Do you spend too much time on forums, facebook, twitter or other social media sites? Do you have this time under control, or do you wonder if you spend too much time in virtual realities?

Any tactics for keeping your internet socializing under control?

I really don't have many personal friends, but I don't let myself stay on line too much. I refuse to start these online games as they can be addicting.

One girl I know quit her job and stayed home basically "in game" for about 6 months. She had to go get a job when her money was almost gone.

She had not really done anything about trying to get out of the field she was in (she was in game), so she went right back to the same place and is sorry now.

Working M-F 8-5, writing, doing research at the library, and on the net doesn't leave me too much time to do a lot of socializing.

So far, I do not seem to have the addiction.

That's interesting about being 'in game" mode. I know that my DH used to be lost for 24 hour + days in SIM playing, or for months with his Fantasy Football League. That's a lot of passive time!

I find that I can easily spend HOURS on a daily basis on Twitter. I's addictive. Facebook only seems to take up an hour once a week or so - it goes in spurts when family members seem to load up photos. And there there's the massive time I spend on the forums right here on BellaOnline. That's social media too. And posting and reading reviews on Amazon.

Some people get lost in YouTube for hours when they might actually need to be doing other things. That's not so much a problem for me - I prefer reading things over watching stuff.

Twitter is the biggest offender for me i think.

Sometimes i think i need to go on a social media diet. lol

I used to spend hours on places like CafeMom and others, building profiles and putting up blog postings, etc. I've really tried so back off some of that tho in the past couple months.

I found that instead of doing new articles and blog postings myself, I was spending a lot of time on forums and social networks. I did make some good friends tho that carried on into emailing each other about mutual interests.

Jilly. This is really my first time getting into this forum stuff with people of different interests. I usually almost always have entertained garden forums but that was it.

Considering I've almost become computer-illerate, since quitting my job and becoming an at-home-mom, I find it a time passer, indulging in the forums here at Bella, until time to do other things in the house and the family gets home. Sometimes, though, everyone should take a break away from the computer period.

I used to spend most of my time eithe doing church work on the computer or playing those darn real arcade games. Before you know it, much time will have passed away as you continue to eyeball the computer. I have to take a break for my health and my eyes.

Yes, i often wonder about our poor eyes and spending excess amounts of time on the computer. I have read it's best to take an eye break for five minutes every hour. it doesn't hurt to get up and walk around during that time, too! :-)

I should set a timer to go off each hour to remind myself.


And yes, it's really easy to use the bellaonline forums for socializing, lol!

I'll have to get the 411 from my daughter on the other socializing forums. I'm not too keen conversing with people I am not affiliated with or know. It just seems weird.

I used to be so outgoing. The extrevert and whala, I turned 42 and other things have taken interest and spark. c'est la vie

I used to be on CafeMom this time last year, but I got burnt out on that site. I dont like the flashy pages with all the music. Not really into youtube, will watch animal or autism video, rate and fav and move on. Not into myspace that much, will read a message here and there.

I have been busy at facebook since my 30th HS reunion was last month and connected with some who went to see the pics.

I got really into the entrecard drops over the summer and hope to pick that up over holiday break which brings me to new blogs.

My time is usually on twitter. My event the other day - autism twitter day was very fast paced and trending topic twice.

Yes and no. I admit somedays I get VERY carried away with all of my ninging and tweetin and yahooing, etc. I'm also a member of Myspace, LinkedIn etc, but I don't spend too much time on them.

And when something HAS to get done. I put all of that aside including email and get what needs to get done complete. There are a few days a week that I don't do any social networking at all. I pretty much do it for fun/informational purposes.

What sorts of games are people getting addicted to? That's not something I've encountered too much online. A little hangman now and again LOL, but nothing else.

I know my mother plays scrabble and scramble on facebook. I don't do games myself. I also don't do those little plant exchanges but i know some folks love them.

I like enjoy responding to people's status statements on facebook; lately I've been doing that more than tweeting.

Its all i have to do, plus many hours of tv.
I'm alone most of the time ;(

I never consider posting on forums a waste of time. I figure I am learning from others, and others are learning from me. So keep on posting Rosie!

Jilly you always make me smile,
And feel welcomed

I use the social site to rant, vent and to unwind when I get off from work. I limit my time to about 1 hour every day or so. I work nights, so if I have to stay up, so I can sleep the next day, then I may be on the more. It's great to meet and talk with people from all over the world. You realize that it really doesn't matter where you live, we all have the same problems and concerns.

Oh - in response to "in game" - my friend played (plays) WoW - World of Warquest...........it was/is her main social life.

Update on my online socializing use: I have been getting ready for moving and have had to cut down massively on my networking. I basically cut out Twitter use completely. That really is a time-suck!

I have been keeping my family and friends updated on me at Facebook, with a daily status update. That's about what I can handle right now - one little status update.

It is interesting how quickly we've all adapted to the social media scene! It's become a daily part of our lives...when even a short time ago we didn't use these platforms at all.

To quote Keaunu Reeves, "Whoa."

oh my gosh...I spend so much time in the BellaOnline Forums...it's CRAZY!!! But it's the only one that I do, and everyone is so interesting.... I'm actually trying to find more so that I can increase my exposure - FOR MY WRITING...uh-oh possible time management troubles ahead?

Don't worry - I'll come get you, lol!

I have been addicted to these forums since day 1 that I dsicovered them!

And now that I am planning my 20 yr HS reunion on FaceBook, OMG! I can't escape!

I actually posted on there that I couldn't come out and play one day because I HAD to get my articles written. My friends saw it as a personal challenge to *ding* me all day long!

lol...ah...Michelle...you're my girl, see...I knew I could count on you to save me from a quick forum demise...or from having my fingers stuck in an eternal typing position.

I agree about the BellaOnline forums - there are so many topics, and I have so little time. There are so many great people on these forums that it's difficult to pull away and get articles written.

I am only on Twitter for a few minutes a day, mostly to mention my articles or blogs, but I know others who go in and out all day long. Any of the social media sites can be time wasters if we don't use them wisely (she says as she talks to herself).

Very true! Any of the new media can become addictive. Including the BellaOnline forums (everyone is so nice). :-)

Lol, that's me...going in and out of twitter all day!

Mind you, I do follow some very interesting and engaging people who have interesting and engaging outlooks on different topics such as politics and my favorite topic - breaking news!

I also update my readers with what I'm working on, new titles to write to and new sites.

I don't bother with any social networking except twitter now (& Bellaonline of course!)

We twitter our lives away..... here and there.

I chuckled a second ago. Twitter had too many tweets and it said to try again later.

Too many tweets - that's a hoot.

I use Twitter as a promo tool any time I write an article, so I would write "New hair recipe for rosemary shampoo" when I was all done with it and had it online (I'd include the link). But I don't put minute by minute updates of when I'm actually testing the shampoo or writing the article. I wait until it's done and there's something for people to read.

I have six Twitter accounts now I think and try to update each one once a day at least, with a new URL of information for people to read. I like to provide things to help people, rather than updates on what transient thing I'm going.

I have Twitter update Facebook, so that's all automatic. I rarely actually go into Facebook or MySpace.

I do hang out in the forums here quite a bit but I consider that educational. I learn a TON of things here and for example my conversion to microfiber towels (recommended by people here) is saving me money! So there are a ton of money saving things I learn by talking on the fourms. Cleaning tips, organizing tips, you name it. So I consider this my free team of experts to help organize my life!

That's funny lol ! I also use Twitter to update Facebook and dont actually go there much if at all - I find it a hassle to keep having to log in.

However I do use a mixture of articles,links And everyday updates - some vet twitterers swear by the little minute by minute tweets!

I now also have Twitter uodate my Writing Business website too:

I had to put a moratorium on my using Twitter a few months back - 'twas totally addicted. Now I use Facebook almost exclusively and am enjoying that a lot more.

When I return to wanting to promote my work, I am sure I will use Twitter again, but for right now, I like just finding out what my family and friends are up to, not the hundreds of strangers I network with on Twitter.

I have really done a 180 on Twitter! lols.

Oh, and Lisa, it's all what you find interesting. I enjoy the slices of life tweets that people do MUCH more than links to articles. I want to hear about the daily lives of people I like - makes me feel closer to them, a part of what they are up to. :-)



I totally agree on this! A vast, free life coach! Between the Bellaonline forums and the RV forums I use, I have access to a tremendous resource on getting everything in my life in order. Something just not possible just a short while ago. How did people ever figure things out before?? lol