How to Prevent Facebook from becoming a Productivity Loss

One question business professionals always seem to ask me is “how much time should I be spending on Facebook?” The answer to that varies as much as the people who ask it. For some, 30 minutes a day is more than enough. For others, that’s not even enough time to check their inbox. While there isn’t an exact answer, there are things you can do to make sure the time you spend using Facebook is smart and productive.

Set aside a certain amount of time for Facebook activities

First thing’s, first… Begin by placing limits on yourself. You can always adjust them later. Come up with something that works for you. This might mean setting a daily limit of, say, 30 minutes. Or, you might decide to set your limits on a weekly basis. If you’re starting out, I’d recommend the former. Monitor and analyze your time spending habits over a few days. Make adjustments where necessary.

Decide what’s working for you and nix what’s not. Are you getting a lot done within your limits? Is the time you’re investing proving to be worthwhile? This may sound like a simple concept to follow but, it’s effectiveness can’t be understated. Remember, it’s easier to adjust limits than to work without them at all.

Streamline the flow of information

The more you use Facebook to connect with people, the more you’re going to be hit with information. Status updates, birthday notices, inbox messages, event invitations, wall posts, chats, pokes, friend requests… It can add up pretty fast. The trick is not to absorb all of it at once. Instead, streamline the flow of that information so it’s easier to digest.

The two biggest tools are your email client and your mobile phone. Facebook can send notifications and updates to your email address. Take advantage of this feature. I recommend setting up a separate lable/folder specifically for Facebook. This will allow you to see a consolidated list of recent activity that took place concerning your account (e.g. someone wrote on your wall, commented on a video you posted, etc.). And, in addition to being a more organized solution, it’s also a more convenient one.

Your mobile device also plays a big role in your Facebook productivity efforts. Obviously, there will be times when you’re not in front of a computer or don’t have an Internet connection. Instead of letting those messages pile up, configure Facebook to deliver them via text message. Now, responding to a Facebook message is as simple as sending a standard reply from your phone or PDA. This helps to keep you connected while also reducing the amount of information that could pile up when you’re away.

Stay connected and plugged-in

As a rule of thumb, I try to avoid visiting Facebook when I don’t have to. Instead, I prefer to stay “plugged in” without having to navigate through the site. In other words, I’m connected to the community regardless if I’m on facebook.com or not. To help me accomplish this, I use the Facebook Toolbar for Firefox and an IM client that supports Facebook Chat — in my case, Adium.

Using the toolbar has its benefits. For one, I can see exactly how many pokes, friend requests, messages, events, and group invitations I have in queue. This helps me manage my time better. If I’m busy, I don’t logon to Facebook just to approve friend requests as soon as I receive them. However, a better use of my time would be to process them in batches of 10 or 20.

When it comes to IM, I use Adium (since most of my time is spent on the Mac). Fortunately, it supports Facebook Chat. As a result, I don’t have to be on Facebook to instant message my contacts. If you’re a Windows user, there are a couple of IM clients you can use as well. Digsby is the first that comes to mind… Trillian and Pidgin users should be able to incorporate Facebook Chat with the help of some plugins.

When it comes to Facebook and time managment, there really is no magic formula. But, it’s not rocket science either. Just remember to place limits on the amount of time you spend using the site. After that, it’s all a matter of tweaking it to something that works best for you. With all of the tools, site features, and third-party applications available, you’re literally only a few clicks away from Facebook feng shui.

About The Author

Carol Hansen, a Twitter specialist focusing on building and monetizing your network. You can connect with Carol on Twitter or Facebook and follow her latest projects, blog posts and cool tips on building and monetizing your Twitter following.

About The Author

Dali Burgado, also known as "The Dali Blogger" teaches creative entrepreneurs how to carve a web presence that connects with their Inner Guru and their target audience. Her first online marketing love is SEO. She's an avid connector on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. When she's not coaching or teaching, she's tweaking sites for Search Engine Visibility, working on her PHP and Javascript coding skills, Singing Opera, or learning about gardening. Circle Dali on Google+