Watching LinkedIn Connections on a Sunday Night
SteveDo you have any remaining doubt that the always on, 24/7, connected at all time via iPhone or iPad life has almost completely taken over your professional network?
Well if you do, then I recommend taking a look at your LinkedIn feed this Sunday night. I am drafting up this post at just after 10PM ET on Sunday, July 15th, and just a few moments ago I took a scan of my LinkedIn network update feed.
Quick observation - my LinkedIn feed is littered with 'Person A is now connected to Person B' updates. More than one or two, probably about two dozen or so connections being made after 10PM on a Sunday night in the middle of the summer.
Sunday night, which used to be the time you were crashed out from a big weekend of fun and family, maybe catching something on TV before turning in, maybe, for the younger crowd, trying to wring the last bit of fun out of the weekend before the work week hits in full force on Monday. But now, at least in part due to smart phone apps and iPads, Sunday nights are now a time where we can simultaneously be with the family sitting on the sofa watching whatever it is that is popular on TV, (I have on an NBA Summer League game on, so forgive me for not knowing what normal people are digging right now), and making sure the care and feeding of our networks doesn't need to stop for whatever passes for our real lives.
There's nothing really novel in this observation I admit, the always-on social network is old news at this point.
But what is changing, at least a little, at least by implication from what you'll see on your LinkedIn feed late on a Sunday night, is the subtle expectation that if you really want to get ahead, or at least stay even with the pack, (the pack that even if they are your 'friends' on Facebook all will be quite happy to see you fail), is that you too better be grinding away on Sunday night yourself.
Your mortal enemies are out there at 10:31PM, making connections with people you're dying to meet.
They're out there sending little private messages thanking each other for the connection and arranging phone calls, or worse, meetings over coffee or a beer.
They're beating you at 10:35 on Sunday night, and what's worse is all you really want to do is turn on Bravo, have an ice cream and shut down your mind for a while.
The game hasn't really changed. It just never seems to take a break, and the score keeps flashing in front of you as the LinkedIn connection updates scroll by.
Reader Comments (4)
I worked for a company - privately held with over 2 Billion dollars in revenue - who used to tell me - "Monday through Friday I stay even with my competition. I get ahead on Saturday and Sunday." Yeah... I got calls on the weekend - and I answered them.
Today it is not ONLY about time - when you do stuff - but as important - who you're doing it with at that time. Social does give you the ability to find and connect with the right people - even if it is at 10:30 pm Sunday night.
Great post, Steve. So sad, but yet so true. I find myself checking my LinkedIn app multiple times a day, throughout the day, at all hours. Between the LinkedIn messages, being a spectator and watching the connections fly by, and checking out who's checking me out, it's a never-ending cycle. Is it all for not? I think not. I've made some invaluable connections this way and I've set up many a coffee/lunch that I would not have otherwise. Just one more thing that we need to adapt to and weave into our daily lives.
Great article, Steve. For me, it's not about feeling pressure from others or that I'm somehow missing something. Keeping connected with colleagues is something I choose to do for me. I'm all over the map as to when that happens, but one thing is consistent - the kids are long in bed when I fire up LinkedIn. Maybe I'm the only one who will admit this, but I was watching Master Chef last time I updated my LinkedIn. :) The joy of multi-tasking....
Paul - I love that line, definitely plenty of truth to that. I guess I worry a little about the pressure, real or imagined, to be 'on' all the time though.
Seth - Thanks and I know what you mean. There is a weird, 'I hope I am not missing something' feeling that seems to creep up more and more. Certainly harder than before to disconnect.
Janet - Thanks - and I agree, the multi-tasking makes much of this a little more manageable!