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Is it just me, or does work really seem to get in the way of blogging, managing your Facebook page, adding new LinkedIn contacts, sharing snippets on Twitter and, if you’re really bored and looking for a little nostalgia, logging in to MySpace?
Like me, most of the people I “follow” on social networking sites have full-time jobs. Yet somehow they are still able to find time to manage their own micro multimedia conglomerates aggregating and sharing information on cool new websites and resources that most of us haven’t even heard of.
Sometimes, I feel like I’m either suffering from Twitter envy or everyone else is suffering from Twitter addiction…not only are they posting five, six or more updates an hour, they almost always refer to value added, meaningful stuff. Meanwhile, I’m tweeting about being stuck in traffic or about how much I like pickles--two things that aren’t that exciting and don’t add a lot of value unless you’re a lobbyist for light rail systems or the pickle marketing association. Yet, if I go a day without adding something profound to Twitter, I feel like I’ve dropped the ball—even though I only have a modest number of “followers.”
To keep up with the “in crowd,” I try to find five or ten minutes during the day to uncover something profound to share with the masses while realizing that every time I update my status on Facebook, there’s a good chance I’m alerting clients, coworkers and even my boss that I’m surfing the web.
Managing my modest “online presence” is an important part of my personal and professional brand, but it’s not like I can use searching for articles to share with folks on Twitter as an excuse with my boss if I miss on key deliverables or don’t complete an important project on time. In fact, during my provisional review last week, all we talked about was my on-the-job performance—not my blog, the number of LinkedIn contacts I have in my network, how many followers I have on Twitter, or even my Facebook status.
Which brings me to the questions I’ve been kicking around…
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I feel constantly as if I'm not keeping up quickly enough with all the social media outlets I "need" to be updating. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on how you're looking at it) I work in interactive on a daily basis as part of my job, so a healthy amount of surfing the web for the new, cool idea is encouraged. I have the luxury of arguing that any of my random surfing is work related (New The Watchmen arcade game? I saw it on Creativity, it's great branding ...) but you have to be able to draw the line somewhere. I'm learning to draw lines ...
I don't feel telling your boss about your at-work romps around social networking sites would really benefit your work reputation. Hopping online to check the status of your fellow Twitterers or Facebook friends is appropriate during the couple coffee breaks you're supposed to take and during lunch. Other than that, leave it alone.
I can't even keep up and I'm not working right now. Then again, I don't have an iPhone or BlackBerry to keep me attached to the Web every waking (and sleeping) moment. I've realized, though, that while it's important I connect with my online world at least once a day, I've usually got at least 5 things on my to-do list that take precedent over tweeting a crapload of useful information. For the moment, my followers will have to accept 'Studying for the GMAT' as a reasonable tweet or Facebook status update.
Of course, if you've got a job based in social media, that's a different story!
I'm lucky enough to be using these sites as part of my job, so I'm encouraged to be on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn constantly every day. But, even if this wasn't the case, I think that people should be able to make the most of these sites as a way to network, as long as it doesn't interfere with their work. If you have a full time job, by the time you get home and eat dinner, all motivation is likely gone. So, I say take a few minutes at work to catch up with your networks. It'll probably be good to give your brain a break from work anyway.
@Annie - there's a new Watchmen arcade game? Sweet. See, that's definitely something I'd like to know about.
Kidding aside, I like how you made a connection between your time surfing the web and your job.
@Teresa - speaking of studying for the GMAT, the University of Pittsburgh just so happens to have a great MBA program. Sorry for the shameless plug, but I'm trying to justify responding to comments for a few minutes while I'm at work.
@Samantha - I agree that, in small doses, Twitter, Facebook, and similar sites can be a nice break during the work day. Or at least that's what I've been telling myself.
Still, I feel a self-imposed pressure to keep up with my "online self" even if it's at the expense of my "in person self." Maybe it's time for a Twitter intervention...and I hardly post anything now.
To a certain degree, I think social networks like Twitter alleviate the isolation we all might feel at our "desk jobs." They provide a sense of connection and a sense of independent life outside of work. This may actually have a positive affect on how you engage in the workplace to begin with, or how you engage with your job in general.
Granted, we all may still be spending too much time Twittering. If my boss knew how much time I spent perusing the interwebs, he probably wouldn't be too thrilled. Nevertheless, I stand by the notion that Twitter provides a sense of connection and interaction which, in turn, alleviates the sense of isolation and makes me feel a bit more content at my desk.
@Tristan - I hope your boss doesn't read your comment about your fondness for perusing the interwebs. ha ha. It will be our little secret.
And in the interest of full disclosure, I could spend all day following qoolquest of The Roots.
"not only are they posting five, six or more updates an hour, they almost always refer to value added, meaningful stuff. Meanwhile, I’m tweeting about being stuck in traffic or about how much I like pickles" ... LOL!! I have observed this as well and as a result, am experiencing some Tweetxiety, before ever even really Tweeting at all.
"Should you tell your boss you’re spending time at work on social networking sites when it’s not work related?"
Depends on your boss.
"How much time is too much time on any of these sites when you’re at work?"
Are you getting your work done early or on time AND going above and beyond in some way? "No" = too much.
"As a manager, what do you do if members of your team are letting Twitter and Facebook get in the way work?"
I would probably initiate a discussion about priorities.
@Eva - Admitting that you are experiencing Tweetxiety is the first step to recovery.
Your question about getting work done early and going above and beyond is also the threshold all employees should use before initiating any discussions with the boss about a raise or promotion. Unfortunately, that's not often the case.
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