When I speak before various business groups, I tell them to blog at least 3 times a week and spend at least 30 minutes a day managing social media marketing plans. And that’s after you’ve built a following, which takes even more time and effort for at least the first month! The response I usually get is…
“Where do I find the time?”
“There’s not enough time in the day to run my business never mind doing social media!”
Unfortunately, if you’re going to do social media, you have to do it correctly. Otherwise, you’ll waste your valuable time, your reputation will suffer, and you won’t get the results you want. Furthermore, if you don’t spend the time upfront building your social media presence and following, it’s going to take you longer to start seeing results.
Yes, Social Media is free to use, but it takes Sweat Equity.
Time Management Tips
You need time to plan, learn how to use the networks properly, create and curate content, and actually participate, engage, and build relationships with your potential customers.
A friend gave me Dave Ramsey’s book, EntreLeadership, and the chapter on Time Management was exactly what I needed! (Yes, I, too, need to find more time in the day!)
Here’s how you need to prioritize or divide up the tasks of your day. Believe me, it works! I used this chart for a couple of months, and when I got a new to-do task, I looked to see where it fell. It’s amazing how much can be done later or delegated. After a while, I got used to it. See, time management is a skill. Therefore, the more you do it, the better you’ll get at it.
Quadrant Breakdown
Quadrant 1: Items are things like putting out fires, customer service issues, strict deadlines, and anything to keep clients happy.
Q 4: These are just as easy – basically time-wasters like checking your personal social media. That’s why it’s important to keep personal and business separate.
Q 3: This one gets tricky as some urgent items can seem important. Having your email program open while you’re trying to work can make some emails seem urgent, but they’re not. Close your email program till you’re done, and then go and check your emails. Same thing with the phone. I turn my phone upside down and put it on buzz while I’m working. When I take a break, then I’ll see if someone’s called. All my devices are Apple, and I use the “Do Not Disturb” feature that silences notifications while I’m working or taking personal time.
If someone needs to reach you, they’ll leave a message. Don’t bother calling someone back because they called you and you see their number in your “missed calls” and they didn’t leave a message — it’s probably a telemarketer.
Ask yourself – will doing this help me reach my goals?
Q 2: These are important but not urgent. What falls in here are things like eating, sleeping, drinking plenty of water, exercising, education, reading, catching up with industry news, managing finances, taking breaks so you don’t overwork yourself, etc. If you put these off for too long, they’ll move to quad 1 and become urgent.
Most cell phones these days have the ability to take notes and set up to-dos and reminders. I use my calendar, reminders, and a simple project management program to keep myself sane. I’ve started blocking time in my calendar and setting reminders to do work, and keep certain days for outside meetings, medical appointments, and errands. I also try to schedule outside meetings and errands near each other.
Another important thing is to have a day of rest.
Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
Exodus 20:9-11
God rested on the 7th day, so you should too. Your “Sabbath” can be any day of the week, as long as you use it to rest. Overworking yourself will only make you sick, and then you’ll be no good to anybody. I did that for a while, and then I realized that God had it right. Working 7 days a week is stupid, and you’ll accomplish nothing if you’re too sick or too tired to concentrate.
The Key is to Have Strategic and Tactical Plans
Just like you need a strategic marketing plan and a tactical plan for social media, each day needs a plan. We are given 24 hours each day, and it’s up to us to use those hours wisely.
The good thing is that once you learn how to use the time-saving tools and get used to the platforms, it takes less time to do what you need to do. For instance, with the LinkedIn App on your phone, you can check messages, connection requests, and say happy birthday or congrats to contacts in 10-15 minutes a day — from anywhere!
You CAN Carve Out the Time!
Every business has down times. Use these times to record a short video message, schedule out related articles from trusted sources, or comment and share posts to help you build relationships with potential customers and referral sources.
Moreover, there are many social media marketing and AI tools to help you automate a lot of this posting. Many are free to a point. I happen to love Sendible (affiliate link). I used it for a client, and it was easy to use, had great reporting, and I was hooked! There was no need to go into each of the individual networks to get insights like the best time to post and see which posts got the most engagement.
In conclusion, social media and content marketing are crucial parts of running your business. Therefore, it behooves you to learn how it all works together, how to use the tools effectively, and analyze your efforts to see what works and doesn’t work.
Time Management FAQs
Why is it important to manage time effectively for social media in a business setting?
Because social media can waste valuable time and harm your reputation if not done correctly, planning upfront and using time wisely helps you achieve the results you want and build a sustainable presence.
What is the Time Management Quadrant, and how should I apply it to my day?
The Quadrant Breakdown divides tasks into urgent and important categories to help you prioritize. Focus on Quadrant 1 activities like putting out fires and meeting deadlines, Quadrant 2 for important but not urgent tasks like exercise and learning, and limit Quadrant 4 time-wasters like personal scrolling to stay aligned with your goals.
How can I ensure I have a rest day, and why is it recommended?
Having a designated day of rest prevents overwork and burnout, helps you maintain health, and keeps you effective in handling business tasks. The idea is to rest so you can concentrate better when you return to work.
What role do strategic and tactical plans play in daily social media work?
A strategic plan provides direction for marketing, while a tactical plan outlines the specific actions for social media. Each day needs a plan because we all have 24 hours, and using them wisely leads to better results.
What practical tools or practices can save time and improve efficiency in social media marketing?
Using time-saving tools and AI can automate posting and reporting; scheduling, proofreading, and editing still require human oversight. Apps like linked tools for quick tasks and services such as Sendible can help manage posts and insights efficiently.
Using the available tools is a great time-saver. AI tools can now save you a lot of time, but you still have to edit, proofread, post, and schedule.
One of the things you can do is learn how to manage your social media marketing in 30 minutes a day. I can show you how. Also, having comprehensive marketing and tactical plans will save you time and money.
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