Whether you want to believe it or not, the way a particular social network is designed can have wide-reaching effects on our behavior. Staying plugged into any network, digital or otherwise, for a prolonged amount of time can begin to change us unconsciously in a way we don’t realize until we finally become untethered. Here’s a little anecdote of why I’m iterating this particular message now.
Taking a break from Plurk
Lately, I’ve been spending a lot of time on Plurk, an offbeat microblogging service that’s been popular with a healthy niche (see here for a great review). Plurk’s unusual in that it provides vibrant real-time feedback through use of a central timeline and is particularly sticky due to its Karma feature and rapid rate of updates and replies. However, these unique advantages also prove to be one large disadvantage: if you let it, the service can take up a ton of free time!
Last night, I made the mistake of letting Plurk eat up a bit too much of my availability, and intended to remedy the issue this evening with an iron fist: no Plurk! Instead, I opted to spend (less) time on some of my other less demanding networks, like Pownce.
Reaping the reward
I realize how such a small decision might evoke a big “So what?” from the more skeptical, but it’s amazing how just stepping away from an always-on, time consuming network for just a tiny bit can open so many more doors. Here are some of the great things I was able to participate in online as a result of going cold turkey on Plurk:
- engaging in a great discussion with Angela and others about the function of certain networks
- learning about some disheartening health-related research on FriendFeed
- discovering the new fitness service Gyminee
- having a chance to comment on Corvida’s most recent article
- extra time to e-mail and catch up with friends off of social networks
In other words, just as productivity experts have shown staying plugged into work e-mail wastes time, for me, keeping a connection with Plurk on-line at all times might have similar effects.
Does unplugging mean missing out?
At first, I was concerned that bowing out of a network meant I would miss valuable opportunities to socialize with interesting individuals. Yeah, I laughed after typing that too; did I miss much? Not really. Consider my pal Mathilda, who cross-posted a few updates to both Plurk and Pownce. Even though she should be ashamed of herself, we can forgive her because it provides a nice opportunity for comparison. Did I miss out on the conversation by only attending to Pownce? Decide for yourself (click to enlarge).
The take-home message
I guess if there’s anything to be learned from this experience, it’s that as with anything in life, balance is key. A network that’s so demanding of time, such as Plurk, needs to be handled with extreme care or else it can quickly get out of hand. Who wants to miss out on valuable opportunities just because they got sucked in to a sticky social network? Sure, I’ll be back sooner or later, but this evening may have just been incentive to skip out tomorrow night, too.
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{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Cool post and a good refresher for all. I’ll try and include this in the Plinks on plurkable.com
Bloggeries! Glad to hear it, keep providing that great Plurk news!
Cool post and a good refresher for all. I’ll try and include this in the Plinks on plurkable.com
I too decided to take a breather… for me it was Twitter, and the abundance of blubber.
I’ve been enjoying FriendFeed, and can still monitor what’s a-Twitter. It’s definitely harder to abstain than I thought!
That was fast, Bloggeries! Glad to hear it, keep providing that great Plurk news!
I too decided to take a breather… for me it was Twitter, and the abundance of blubber.
I’ve been enjoying FriendFeed, and can still monitor what’s a-Twitter. It’s definitely harder to abstain than I thought!
Richard! “Abundance of blubber” is right (although fortunately it seems as though Twitter and even Pownce have made some great strides towards improving usability).
Abstention is tough– I can imagine someone unfamiliar with these services reading this post and asking, “What’s the big deal?” We know the truth, though!
Good for you, Richard! “Abundance of blubber” is right (although fortunately it seems as though Twitter and even Pownce have made some great strides towards improving usability).
Abstention is tough– I can imagine someone unfamiliar with these services reading this post and asking, “What’s the big deal?” We know the truth, though!