As we waddle back to our laptops with our stomachs filled with goodies from the weekend, the concept of a cleanse sounds appealing. Recently, the “digital diet” or “digital detox” has been the subject of much debate. The question is if having a plan to cut back on non-stop Facebooking, texting and tweeting really affects our lives in the long run. I personally think big changes can happen if we cut back or even cut out parts of our digital diet. Yet we have to be realistic, like you do with any other diet plan. You can’t go from Kutcher to Amish in five days and expect big results. A good place to start dieting is with our marketing plans.
Gorging on social media is a common mistake by marketers. So much time is spent overloading sites and chattering back and forth that if we’re not careful, little else will get done. I think a timer is great tool for social media marketing. The best yoga classes are 90 minutes, so I try to get my daily social media marketing done in 90 minutes or less. This allows plenty of time to interact with followers, schedule new posts and plan the following day’s strategies. When that timer sounds, move on to something else.
Cutting out digital junk food is another good way to help our online marketing plans feel healthier. If LinkedIn has yielded little results, toss it out. If Twitter doesn’t work with your company’s marketing plan but still takes up a chunk of your time, get rid of it. If you continue to spend money on a banner ad but have never seen results, cancel it. Take a long look at what isn’t working and is slowing you down and then dump it. Streamlining your digital presence will help you perfect the platforms that are working and give you more time to have a life.
Lastly, try turning off every once in a while. Before you start freaking out, let me explain: As important as you and your marketing plan is, no one will die if you are not working 24-7. Set some boundaries for yourself and start small. For me, I try not to keep my phone next to my bed and give myself an hour or so before I start checking messages and e-mails in the morning. It’s not revolutionary and I’m not always perfect about it, but it does make a difference. I have a freelancing friend who walks during lunch and doesn’t bring her phone with her. These little acts of self-care go a long way. Our days aren’t so exhausting and our minds are sharper if we take care of ourselves.
So, dear readers tell me: What are you cutting out of your digital diet?
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