What is the key to balancing social media?

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.”~Nelson Mandela, S. African statesman

Yesterday, I was reminded why I dis-Like Facebook: I spend too much d@=# time on it.

I have a social media schedule, one that continues to evolve. For now, Facebook is scheduled twice a week: Tuesdays and Fridays to post on my author page, as well as an optional Sunday post there or on my personal page. Yesterday was Tuesday, so after writing a status update where I contemplated my YouTube channel, I decided to look at my notifications and message and updates.

Haiku Horizons #128: theme is the “key” of life

I stared at the world earth icon. I have 68 notifications? What the h-e-double-hockey-sticks? That’s why I keep getting those mobile notifications like Monday’s “You have 99 new notifications, 23 group updates and 1 message” alert. By the way, 99 is the max number that FB will alert you of. I know I had more than that. If they went to three digits, I guess their servers would explode. Perhaps FB thinks that if you have 99 notifications, you better hurry over there before your life implodes.

Anyway, I wanted to clear that mess up, and before I knew it, I had been commenting and scrolling and Liking for 45 minutes. Geez, what did I just let happen?

I didn’t set a timer; alarms work well for me. I didn’t keep a focus; I let myself wander aimlessly through posts. I didn’t look at my to-do list; my planner sat across the table. I offered myself no incentives, like “Look at one final post and then you can reheat your coffee.” Maybe it was cool to be a part of all my friends’ worlds again. Maybe I was unmotivated or distracted. Maybe I wanted to ignore something. Probably all three.

What is it that locks me out? What have you found your key to?