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  • Beginnings and Ends: Saying Goodbye to 2008 and Hello to 2009
  • Staying Connected In A Time Crunched World
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As the end of 2008 approached, the onslaught of list posts increased”

“The Top 10 …”

“The Things I Learned in 2008″

And so on. Which then led to the inevitable list posts for 2009 predictions:

“How to Make 2009 the Best Year Ever”

“The 5 Things You Can Do to Start the Year Off Right”

and let’s not forget, “New Year’s Resolutions for 2009″

It’s enough to make your head spin. What is it with the need to recap a year and then immediately start off with a list of things you want to “do better” in the next? Sure we want to use the end of a year to look back and review what did and did not work. Pat ourselves on the back for our successes and shake our head for the failures. After all if we don’t know our own history aren’t we doomed to repeat it? The successes we don’t mind repeating. It’s the failures we’d like to avoid in the future.

I was chatting with my sister recently who shared this observation, “Everyone has a better beginning of the year than they do an end of the year.”

“Really, is that true? If so, why is that the case?” was my puzzled response.

“People start the year full of hope and optimism. They’re excited and ready to make things happen or change, but as the year progresses they get bogged down and lose their energy” she elaborated.

This got me thinking about beginnings and endings. If we are energized by the beginning and not so energized at the end, then why not adjust our perception of beginning and endings? What makes the beginning of a year any different than the beginning of a month, a day or an hour?

Of course it’s the frequency that makes the difference. Every hour is too often. Every day is too mundane. Every month blends into the next. It’s the changing of the year that strikes a cord within us. Having to kiss goodbye to 2008 and say hello to 2009 gives us time to pause in the busyness of our lives. Time to reflect on what has been and plan for what, we hope, will be.

Image by: Brewing Media

We all lead busy lives. It doesn’t matter if you are a 9am-5pm cube dweller or a stay-at-home mom and dad. From the time we wake up until we finally close our eyes, we are busy. Time is already at a premium, so how are we supposed to add social networks into our jam-packed schedule?

One of the great things about the social networks, Staying Connected,  can also one of the the biggest drawbacks. Sure we want to chat with folks from around the globe, get news as it happens, learn about people making a difference and even find out about amazing shopping deals but it does take time to participate on the networks in order to be privy to the latest news. If you’re already busy, it seems like a daunting task to take on Social Networking.

Here are a few tips to help you make the most of the time you do have to participate on the Social Networks:

1. Choose at least 1 but no more than 5 Social Networks. Remember each network requires your active participation in order to work for you. So take the time to investigate the networks that best suit your needs upfront.

2. Find the mobile versions or tools for each of the networks. Almost all of the Social Networks have a mobile version or integrate with existing mobile tools. Think about the time you currently spend standing in line at the bank, post office, store or waiting for a connecting flight. These are prime examples of how you can use what would be considered wasted time to stay connected.

3. Timing can work to your advantage. While all the Social Networks are available 24/7, there are optimum peak times to dip your toe into the busy conversation stream. By the same token there are also off-peak times in which your voice can carry further by interacting closely with fewer participants.

4. Participate in the conversation daily. Sure we’re crunched for time, but if we don’t take the time to at least post an update or two daily, we’re missing out on keeping our connections current. The last thing you want to do is take the time to build up your presence only to have it fade away due to anemic posting.

While there are many more techniques for staying connected these four are a way to get off to a good start. Feel free to add your tips and techniques for staying connected in a time crunched world.

photo credit: ManiacWorld

In the Evangelist to Muse Series, the first step to getting your project, idea or business off the ground is to become the Evangelist.

Theme music is Dangerous Things by George Fletchers Bourbon Renewel

I begin a new series titled, “From Evangelist to Muse”

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About Jennifer Navarrete

Enjoying the Adventure called Life!

The Things I'm Doing, The Places I'll Be:

1/08/09
Social Media Club San Antonio January Meeting

1/17/09
San Antonio Podcasters 3rd Annual State of the Podcasting Union

1/21/09
Social Media Breakfast San Antonio Launch

1/31/09
Freelance Camp San Antonio

4/25/09
GreenCamp San Antonio

5/16/09
PodCamp San Antonio 3.0

5/29/09-5/31/09
Startup Weekend San Antonio 2

Links

• BlogCatalog - Blog Catalog is the premiere social blog directory on the internet.
• Brewing Media - Brewing Media: Consulting, Training, Workshops, Webinars, Fun!
• Entrepreneurs At Home - Where I go to get entrepreneurially recharged
• Hobo’s Landing - Where The Boxcar Meets The Track
• Morning BrewCast: Coffee Fun - Grab your cup of brew and join the fun!
• MyLabelNet: Turning Your Ideas Into Visual Productions - Business to Business Printers. Your Partners in Success!
• Navarrete Consulting - Graphic Design & Mac Tech Support
• Project Spurs - The San Antonio Spurs: Insight, Reviews, News all from True Fans
• San Antonio Podcasters - New Media Events, Podcaster Spotlight Interviews and more
• Shaine Mata - Life Without A Manual
• Tech in Twenty - Social Media Techniques, Tips and Technology

View my page on Social Media Club - San Antonio

View my page on RGV New Media