How to Be More Authentic on Social Media

November 15, 2015 Mike StPierre

Authentic is the buzzword these days when it comes to job interviewing. Recruiters will tell you to walk the fine line between "just be yourself" and "boldly promote your talents". Somewhere in the middle is authenticity.

But how about when it comes to your online presence- do others see the real you?

It’s worth a bit of reflection to consider how social media outlets like Twitter and LinkedIN fit into your career. A savvy approach is to consider them as part of your total portfolio. They should "fit" into the kind of person you want the world to see.

Don’t get me wrong- I’m all for social media and enjoy Facebook and the rest of the crew. Still, many are finding that social media can feel overly self-promotish and a tad bit like reality tv- not actually real at all.

Consider the person who only posts photos to Instagram when things are good. Follow them for a while and you’ll feel as if their entire life is one big party. Newsflash: it isn’t. They still put their shoes on the same way as you and me.

Or, take the person who only rants on Facebook about the latest Democratic debate and how awful the candidates are (in their eyes). Follow them for a while and you feel as if all they care about is finding a new issue to complain about.

Quick tip: when you read something from someone else on social and it bothers you, it’s time to step back. This may mean a week away or limiting your “checking” to once a day.

“Complete abstinence is easier than perfect moderation.”

— St. Augustine

Seriously, you could do this if you wanted or needed to. I recently deleted Instagram from my iPhone. I was spending too much time checking for updates.

Here’s some advice from others who suggest a more moderated approach to social media:

To conclude, we’re not suggesting dropping off of all social media outlets. Rather, moderation is best. Post to Instagram when you feel like it rather than because you feel you “should”. Update your Facebook page because you want to instead of a response to guilt or as a way to procrastinate other more meaningful things.

Do social on your terms. You’ll feel more in control and I would be that you’ll come across as more authentic.

5 Apps for Greater Purpose and Productivity

April 21, 2015 Mike StPierre

This post was originally published for the Speak Digital Network. To sign up, click here.

Candy Crush is a lot of fun.

So too is Monument Valley and Instagram and Shadow Fight 2. Each one is delightfully simple, engaging and fun. On the work side of things, email and calendaring are vital to daily life. Not fun to use but just part of everyday life.

There are apps and there are apps.

The question is this: which apps actually help you get things done? Which ones go beyond fun or killing time or pure utility? Which apps delight you? Which apps lessen your stress? Which apps would you insist on keeping on your smartphone if you only had five or six to keep?

Here are five that I'm currently enjoying that you might not be familiar with:

1Password: my go to app for managing 150+ passwords.
Fantastical 2: my daily driver on the iPhone and Mac for an absolutely beautiful calendar experience.
TextExpander: hard to explain and definitely for geeky, power users, TextExpander lets you create "snippets" of text that can be inserted anywhere at the stroke of a key.
Busy Contacts: it's not cheap but if you're looking for an upgrade over your Mac's regular contact app, Busy Contacts is it.
Canva: my guilty pleasure and what I use for the graphic quotes you see each week, Canva is absolutely stunning in terms of creating free, hi-res graphics for your blog or podcast.

These are apps that I use every single day. More importantly, they are enjoyable and point me towards greater purpose and productivity. I have less stress and can tune out the noise of daily life because of them.

How about you? What are your 5 go-to apps for daily productivity?

P.S. Check out the new podcast logo I created in Canva here. While you're at it, have a listen to them:)

iPhone 6 Plus Review

March 8, 2015 Mike StPierre

About once a year I tap into my inner geek and write something exclusively about technology. This post is one of those...very nerdy stuff on the way.

Readers of my blog know that I'm attracted to gadgets of all kinds. If it's black and shiny, I want it. Cell phones are definitely in that category and Apple knows how to do things well. In this post, I'm talking iPhone 6 Plus (that's the big version, 5.5").

My thoughts on the iPhone 6 Plus

Size is an issue but only if you're coming from a small phone. I was coming from a 5.2" inch screen (HTC One M8) so the added real estate was no big deal. Skinny jeans, I will confess, may become a challenge if you like to pocket your phone. Other than that, it feels terrific in the hand.
It doesn't bend. Ok so if you sat on it quickly and hit just the right spot, you might do some damage. Other than that, don't worry. Very solid device.
The camera is fantastic. Enough said.
The screen is beautiful and bright. You'll love watching YouTube videos and surfing the web.
It's faster than fast. Worried about whether the phone, with so many pixels to push across that big screen, would lag. It doesn't and screens through anything you throw at it.
The best feature: battery life. It just goes and goes. 1.5 days on average for a charge.

Should You Get a Case?

A while back, I swore that I wouldn't put a case on another phone. I've changed my thinking and gone minimal, investing in two different cases that I use depending on the day. While MKBHD swears off casing his phones, you may want to protect your phone with one of these:

Spigen Air Cushion Case for iPhone 6 Plus: lots of protection on each corner plus the back.

Nupro Lightweight Case for iPhone 6 Plus: super thin with less protection but fits nicely in your pocket.

One Final Thought: Apps I Love

I'm loving a few new apps for iOS that I had forgotten about while spending time with an Android Phone. If This Than That is wonderful for automating social media habits and other tasks. Workflow is really fun for similar "scripts" that you can configure- each simplifies your life. I set up one that texts Cary when I'm on my way home from work with my exact location and time to get home- very cool.

The bottom line: the iPhone 6 Plus is working for me. That doesn't mean it's for you. What I can say without reservation is that it's the finest smartphone I've every owned, hands down.

Still, you always want to make sure that your productivity tools "fit" what you want to do in life. Are your tools matching your goals and aspirations for the future?

Why I Bought Domain Names for my Whole Family

March 2, 2015 Mike StPierre

As I clicked "Purchase" last week, I was excited. I had just bought each one of my kids their own domain name. As we cheered for .coms and .mes that now accompanied names, there was an odd feeling of ... future possibilities.

Do you know someone who has his/her own website? I could probably count on one hand the number of my own friends who update and maintain their own sites. Each one of them has a growing "platform" that they use to share their message. As it turns our, each has seen the following:

They connect with more people
They have a healthy income
They feel as if their work is making a difference

I even recommend to new teachers at work that they build their own website in order to broaden their platform.

My kids too. They will, one day, need a domain name if they are going to build their own website and platform.

What is a platform and why do you need one?

A platform is a vehicle for sharing your message. Your message is what you truly believe in and are trying to promote.
A platform can consist of social media outlets (Twitter, Facebook, etc.).
A platform ought to include a personal website (via Squarespace or Wordpress).
A platform can enable you to interact with others of like-mind, sell product or share your thoughts.

What does my platform consist of?

My personal website (www.mikestpierre.com)
My social media outlets (Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, YouTube, LinkedIN, Instagram)
Techspiration podcast
Speak Digital Weekly Newsletter
Public speaking and pro-bono work

Don't just take it from me, hear from the experts!

So do you really need a website to get your message across and build your brand? Absolutely! Think of it as a homebase for your work, your thoughts and your network. I've been blogging since 1999 and have never looked back. In each job interview, my site has been talked about. In each workshop I give, my site has been used as a follow up tool.

You can do this too! If you need help in getting started on your own site, just email me at mike@speakdigital.org and I will help you begin the exciting process of building your own platform, one step at a time.

What's holding you back from starting your own website?

P.S. In case you missed my epic interview with productivity guru (and bonsai pruner!) David Allen, click here.

How to Avoid the Pressures of Social Media

September 15, 2014 Mike StPierre

Joan has a Twitter account but hasn't uploaded her photo. Al has a Facebook account but never posts anything to it. Juan once opened a LinkedIN account but can't remember the login password.

And so it goes... into the social media abyss, fragments of accounts, intentions and plans to be "more engaged" online.

The question is "why"? Why do so many people feel pressured to open accounts on Pinterest, Facebook and Google Plus and then never actually use them to their potential? Why do most of us have so many logins that we can't remember all of them?

It could be because we feel some sort of invisible pressure to be online all of the time, or at least more often than not. Or, it might be due to ...

Curiosity...

Pressure from friends...

Genuine interest...

The cool thing to do...

Each person has a different reason for going online and doing what they do. As I thought about this post, I had to step back and really ask myself why I use what I do regarding social media. Here's what I came up with:

Pinterest: for collecting quotes and tips for men's clothing.
Twitter: for getting the word out when I post to the blog and engaging with others.
Facebook: for keeping up with friends.
Google Plus: for tech articles and posting Android smartphone themes.
LinkedIN: for establishing a presence in a more professional way.

How about you? Have you taken the time to do a simple inventory of your social media use?

The key takeaway is this: use social media how you want and don't let someone else pressure you into something if there isn't the "space" to do it in your life. There are only so many hours in the day so using them intentionally is vital.

It's time that we stop feeling guilty for not posting every detail of every day on our Facebook timelines. It's ok to maintain privacy. It's normal to share quality time with your family or friends and not be updating your Twitter feed at the same time.

Life has enough pressures of its own. No need to let social media add more pressure to your plate.

*photo courtesy of fdp

Time to Kiss Facebook Goodbye?

August 27, 2014 Mike StPierre

Roy is a school leader. He uses an Android phone, uses an iMac in his office and knows how to run a solid powerpoint. He doesn't use Twitter. He has used, I think, Google Plus three times in his life. As for Facebook, he would ask you where that's located in the library!

None of this is bad, just stating the facts so you can get a feel for his social media habits.

The thing is, after I spoke with Roy for a bit, that he feels as if he should use social media more often. He feels as if there's something missing or something wrong with him.

There isn't and there's not.

I've said for a while now that social media is whatever you want it to be. You want to post pictures of your puppy on a skateboard? Go for it. Want to share what you're eating every meal? Why not!

Here's some of the wacky photos I've posted on Instagram.

The "rules" of social media are relativistic and that's part of what makes Twitter, Facebook, et al. so powerful.

For Roy, he's looking for reasons to jump into social media. For others, there may be times to hit the pause button on it. Or, you may even need to kiss Facebook and Twitter goodbye for a period of time.

Turns out, people who use social media say that they are more stressed than those who don't.

These reasons may include:

You feel overwhelmed by the variety and number of social media outlets. Part of Roy's struggle is that he doesn't even know where to start.
You feel exhausted by the constant "checking" for updates, etc. (turns out that mobile Twitter users are 181% more likely to use Twitter during their commutes; source)
You want to have a simpler digital footprint. Less time on social media means more time with your family, more time reading books, and more time doing focused work.

As for me, I'm in a point of flux right now. LinkedIN is more frequent for me these days while Twitter has taken a back seat. I actually, in small doses, am finding Facebook interesting again. Ebbs and flows. Trial and error.

The key, as always, is to be intentional. Be thoughtful about what and how you are using social media. If it's tuckering you out, change it up.