Has Social Media Put Us In a 24-Hour Non-Stop Cycle?

Something pressed my buttons this week.  Something fuelled by our love for, and entanglement with those delicious social media buttons.  The temping beeps, the flashing lights, and the illusion that you are always available.

Social Media Buttons x 4

I love, love, love social media, and I’ve noticed an interesting phenomenon of late.   A few people messaging me to say that they have seen that I’ve posted a few Facebook status updates yet I haven’t replied to their (work based) message or e-mail.

Just as when I had a day job I would find it kind of outrageous if a boss would try to reprimand me for working all day, leaving work at the agreed time, and then having the audacity to be out catching up with friends or making personal phone calls from home rather than replying to an e-mail from them, I also find it kind of outrageous that people would be trying to do it in this social medium.

Unless somebody is gonna die, if you message me late at night, when I’m having a day off, or over the weekend about a work related issue I will get back to you sometime the next working day or after the weekend. If I happen to feel in the mood I might reply but really, just because I might be up 24 hours a day, it doesn’t mean that I want to be working all of those hours.

Maybe it is because so much more of our lives are visible with the advent of social media, and that being ‘active’ or ‘online’ sets the expectation that we should be ready, willing, and able to respond to everything regardless.

I for one am choosing to re-instate the boundary that used to exist when I had a day job because the days are already more than full enough at the moment, without adding an ‘Open All Hour’ sign into the mix.

Marilyn Devonish xxx

AN UPDATE TO THE ORIGINAL POST

Wow, this one has had quite a response!  Here are just some of the views and tons of comments that I’ve had within the first 45 minutes on facebook:

“Well said. The work day lines are blurring”

“24 hr busy-ness? No thank you. Agreed Marilyn!”

“Love this 🙂  X”

“well said ~ boundaries are important ~ enJOY your day x Love Song & Smiles”

“I think there are lots of things at play here.. I think that you are setting your boundary in this situation Marilyn. Which is connected to your values. And boundaries are usually only ‘seen’ and set when they are crossed- otherwise they are invisible! Then there is the case of the upset individual who could not see that invisible boundary, until you voiced it. This person could have been coming from one of many angles such as; feeling that they are not valued and not important (not good enough), jealous of the enjoyment and frolicking you posted about in your FB updates, or simply that they have different values!”

“Word!”

“Couldn’t agree more!!”

“Well I disagree with everybody. I think Marilyn Devonish belongs to us 25 hours out if 24. How dare she put her life ahead of ours. I mean is it unreasonable to expect M to be available to us 24/7 after all Facebook is 24/7 so M can you plz stop what you are doing like resting taking some Marilyn time and plz answer the 62,000 questions I asked you….thank you for your consideration. Your bestest friend in the world Eeeeejay lol”

“Great post Marilyn. It seems to be a common experience for people who run their own business. And social media makes us so available. I get people who pm me for readings, coaching and even customer service issues. I politely point them in the right direction but even doing that doesn’t always work. they seem to think if I have time to reply with my team’s contact info then surely I have time to help them out there and then. I must say I don’t like it but haven’t found a comfortable way of dealing with it yet.”

 

Marilyn Devonish is a Writer, Social Boundary Breaker, MindSet Freer, and Lover of Life.

You can find further information about Marilyn and her work via her website:  www.tranceformationsTM.com

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