Where Do You Find the Time? | | Mark Evans TechMark Evans Tech

One of the many things about social media that is fascinating and intriguing is how many people find so much time to be so engaged. It got me thinking about the following questions:

- How can they be on Twitter day and night? It’s not just posting tweets, which can be scheduled, but engaging in active conversations, answering questions and retweeting?
- How do they generate a steady flow of blog posts, many of them longer think or opinion pieces as opposed a 200 to 300-word riff on something?
- How can they have an active presence on Facebook with regular updates, Likes and comments?
- And how can some people also be active on Posterous, Tumblr, LinkedIn, YouTube and other social media services?

If social media consumes so much of their time, what has to give? Is it the amount of time watching television? Do they not exercise as much, if at all? Do they not read books or have hobbies? Are they less social?

There is only 24 hours in the day – some of it is spent sleeping, some eating and then there’s working. When work is busy, social media seems like a luxury. There are days when social media isn’t an option at all but it is not something that I miss or feel that I’m missing out on.

So all you digital and social media animals out there, where do you find the time? What aren’t you doing now that you used to do?

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http://www.kerribirtch.com Kerri Birtch

Hey Mark,

I’ve been asked this question again and again by many people who aren’t as active in social media and my answer always includes three pieces:
1) Multi-tasking – While I’m participating in social media, I’m often doing other things as well. Tweetdeck and Google Reader are almost always open, Facebook gets checked every now and again, ideas for blog posts come during school work etc. the list goes on.
2) Prioritizing – I often consider what’s the most important social media channel to focus on at one time. When I wake up in the morning, I skim through Twitter/Facebook, but I read all the new posts in my Google Reader. It all depends on what’s important.
3) Mobile – The ability to check messages, send updates and Tweets or even put up a blog post from my mobile device makes social media SO much easier. Again, it’s all about the multi-task – waiting for a bus, sitting on the subway, walking into work…it’s all in my hand

So that’s how I ‘find the time’
-Kerri

http://www.markevanstech.com Mark Evans

Kerri,

Thanks for the insight. Sounds like a good plan!

Mark

http://www.level3logic.com Chris

Great article. As a social media consultant I find the balance pretty hard at times especially when you have a full client base. I use several scheduling applications and I try to plan as far ahead as possible with my clients. Ultimately though it I like what Kim had to say Multi-Tasking, Prioritizing, and Mobility. My iPhone and iPad have become key pieces to my success.

Keep up the great writing!

Chris
Level3Logic

http://www.markevanstech.com Mark Evans

Chris,

I’ve always found that planning and doing things in advance are good ways to “make” more time. For example, this post for written last Sunday when I had time to think and write as opposed to trying to squeeze it in during the week.

Mark

http://www.twitter.com/emmacunningham Emma Cunningham

I schedule Tweets every morning: 1 per hour from 8:30 – 6ish. Then I check back in once every hour and reply to someone else’s Tweet or two, or RT, or whatever else needs doing.
Stephanie Goodman

Mark,

I have to agree with Kerri, that alot of keeping up with social media comes down to multi-tasking; however, once it becomes part of your work (rather than a side note) it also becomes habitual. You think of blogs and posts and people to follow without even thinking about how it plays into your “social media time”, it becomes yet another function of your work job such as checking your email.
Having it connected to your mobile device definitely makes it easier.

One thing I found that helped me in the beginning was taking some time aside and reading through different tweets, different companies and topics of discussion to find out how it can benefit myself or the company I work for. Once you find the profit in utilizing social media, it becomes alot easier to implement into your daily schedule -and again, becomes yet another habit of the work day.

As a runner and someone who goes through a book a week, it is possible to do it all! Good luck!

Steph
http://www.twitter.com/gschaadt Geoff

Hit the sweet spot for me Mark.

I have been really struggling with this for the past couple of weeks. I work in business consulting and am up against deadlines on a big project. I am also married and my wife works full time. My kids are 8 – hockey season is in full swing now – and I have a 5 year old who loves dance.

And I am supposed to lead the social media initiative for our firm.

When, exactly, is this supposed to happen? I don’ t buy in to multi-tasking as this significantly reduces focus and results in rushed, shallow thinking where concentration is required. I only get to see my kids between 5:30 and 8:30 in the evening – I don’t really want to spend that time monitoring @ replies. And I have yet to visit a rink that has 3G access on the weekend!

Am I just a GenX dinosaur or should we middle-aged, middle-income, family folks accept the fact that work has just taken another significant chunk of our lives away?