Why Social Media Burnout Can Be A Good Thing
Posted on 12. Jun, 2009 by Jared Degnan in Career Management
Back when I was an undergrad, I spent several summers working in restaurants. Though I loved to cook for others, after a long day I couldn’t stand the thought of cooking for myself.
Many of us find ourselves in the same situation if our jobs involve social media. With all this talk about the in and outs of the medium, combined with the endless supply of chatter about “echo chamber” – it’s not surprising we find ourselves with a queasy feeling when logging onto facebook or twitter.
The funny thing about my experiences in restaurants however, was that it kept me incredibly attuned to the details and subtleties in the food when I visited other restaurants. I could pick up on whether the chef had his entire heart in the meal or if the sous-chef was having a bad day. Every detail of the experience was heightened – just by refusing to cook for myself.
Many of us believe that because we are professionals in the social media space, we have to be active there both at work and at home. We think that somehow being uber-connected 24/7 will help us do our jobs better. The reality however is that it won’t.
Like any good thing; too much social media can numb us to the subtleties of the medium and kill our ability to enjoy what we do. Because we’re so close into it all the time, my advice is next time you feel like you’re about to burn out – embrace it!
Take the hint your instincts are giving you and let yourself unplug for a while.
I’m not talking about not checking email or locking your laptop in the closet. I’m talking about taking a break from needing to be completely inside the dialogue for every conversation. Even if you think you have to stay involved in the conversation to maintain your sense of status; realize that taking a step back and listening can perhaps be the best thing you can do for yourself.
Remember – we can’t always be cooks in the same kitchen but that doesn’t mean we can’t all take time to enjoy the meal.
