave a message.

3. I will only check text messages and emails on my Blackberry on scheduled intervals.

4. On weekends, I will not discuss business with anyone, including my poor husband (and I know he will be thrilled).

5. I will keep lunch appointments to a minimum to allow me time mid-day to rest, enjoy the quiet, and recharge for the afternoon.

Gary Keller said something that I will never, ever forget. He said (something along the lines of) "no one has permission to spend my life. When I say yes to other people, I say not to what I want and need, and to what my family wants and needs".

If I want to be a superior leader, I must be determined to be a good example in setting priorities, boundaries and being a steward of natural resources, more specifically, my energy!

Please feel free to share some of the boundaries you have established! I am interested in learning from you.