I did something really smart for my sea glass hob-business (hobby/business) today. I unfollowed about eleven Facebook pages.
I have realized over the past few months how much time it’s taking me to keep up with all the pages that I’m involved with. I then started to remember why I got on FB in the first place.
I didn’t really know anything about FB until I started creating with sea glass. I was working with someone else and we started a FB page together. That was my first experience with FB and it was definitely for business purposes. I created a personal page, and I keep that page VERY personal, friends and family only.
When I started creating my own sea glass jewelry brand I realized that I needed to give potential customers a place to find me and my work. I really enjoy posting on my FB page and interacting with my followers and customers. The problem started when I got involved in a number of different sea glass pages, promotional pages, craft pages, vendor pages, etc. All of the sudden I found myself not only overwhelmed with posts on my news feed page, I felt I needed to make sure I posted and got noticed too on these other pages. And, while it was enjoyable I realized it was taking more and more and more time. I had to figure out what it was actually costing me and what, if anything, I was gaining from it. Unfortunately I realized what I was losing more than I was gaining.
What I was losing was what I enjoyed so much and what got me started on FB in the first place, precious time creating (playing) with my sea glass.
It reminded me of many years ago when I raised sheep. I LOVED it. It came so naturally to me I thought that certainly I had been a shepherd in a prior life. I needed to learn about raising sheep and get involved with other shepherds, so I joined a wonderful group called the Baltimore County Sheep & Wool Producers, and boy did I get involved. Before I knew it I was involved in local demonstrations, taking info on meat and wool, taking lambs and doing spinning demonstrations, involved as Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President and then President. I started showing sheep, sometimes my own, but mostly others sheep. I found myself at the same crossroads where I am now. As much as I was enjoying everything I was doing with and for the group, I was losing precious time with my beloved flock. I started saying “no” and cutting back on what I did to recapture my joy and spend more time with my “Girls”. And I was so glad I did.
I guess this is another aspect of a owing a hob-business. Learning about limitations, and how to say “no”. How to stay focused, how to get back on course and most importantly, how to not lose the joy.
