Invest only the time you are willing to lose

For the last few months, I must admit, I've been a bad blogger. 

I went from four posts a week to twice a week to give myself time to complete my new book (Today We Are Rich).  Writing that book was an experiment in total concentration - where I let everything else take back burner.   The book deserved my pretty-much undivided attention.

Often, we try and complete projects around each other, and most of the times that process produces an average-medium quality product.  This is becoming a problem for our multi-tasking culture, where social media's made us all publishers with daily/hourly deadlines.  We are taking on more creative work than we can handle - and putting out the weakest work ever.  

With my new book, I wanted to pour all of myself into it, so I gave up many of my extra-curricular activities.  Giving keynote speeches or serving my consulting clients continued.  But even then, I turned down business, especially towards the end of the process.  Blogging, having networking lunches, goofing, watching sports on weekends, etc. all went 'on hold.'  I worked on one thing, the book, 8-12 hours at a whack.  (Note: I used a Facebook public page and my Twitter account to road-test ideas and crowd source content solutions.  But that was directly connected to the writing process.)

Which then begs the question, is blogging my job?  Could I call myself a 'blogger'?  Nope.  Not a real blogger like Seth Godin or Chris Brogan.  Both of them have a business model for it, a huge congregation to feed daily and a real job doing what they do.  For the rest of us, it's really a marginal call.  I'll do well to make $1000.00 annually on Amazon affiliate fees and I don't have enough traffic for an ad model.  So the point of it is to 'get my name out there' from a business standpoint.  That's not a very compelling business case for a few hours a day.  

Here's what I'm taking away from my short hiatus from blogging: If it's not driving your business, it's an extra-curricular like having long lunches with 'potential business partners'.  Sometimes, you'll get work out of it, otherwise you get retweets, likes and other 'psychic income' (thanks Clay Shirkey).  

If you, like me, determine that social media content posting is a nice-to-have component to your bizlife, then follow this rule of time management:  Invest only the time you are willing to lose with social media.  Consider it one of your give-back services, where you offer advice or inspiration like a mentor does to his/her mentee.  With that rule in mind, you'll be able to consider taking a break from blogging, tweeting or Facebook to get 'some seriously important wow work' done (and done very very well). 

PS - This rule works really well when you are playing the tables in Vegas or pink sheets on Wall Street too: Invest what you are willing to lose.  

 

Comments

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Very good post. Made me realize I was totally wrong about this issue. I figure that one learns something new everyday. Mrs Right learned her lesson! Nice, informative website by the way.

[Sarah Fraser]

Excellent advice! It's all too easy to lose yourself in social media. I'm currently toying with the idea of switching from predominantly enewsletter-delived content to writing my own blog for my coaching company, Happiness Express. I think it's the way to go, and am grateful for the tips here that will hopefully ensure it's done in a balanced, sensible way.

[Daniel Decker]

Well said. I agree BUT... there's also that element of building towards something. Chris Brogan and Seth Godin didn't get to be "real" bloggers overnight. They just have many years up on the rest of us (not to mention stellar content). Chris talks all the time about the days when he had no traffic, was posting and slowly building until it gradually began to compound and grow exponentially.

We need to focus on our core business indeed and NOT let that slip by any means however if it's someone's goal to gain an audience as a blogger or leading voice from the megaphone of a blog then time needs to be spent investing in it. Invest today for payoff tomorrow.

One could say invest in what you are willing to lose but at the same time, if you invest and learn how to play the game you can win.

All about intent and strategy in my opinion. Varies by person and their business, objectives and goals. That's the beauty of it all.

Great post.

[Gabriele Maidecchi]

You couldn't express it better.
I simply wouldn't have the know-how or even the will to give up on everything to focus solely on blogging and social media. At the moment it is part of my company's business strategy, like it happens a lot. But when I have other matters on my hands, the key is not feeling too guilty to take time for those.