When Instagram and Facebook crash, the whole world feels the effects. The outage (or outrage) sometimes lasts for hours and hours, and some users experience things such as a feed that wouldn’t refresh and images that wouldn’t load or not being able to post in groups.
Pandemonium ensues, naturally. Businesses and individuals rely on social media every day, so to take a break from social media feels sacrilegious. But, users around the world are forced to take a break and the next time it happens, we’ll be prepared.
Here are five things to do the next time your social media is down:
1. Get caught up on writing blog posts
Let’s be real – a lot of us put off writing. You need to be hit by a real wave of inspiration to sit down and pound out a few blogs. Trust me, we feel you! What better time to turn off technology and get in the zone than a social media outage? Take this time to unplug, head to your favorite coffee shop or sit in your favorite spot in the office or at home, and get those blogs done that have been on your to-do backlog.
2. Clean out your inbox (or some other housekeeping issue)
I know, I know, this doesn’t sound fun. But, it’s so necessary! Finally get down to cleaning out your inbox. Delete, file, and respond to those pesky unopened emails that have been causing you heart palpitations.
If you have backlogged invoices, or expenses, now is the time to get to those bad boys too.
3. Find articles to share once you're back online
Getting good content to post is another one of those pesky tasks that can seem so easy, but fall to the bottom of your to-do list on busy days. Now that you can’t actually post on social media, take this time to find those thought-provoking articles or expert interviews that you can share with your network. Share these with your team or some key contacts via email.
Sharing ideas via email is almost a lost art, with social media and instant messaging becoming more of the norm, so it’s a great way to reconnect with your team and network and give a more personal touch.
4. Make plans!
Now is the time to reach out to your network and reconnect with those connections, or finally get a coffee date in the books with that partner you’ve been meaning to schedule with. Go one step further, and call someone to find a date rather than playing email tag.
5. Treat yo’self
Not feelin’ any of the above? We don’t blame you. Sometimes you need to take a brain break. Go to Starbucks and use the Starbucks rewards you have saved up to get the biggest, most expensive Frappuccino money can buy.
Clean your house or get caught up on chores! Or, get your laundry done or finally drop that suit off at the dry cleaner. Now that you have an excuse to take a break from work (umm.. Instagram is DOWN!), take advantage of it to get some self-care in.
Bonus: Or…. Head on over to Twitter (hehe)
It might feel like the end of the world, but Twitter was still up and running! Many businesses don’t utilize Twitter much these days, but it’s still a valuable social media resource. You can also take this time to give your Twitter account and followers some TLC.
Regardless of what you choose to do, rest easy knowing that the outage will always be temporary. The world would revolt if not!
