How to avoid the traps of perfectionism and procrastination can be tricky when it comes to social media. You want to do it because everyone else is but it’s so much more–it is how business gets done now. Then, of course, there are the desires to do it right paired with the angst of when and how to do it!
How to avoid traps of perfectionism and procrastination can be tricky when it comes to social media. Stay focused on the end result and know your followers.
If you are thinking about making a change in your social media strategy because you are not making any progress it could be that you are stuck in one or both of the traps –perfectionism and/or procrastination. Do you recognize these two culprits? It’s important that you learn how to recognize them so you can dodge their crafty moves while on the road to social media success.
These two often travel hand-in-hand and are responsible for the imaginary list of things you don’t have or need to work out a successful social media strategy. When you are able to clearly recognize the signs you will be able to take the necessary action to avoid the pitfalls they cause and when necessary you can seek out a trusted source for assistance.
Perfectionism is defined as refusal to accept any standard short of perfection.
Here are three tips for overcoming the trap of perfectionism when creating your social media strategy:
- Stay focused on the end result. The idea is to cross the finish line. If it took longer than you expected, so what! The main thing is crossing the finish line and completing what you set out to do.
- Dump the word should. It is part of the defense mechanism of perfectionism which desperately wants to avoid feelings of rejection, criticism and failure. You may feel like you should be able to do something but what happens when you miss the mark? There is nothing wrong with having high standards, just make sure they are realistic.
- Be open to the idea of compromise. Plan A may not be working out but there are 25 other letters lined up and ready to take their turn at bat. Life is not black-and-white, there are many shades of color but you must be willing to accept them.
Procrastination is defined as the action of delaying or postponing something.
Procrastination is the biggest thief of time. Once you spend money, you can make more but once you spend time it is gone, gone, gone just like the movie! There is no way to put more time in the bank of life so you need to use time wisely. Much like perfectionism, procrastination is deeply rooted in fear. Take time to know your fears up close and personal. Write them down if you have to; it is very difficult to overcome something you do not know when you see it. One of the most common fears associated with procrastination is the fear of making a mistake so here are three tips aimed to help you get it right:
- If the mistake you fear in social media use is no engagement, take time getting to know your fans and followers. This requires research but it will time well spent in the long run. Building online relationships takes dedication backed by determination just as it does when building one in person.
- Know your expectation of using social media. Seeing results from using social media has a particular order and you can build one that works for you. Don’t fly by the seat of your pants, make a plan and follow it through.
- Avoid shortcuts and large leaps, break it down into manageable steps. Always look at the end result and work your way back so you can determine where to begin and what comes next.
Social media use can get clouded at times. Know this, you are not alone; Facebook itself has more than 1.23 billion monthly active users. You will find a solution that helps you achieve the results you desire in due time. How have you battled with the dynamic duo–perfectionism and procrastination? What tips can you share with the rest of us? Leave a comment here or on Facebook.
