Time Management for Baby Boomers
If you’re a baby boomer, you probably have been to some of the time management classes, especially if the place you work ever offered free ones. Remember the Franklin Covey system with the binders and the page inserts? How about the Dale Carnegie training? Did you know that Tony Robbins offered time management courses, too? Just when you thought you knew the rules for time management, along comes social media and your previous attempts at managing your own time go right out the window! So what’s a boomer to do? Here’s how I handle my own social media.
Use the Basics Plus
Do you have a system that works for you? Or did you leave all that behind in the 90’s? If your system works, then by all means continue. But, when I began working in social media, I added some tools to better manage my time. For instance, I like using a hybrid system, with a zen timer app when I’m out of the office, along with an old-school egg timer for when I’m in the office. And I still carry an old-fashioned notebook and pen for my to-do list. Yes, maybe you’ve seen one in the museum!
Batching Tasks
Batching tasks works on social media as well as any day-to-day activities. For instance, you probably run all your errands at once to save wear and tear on the Prius. In my case, I do all my Twitter stuff first. I see who has mentioned me and who has followed me. I try to reply to everyone who has mentioned me (unless it’s in a huge, long list). If someone wants a conversation, I usually reply to those first. I also scroll through my timeline and try to engage with some “new” people each day by asking a question or retweeting or telling others to follow if I find something great. (And as a boomer, you’re quite good at engagement!)
After Twitter, I head to Facebook and check all my conversations there. I don’t read each and every post, but scan. My Facebook is very dialed in and if you want to know how to do that, check this post here. I schedule right on Facebook (usually for that same day), not using a third-party app.
LinkedIn, that most favorite spot of baby boomers, is a good place to engage. I like or comment on posts, and schedule posts through HootSuite Pro.
If women boomers are part of your audience, you need to be on Pinterest. I check my Pinterest for new followers, and see what’s getting repinned. Then I start pinning by scanning my Pinterest stream and also doing searches.
Blogging
Baby Boomers Have Excellent Writing Skills
Next I work on my blog. As a boomer, you probably have good writing skills, so a blog is a natural. Each day, I blog for at least 15 minutes, although that usually turns into 30 minutes or an hour.
Gym
Staying active is important to me, so I make time for it six times a week. Eating pie might be important to you. Whatever. With good time management, you can do the things that you care about.
Simple, But Not Easy
So there you have it. I like simple. What about you? Is your time management simple? Or do you need someone to help you? If you need someone to help, I know a person!
Whatever system works is the one that works and you’re right.
I’m a creature of habit.
For me, at work, it’s email, Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin.
Some of the previous are accomplished through email (if notifications exist).
Then I keep Hootsuite open all day and have notifications in iOS for Riggins’ Twitter account.
Then it’s to my accounting inbox and I do all of that work in batches, just like loads of laundry.
This is a helpful post. I love the humor.
“Eating pie might be important to you. Whatever.” <— HA!
Hi Bridget,
I like that you do everything in batches, “just like loads of laundry.”
The pie (or the exercise) is a kind of reward for having good time management skills.
Thanks for the comments!
Carol
Sweert blog! I found iit while browsing on Yahoo News.
Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News?
I’ve been trying for a while buut I never seem to get there!
Manyy thanks
Hello Jeannie,
Try syndicating your blog with one of the bigger places.
And best luck,
Carol
I do a lot in batches, and work to answer individual call outs, questions or conversations as soon as they come up whether that be through FB or Twitter.
You’re one of the quickest to respond on social media, Kyle, so your system works well. Batching the work helps to get through it more quickly, too. And having a limited number of platforms can make the process easier. Thanks for commenting.
Carol