I will be the first to admit that I was reluctant to get a Facebook account, but after a few friends (and you know who you are) peer pressured me into it, I took the plunge. It’s now been six months using this tool and I have to admit I really like it and am enjoying it. Now, just like anything else Facebook can take over your life and it has for many people. You have to monitor the amount of time you are dedicating to Facebook and have some idea as to why you’re using it. Is it just for fun? Are you using it for business too?
So we all know Facebook can kill productivity if you keep it open all day, so I’m not going to even go there. From an organizer’s perspective close FB when you’re not using it and use a timer to avoid overuse. On the flip side it has helped me in a few areas that I think are important to mention:
- It has greatly reduced my email. Thank goodness for small favors, something has decreased the amount of emails coming into my inbox. Of course I love to hear from friends via email, but who has time to email back and forth all the time. Using FB I can touch base with them as often as I want in a much more social way. I can comment on something they said and its appropriate to only say a few words rather than go on and on.
- I can check as often or as little as I want. With email, because its in my inbox, I feel obligated to respond to everything. Don’t you? Using FB, its not the same and I can check in and out with much less pressure.
- Staying in better touch with friends and family. Of course, this is obvious, but when you live as far away from home as I do it’s so nice to be able to connect with people on a regular basis. Just yesterday I was “IMing” with my cousin who is in New York. I can see what she’s up to for the summer and we started chatting. It was great and I feel connected to her and others in a much more genuine way.
Like anything else, FB can become one more thing to do so if you don’t enjoy it, don’t do it. If you want to learn to use Facebook more effectively, be on the lookout for the Audio Recording being released fro our Social Media TeleSummit. And if you are going to embark on this new phenomenon, keep a watchful eye on the clock. 10 minutes can turn into two hours in no time. Give yourself some guidelines and have fun with it!
opic was Fruitful Facebooking: How to Leverage the Social Giant to Further your Biz and Brand. 
The first day of the 
The average Facebook user spends about 21 minutes plus per day at the online social network. 
he comforts of your own home telephone. Our TeleSummit, From Prospects to Profits: Thriving Using Social Media, will include seven (we added a bonus speaker) social media experts who will teach you a soical media skill, tool or technique in 75 minutes.