This is a difficult subject for me to blog about. For one, I am definitely not an expert when it comes to any of it. Two, there are so many platforms or apps out there that it’s difficult to learn them all. Three, there is just not enough time in my day to even begin to learn half of what I need to know for my day job and my evening/weekend job.

During the day, I am a Social Media Admin for our local church. I started out as the Parish Secretary and did that for just over seventeen years. From the beginning and through today, I am also the bulletin editor. No formal title, of course, but everyone knows who does the bulletin. Over the years, the bulletin has evolved from a four-page, one-color leaflet that we printed ourselves and also folded (Thank goodness for modern machines that allow for this type of efficiency!) to an eight-page, full-color bulletin that is also now available online.

Due to the growth of our parish, my duties increased to include maintaining the content for our new website, a Facebook page, and a Twitter account. In the past few months, we also acquired a new app to make communicating with our parishioners and many ministries much easier. And somewhere in all of this, Covid happened, and I eventually also needed to learn about ZOOM.

Then, there is my newfound life as an independent author. So, what was once a writing life has now become a social media and marketing life. I’m finding that Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are not enough for promoting my book. There are other apps and websites that are just as beneficial as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Pinterest and Goodreads, or even more so. In fact, there are so many that I can’t even name them yet until I become more familiar with them. Sorry, I don’t want to promote anything before I have first-hand experience with it….So, please consider this a “to be continued….” or on-going blog post.

There are two things I have learned during this process and stage in my life on both jobs/careers. One, I do not know enough about any social media app, or platform, to effectively do a great job at either of my current career roles. And, two, I will never have enough time to learn everything I need to know about all the social media apps that will best serve my life as a published writer and author. This doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying though.

So, what does a person do? Especially when life is already busy packing up one house, prepping another house to live in, writing a second book, and trying to keep in touch with family and friends in a meaningful way. Perhaps the answer is in just doing the best that one can. This includes not reading every writing group post, but merely skimming to see if it pertains to one’s needs. It also includes setting a timer or watching the clock, so that important things don’t get neglected—like meals, sleep, and walking my puppy—while immersed in all this surfing and learning.

What are your ideas? Do you have this problem? Are you so swamped, overwhelmed, or short on time that you meet yourself coming and going? It sure happens to me a lot more than I care to admit. But, I am finding that a little bit of packing or chores and a little bit of doing what I need to do to promote my recently published book goes farther than using the entire evening on one or the other. So, maybe it’s about finding that “sweet spot” or balance between work and fun.

What will I do next? Some more laundry. Some more email. Some goal setting. And then, hopefully, early-to-bed, early-to-rise so that I’m up early enough to workout in the morning.

The challenge of social media can be overwhelming at times, but it shouldn’t keep us from enjoying our life. Instead, taking one day at time—and even one moment at time—can be just what any of us needs to do to meet the challenge of all this social media in our life.

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If you are looking for more inspiration in your life, check out my book, “HONOR ONE ANOTHER: The ABCs of Embracing Our Spirit Within.” It’s easy-to-read, only 60 pages (less, really), thought-provoking, and can be read in less than an hour or over one month or less if you read one to two pages at each sitting. Whatever you decide, I wish you the best in your life and journey.