6 Ways to Stay Productive on Social Media

We all need social interaction because it’s a basic human need just like water, food, and sleep are. It may not be as obvious because a lack of social interaction won’t kill you or cause physical changes like the other three do, but it will harm your brain. Getting enough socialization also makes for a productive day.

Shouldn’t spending more time on social media make you more productive too, then?

Why social interaction is key for productivity in the workplace

How did humans survive as a species? Not bootstrapping, that’s for sure! Staying in groups made us better persistence predators (so we were able to eat well) and also helped us repel the attacks of wild animals that would otherwise have killed us off. Many wild animals that humans would have faced in prehistoric times were bigger, more muscular, faster (though only over short distances), or had larger and longer talons and more powerful jaws. Etc.

One human against these animals would certainly have been destroyed, so we used cooperation and socialization to our advantage. We survived by banding together, and so the human brain needs social interaction to survive and thrive.

This is true even for introverts; we just need a bit less of it than extroverts do. But some social interaction is necessary for the brain to function properly. And (say it with me), if it’s good for the brain it’s good for productivity. 

Which social media platforms make for a more productive day?

Trick question!

The answer is none. Zero. Zilch. In fact, although “social” is in the name, there’s nothing the brain recognizes as social about them. And although they are referred to as “social” media, they’re not designed for socializing either.

All the major platforms are public companies, which means they have to make money. If your business doesn’t make money, you can’t really say you’re in business. (The IRS agrees and may classify your business as a hobby if you don’t make money from it.)

And all the major platforms make money in the same way: by selling ads. Their business models are more profitable when you spend more time on each platform, so they’re incentivized to keep you on there for as long as possible. They’re monetizing your attention - but you don’t share in any of that profit (unless you’re a shareholder in the public company, of course.)

Your connections or friends or whatever they’re called on each site are how they draw you in. But how do they keep you on the site? The science of addiction.

All companies that make their money by seizing your attention know how to weaponize your dopamine against you (dopamine being a key neurotransmitter in addiction). Every time someone likes or engages on your post, the notification - whether it’s a noise, a pop-up, or whatever - prompts your brain to release a little dopamine. 

Your brain wants more dopamine hits, so you’re motivated to keep going and get more notifications. When you leave the platform, no more dopamine, so you stay on and keep scrolling. That gives the platform more time to get ads in front of your eyeballs.

Now you know that “social” media companies aren’t interested in the social benefits to you, but don’t your posts and comments on friends and family count as social? Not to your brain they don’t. (Texting doesn’t either, by the way.)

In order for your brain to get the genuine social interaction it needs, you need to, well, genuinely interact socially. In-person is best, but calling on the phone and talking to people also qualifies. Video connection probably does as well, especially if your camera is on.

Actual conversation satisfies your brain’s need for interaction. You don’t even have to talk that much if you’re hanging out with someone. Social satisfaction helps fill up your productivity tank so you can enjoy a productive day. 

Use “social” media without destroying productivity in the workplace

Having said all that, the platforms are here to stay and most businesses do use it as a way to get their brand in front of people and improve awareness. If you have a service-based business, you probably won’t be selling directly on the platform. However, you can use it to identify prospects and nurture them as part of your marketing funnel. 

It’s critical to set your boundaries so that you make the most of your time on the platforms and don’t get sucked in to wasting time. Here are some tips to stay productive if you’re not a social media manager (and some of these might help if you are!)

• Take the apps off your phone

There’s literally no need to have them with you at all times. If you run a business from social media (bad idea, BTW) then have notifications sent to your email instead.

• Disable notifications on all devices

Do you need to drop everything you’re doing when your phone dings to find out someone liked your post? (Another bad idea!) Don’t allow the notifications to pop up or make noise. That way you can focus on what you’re doing and check social media when you’re not already in the middle of something important.

• Identify the platform(s) that cater to your ideal clients and ones that you enjoy

There are a ton of platforms out there, and you don’t have time to be on them all. Each one has a certain demographic and if it doesn’t fit your ideal client, you don’t need to be on it. 

They also all treat content differently - some are more text-based and others are more visual. If you hate creating videos, for instance, stay away from YouTube or TikTok.

• Ignore the platforms that don’t serve your business (unless you have a social media manager) and your interests

For example, my company is B2B so I’m on LinkedIn. I don’t love creating graphic posts, so even though many women business owners are on Pinterest, I’m not.

• Batch content creation and use a scheduler to post

I’m not writing this post on the day it’s going to go out. I’m also not writing just this post today because I’ll batch several. I have my content calendar laid out until the end of the year, so on content creation days I can write as many as I like. Then after I edit them they get scheduled. Batching similar things together is also a way to have a more productive day, because your brain isn’t switching from task to task.

• Use a timer when on the platform and close out when the timer goes off

Limit the time you spend on the platform(s). You have other, much more important things to do than scroll through your feed. 

But sometimes you might just need a thinky break from your cognitively demanding work. Although “social” media isn’t the best way to take a break, it’s not that big a deal as long as you don’t get sucked down the rabbit hole. A timer will help you stop when you need to.

Recap (tl;dr):

Humans need social interaction to be productive, and so-called “social” media doesn’t address that need. You probably still need to use it for business, but be intentional about the time you spend on it.

“Social” media can be a productivity-destroying distraction, but it’s not the only one. Find out which type of distraction is the biggest issue for you and how to fix it with the Distraction Quiz.