#6: Too much social kills joy at work

3 lessons that helped me make peace with this powerful communication tool as I optimize for more growth at work.

I’ve been both addicted and unplugged when it comes to social media.

Social media can provide you with digital leverage. But it can also turn into self-sabotage and make you fall behind on projects. That’s why using social media too much kills joy at work.

In this issue, I share three lessons that helped me make peace with social media to make the most of it.

☝️ Lesson #1: Using “as desired” is self-sabotage

The times in my life when I’ve been active on social “as desired,” the absurd time I spent on these sites sucked the joy out of my days.

As a result, I had to work more hours to make up for the lost time and operate in a state of urgency—racing to ship projects on time.

☝️ Lesson #2: Quitting cold turkey isn’t the answer

Social media still controls you if you have to quit it to overcome what feels like an addiction.

The problem is not the tool but the user. So quitting means, you’re not addressing the issue: learning how to respond to your strong desires. And the opportunity is that you can leverage social media to grow your career, business, or cause.

The answer is to use it properly—not to quit cold turkey, only to fall back into old habits later.

☝️ Lesson #3: Forget goals, set systems

Trying to curve social media usage with vague goals doesn’t work.

Fortunately, there are many strategies to get the minimum effective dose of social. Consider scheduling tools like Buffer to post and apps like Freedom to limit access. Finally, time block even when you're going to browse and comment on other people’s posts.

The goal is to be more active, spending less time so that your focus is on sharing ideas vs. seeking validation.

So if you’re looking to have a healthier relationship with social media:

✅ Don’t use these sites at will, or they will use you
✅ Learn how to respond and let go of strong desires
✅ Lean in on systems to make the most of social in less time

👉 Healthy social media use = more joy at work.

p.s. If you enjoyed this post, you might also be interested in reading: 6 tactics to turn your iPhone into a distraction-free device.