Social media is such a huge distraction sometimes. New followers, new replies, new private messages! Oh look, there goes a new Twitter list. It starts to become easy for us take our eyes off the real ball: our work. We struggle with getting out of the conversations and content to get back to what we’re supposed to be doing. As naturally social creatures, we can’t help ourselves. Well here are a few techniques I use to get back to the money as they say.

• Make A Work Flow (And Stick To It)
  
  Inside of my Google Calendar I have a workflow that I try to stick to everyday no matter what. I set aside time to participate in my friend’s Twitter conversations 2x a day for about an hour. While I may not always stick to it, it helps to remind me of what I should be doing to accomplish my goals. I recommend Louis Gray’s Social Media Workflow post to get a better idea of what you should create.
• Social Media: Trick or Treat

  Trick yourself with a treat. Whenever you know you need to get off Facebook, just trick yourself with a social media treat. The sooner you get your work done (or a part of your work done), the sooner you can take a break and finish playing Farmville in Facebook.
    

• Play Music That Moves You

  I am a hip-hop addict! Hip-hop songs move me and motivate me in ways that technology can’t begin to touch. So, I listen to songs that energize me or put me a mood that’s conducive to getting me to work. Sometimes, I’ll create a playlist and let the music play in the background while I work too. Try it and see if it helps you too.
     

• Research Your Tasks Using Social Media

  This technique almost always gets my creative juices going. Whatever I need to do that social networks are distracting me from, I start reading about it within those social networks. Reading about what I need to do stimulates me to want to do it and can even help me figure out better ways to accomplish the task at hand. It’s a win/win situation if you just can’t help yourself.

Social Pause & Reflect

Using a mixture of these techniques over time, it’s become a lot easier for me to not only get in and get out of the conversation, but also make the most of it. They’ve become great habits through discipline, focus, and commitment.

• How do you stay focused on work, while making the most of your social networking time?