Emergency Broadcast System

This Is A Test



This Is Not A Test

I have not tweeted anything for three days. Did you miss me? Did you even notice? Did you think something was wrong? What if I were to extend the three days to four, or to five days? Or a week? Or a month? Would you notice then?

What if I posted no articles on this blog for a month? Would you be inclined to ask, "was there an emergency?" "Or were you depressed?" "Or were you truly that busy?"

I'm going on vacation next month for ten days. If I don't post or tweet will anyone in SocialMediaLand notice?

Lots of questions, yes. And here's another one: why am I asking so many questions? 

Fran's Fault

Fran Melmed over at Free Range Communications and I were talking about her upcoming vacation and how she was going to completely disconnect from her social media life during this time.  Subsequently, on her blog she writes this, "the bravado, and now the economic uncertainty, that keeps us from taking vacation drives a lot of unhealthy behaviors, beginning with our sustaining a culture that confuses longer hours with better results. for those of us using social media, the endless churn of information instills in us the sense that we need to contribute or we’re forgotten."

I've been a recent convert to the social media lifestyle. I enjoy it. But I know that when I did convert, I had to focus on a balancing act which now includes four parts:
Family
Work life
Social media life
Me

I really don't mind the balancing act.  But what I find interesting about them is this: out of the four parts, only social media life is infinite and only turns off when you choose. At work, the shop does close. Your family have their lives. And you will probably need to go to sleep soon.  But social media is always on and ready for you to jump in.

Something In The Water

I find it interesting that bloggers have guest bloggers posting while they're on vacation. I don't understand the concept.  If you were going to be gone for over two weeks, maybe I could see it.  Or if you are contractually obligated. Otherwise, it appears to me to be an example of believing one will be forgotten.  When it comes down to the meat of things, that is why I asked so many questions at the beginning.  If we're not involved, will we be forgotten?

I think it's really important to think about these questions and to keep social media life in perspective with the other three parts of life and within the realities of itself. Remember, social media will always be there.  It's sort of like a water faucet. If you leave it on (at least in most parts of the U.S.) it will continue to flow. And flow. And flow. But it's not necessary to be concerned that if you turn the faucet off that there won't be water readily accessible the next time you turn the tap.

For some people, it's important or easier to schedule the time when they put their social media life on the back burner. For years, I've heard people talk about putting time aside for themselves, or for their family.  Sometimes work is busier and you think about putting more time in.  With social media, people talk mainly about putting time aside to get away from it which is probably healthy for them.  I prefer to let it occur more naturally though.  I'm on and off mainly by happen stance. Otherwise it feels like a chore either way.  If I have to purposely turn it off, I feel a sense of addiction. If I have to purposely turn it on, I feel like I'm waiting for an important broadcast, like a doctor on call, or a firefighter.

Though sometimes, I still lose perspective. For example, I left my phone accidently at home last Saturday. At first, I panicked a bit. How will I know if someone tweets me? or wants to IM? Quickly, though I felt relieved to be disconnected and had a perfectly fine day out and about without my phone. It felt good for an afternoon to "live without warning" and not feel like I was part of the emergency broadcast system.