Social overload and how to deal with the overflow

Twitter, Facebook, Bitly, LinkedIn, Email, Blogs – the list goes on.

I found myself recently in a bit of ‘social overload’ and seemed to be consistently using my iPhone to check Twitter, Facebook and my four email accounts. I am talking like every 2 minutes while watching movies, eating dinner, out at bars, etc etc,

It is addictive. To the point I felt unproductive in my down time. It made me wonder, what would I be able to do if I replaced this compulsive behavior with something productive like writing for my blog or writing for the Wiliam blog? Let alone thinking about the toll this addiction must have on my heart, constant connection and constant stress.

Being an internet guy I am forced to try and play with all of the above social utilities – there are thousands more I have to get my head around but I have realized something. Twitter has many benefits, though it is just one of 3-4 other addictive items that sit on my iPhone and I don’t do well with addictive applications and social media.

I deleted Twitter 4 days ago after deciding I wanted to feel less addicted to the internet and put more energy and efforts into my job at Wiliam and my blog Savings Guide.

I wonder if we will see further account cancellations as people attempt to live a less connected life. I also read a large piece on the use of Twitter and Facebook and how it tends to attract narcissistic behavior. I don’t feel I am narcissistic, though I do tend to agree that the constant need to update others on your life does have a certain quasi narcissist feeling to it and is definitely not for me. Like all addictions, I have moments where I regret deleting Twitter but I have learnt that it is final – once you delete your account it is never coming back.