Unrestricted access to social media and reducing wasted time at work are more practical than controversial issues. While requiring a detailed analysis of the work environment and each professional's role, it's clear that uncontrolled internet access is ineffective. Increasing focus on work and promoting productivity in companies is essential.
Therefore, it is up to business management to establish clear policies for controlling and accessing the internet, as well as to communicate and guide employees on the rules for using applications, websites, social networks, and other web resources.
The main objective of these measures is to improve compliance processes in data security and governance, seeking higher productivity rates by minimizing distractions.
To aid in this analysis, I suggest reading the following articles beforehand:
- 8 benefits of controlling internet access in companies
- Do you know why blocking websites is important for companies?
- When is it recommended to block websites in a company?
- How to block websites: discover the advantages of managing internet access
- Blocking employee websites: synonymous with security and productivity
- Block websites while working from home
- Learn why blocking websites is an important solution for businesses.
- Blocking access to websites is a growing trend in internet security and an obligation for companies.
Responsible and shared commitment between employees and companies.
Regardless of the company's policy, it is essential that you, as an employee, understand that the constant use of social media during work hours impairs focus and the execution of your tasks.
This awareness fosters a responsible and mutual commitment between employees and employers, ensuring a win-win relationship. When one party is harmed, the outcome is never positive, and the impacts are always damaging.
Lack of productivity and failure to meet established goals are irresponsible attitudes that immediately affect the company's performance and the work environment.
In the long run, this behavior can compromise the company's growth and job security.
Therefore, for their own benefit, employees should act responsibly when accessing social media at work, maintaining the commitment and discipline necessary to fulfill their responsibilities within the company.
As a result, we've listed 11 simple tips to keep your team focused and make work more productive :
1 – Use only relevant social media.
Every day, social media finds new ways to attract and distract users. In fact, they are extremely effective at capturing attention and consuming time. Before accessing any network during work hours, assess whether it is truly relevant and appropriate in the work context. If there is any doubt, it is best to avoid it and focus exclusively on your professional responsibilities. After all, it is the company, not social media, that provides your livelihood.
2 – Disable email notifications
Social media platforms offer the option to configure email notifications. Ideally, you should disable all notifications, as it's difficult to resist the urge to check why you were tagged or commented on something. In these moments, discipline and responsibility should prevail.
3 – Turn off notifications on your smartphone screen.
Most users access their social media through their mobile phones, and by default, the apps send alerts about any activity on their profile. These alerts are an invitation to curiosity and can easily lead to wasted time. To avoid these distractions, configure the apps on your phone to not display notifications on the screen. This tip also applies to other apps that are not related to your work.
4 – Keep your cell phone out of your reach.
With quick and easy access, users end up developing the habit (addiction in some cases) of constantly checking their cell phones and accessing social media to see what's new on their timeline. Therefore, avoiding this habit is essential. So, keep your cell phone stored in a drawer or bag, within easy reach, only so you can hear it in case of a call.
5 – Set specific times to access your social media.
It's not necessary to stop accessing your social media, but do so at specific times. Ideally, use breaks during the workday. Certainly, 20 minutes during each break is more than enough to check your profile. This recommendation can also be useful for companies that control access, allowing it at certain times to provide employees with adequate rest.
6 – Determine your objective on each social network.
Being on social media needs to have a purpose. Therefore, you need to understand the purpose of social networks and how to keep up with friends and stay informed about news from brands you're interested in, without interfering with your work routine. The clearer you are about why you access a social network, the more you will avoid wasting time.
7 – Follow only relevant people and brands.
This tip complements the previous one. Follow your defined objective and only follow relevant people and brands that interest you. Avoid following just any type of content; this will only clutter your timeline with useless topics and may cause you to miss interesting information due to content overload.
8 – Relevance is worth more than quantity.
Similarly, following relevant content allows you to share useful and interesting information. This avoids everyday posts or useless comments. In this sense, common sense is fundamental to avoid discussions involving political and religious preferences, for example.
9 – Use social media management tools
There are online services that allow integrated access to multiple social media profiles, making it easier to view content and posts. A good option for managing social media is HootSuite .
10 – Social networks are not “real time”
Understand that social media doesn't require immediate responses. You can wait to reply to a comment. Truly urgent and important issues rarely come through social media.
With this in mind, there's no need to interrupt your professional activities to respond to online interactions. Prioritize your work responsibilities and set aside adequate time to manage social media outside of work hours.
11 – Separate your online life from your offline life.
Even though social media is present in our daily lives, it's crucial to understand that real life is what matters most. Prioritizing social media over reality is a behavior that can be linked to personal dissatisfaction. Stay focused on your personal and professional goals; nothing is more important than that!
Finally, to conclude our tips, I would like to emphasize that social media is here to stay. In other words, you should proceed in a healthy and conscious way, both for cultivating friendships, staying well-informed, and nurturing professional relationships. Anything different from that is possibly irrelevant.
3 comments
Comments closed