When is comes to spending time on your favorite social media sites, it’s no secret that hours can slip away in the blink of an eye. Staying up to date on the latest updates, understanding your tools, being organized and prepared to take advantage of interesting chats and even scheduling some time off are just a few ways simplify your social media routine. Remember, small actions really do make a BIG difference.

These are 6 ways I’ve found to simplify my routine . . . I hope they help inspire you to do the same!

1. Have a Strategy.

Most people that are struggling with social media for their brand, haven’t taken the time to cultivate a solid social media strategy. Once your goals are identified, begin creating a plan to achieve those goals through more strategic choices.

3 Steps to an Effective Social Media Strategy

2. Learn how to use your tools!

You would be amazed at the amount of people that don’t know how to properly utilize the tools they use everyday. With the plethora of FREE resources out there for every social platform it should be a regular part of your weekly routine to find out what’s new, watch the latest ‘how to’ videos, read a few blog posts and learn about the tools you use to communicate with your brand advocates.

Facebook : Facebook Help Center

Google+ : Google+ Help

Linkedin : Linkedin Help Center

Twitter : Twitter Support

Pinterest : Pinterest Help Center

WordPress : WordPress Lessons

YouTube: YouTube Support

3. Sign up for Hootsuite.

Seriously, this is an amazing tool that keeps you (and your team) connected, serves you your stats and offers a robust and helpful community that keeps you in the know and walks you though all of the new resources.

One of my favorite features is the Hootlet. It lets me easily share what I’m reading.

4. Create an online routine.

I’m an early bird and I love sharing on social media first thing in the morning so that I can then move on to write, work on my latest DIY and focus on my responsibilities and goals for the day. Now, I am not saying that this routine should be concrete – I have stumbled across some amazing chats and discussions because I was active outside of my set schedule.

I also make it a point to have what I call SMFWE or Social Media Free Weekends. By unplugging I am able to take time away from tech and focus on family, reading, relaxing and most importantly RECHARGING!

5. Know your goals.

Understanding where you want to go and what you want to do helps keep you focused online. A few questions you may want to ask yourself to understand goals and their impact on your success . . .

What are my personal goals?

What are my professional goals?

What to I want to get out of my time online?

How am I sharing my expertise? Am I too self promotional? Could I share more content that my readers/fans could use or find helpful?

What social platforms (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest etc.) do I use the most?

How often do I post online to my Twitter, Facebook, Blog etc.

How many chats do I participate in per month?

There are plenty more questions that could be asked, but I think you get the idea!

6. Develop Success Habits.

You can simplify your social media routine over time by developing your own success habits. Each person will have their own solutions but this list from 12most is a great place to start!