One spring activity I’m currently enjoying is increasing my LinkedIn connections. I’ve had LinkedIn for years but didn’t take the time to understand it. It seemed boring and came across as slightly insincere because I despise vague corporate sayings like “dynamic solutions.”
However, I’ve found that LinkedIn has some benefits to my current stage in life.
1️⃣ The user experience.
It’s not visually overstimulating. I enjoy clean lines and restful graphic design. Obviously, you can’t beat a book 📖 for this experience but in the social media category, LinkedIn currently does well with this.
2️⃣ The pace.
It’s not frenzied. You can like and comment on someone’s post from three weeks ago and we’re all cool with that. There’s no pressure to always post what’s on your mind. (I really don’t wish to know what’s on someone’s mind at every moment! I wish folks would weigh their thoughts carefully before posting… maybe even leave me lost in the mystery! I am truly ok to go a few days without hearing from you).
3️⃣ The mindset.
We’re here to connect. I believe all humans crave connection, in one way or another. Real-life interactions are still the most effective way to connect, but it’s neat to have an online “connection bank” to help my memory. I enjoy seeing the occasional achievements, photos of a networking lunch, a new building addition, etc. I can look at your work history if I’m curious. Then… I go on out about my life and don’t feel the compulsive need to check for new dopamine candy. To me, this seems a sustainable social media mindset.
I’m also full of care with whom I choose to connect.
I don’t necessarily want a big network, I want a real network.
Robin Dunbar, a psychologist, has proposed a mental limit to the number of meaningful, stable connections we can have- he says it’s around 150. Beyond that, he believes we see diminishing returns. I can see why he proposes his theory, because we all know we don’t have the mental bandwidth to have real relationships with every single person on the planet.
Regarding this, writer and business coach Naomi Dunford says, “In a minimalist business, we focus on mindful, mutually beneficial relationships, and we connect in ways that matter and feel good, not in ways that drain time, energy and attention.”
Currently, LinkedIn does not drain my time, energy or attention. Let’s talk about it in person next time we meet- check the Neosho Area Chamber of Commerce’s calendar and hopefully we’ll meet up at one of their events!