We live in the age of the computer and so many wonderful opportunities exist as a result. Just this week, I was able to tape 4 podcasts and conduct 3 magazine interviews with International magazines, all from the comfort of my home office.

I have been fortunate enough to create an amazing community of friends like you around the world. Social media has helped us stay in touch and allowed me to get to know you better. I am able to celebrate your milestones and cheer you on when you are low.

And this back and forth relationship gives me so much more than I could ever explain. In fact, you are the main reason I am motivated to create quality content. So I make sure to personally reply to every single message or comment because I think it is important to stay connected with those you love.

But at the same time, navigating all this technology can be tricky. So much of the work involves us sitting hunched over a desk or over our phones. Our organs are compromised and more people are suffering from hand and wrist issues than ever before. I have met people that cannot even bend their fingers.

Another problem stems from the nonstop bombarding of information our brains are used to receiving. If you have kids, you will see their impatience when they have to wait around more than a minute for anything. And a lot of them have lost the vital art of face-to-face communication. They opt to text and DM their friends.

In this plugged-in world, it is vital to set boundaries about the amount of time we are on our phones, computers, and electronic devices. It is critical to unplug so we can recharge and recenter.

SET TECHNOLOGY BOUNDARIES

In this plugged in world it is vital to set boundaries about the amount of time we are on our phones, computers and electronic devices. It is critical to unp…

Restaurants and dinner tables are full of people scrolling on their phones and no one is focusing on the food or enjoying the company of those they are eating with. Speaking to real live bodies is a really important skill to master and can often take you further in life than any Master’s degree from a University.

Another problem is the effect it has on our sleeping patterns. The blue flicking lights on our screens make it harder for us to switch off at night and fall asleep. And without enough rest, our body cannot reset or heal. Our digestive system cannot work properly. People suffer from health issues, depression, and increased levels of stress because they cannot switch off.

The most tragic of all is the constant comparing of our lives to the lives of others. We look at celebrities and stars and their flawless photos and fun adventures and feel like our lives suck. What we don’t take into account, is all the makeup, lighting, editing, and people that went into styling that one photo.

While I attempt to capture my stories in real-time and give you a behind-the-scenes, candid and raw look into my world, there are photos on my feed of myself that are shot by professionals. I have just selected the best in the bunch where the light and angel were perfect. You don’t see the 100’s of duds that get sent to the recycle bin.

I have experienced firsthand the effect that being on social media has had on some of my friendships and relationships. I have had to be okay with closing doors to people that are not happy with my success. It has been painful but I am passionate about the work I am doing and the message I am spreading.

There will always be haters. You cannot please everyone. I have recently had this talk with my daughter who is pursuing a singing career and made her Instagram profile public. And if you aren’t following her click on this link @jade.mayo I would love it if you could send her some love.

I had to explain to her that not all of her friends will be happy for her and that she might get nasty comments from strangers. But I stressed that she is talented and not sharing her voice and light with the world would be a waste of the gifts G-d blessed her with. I have told her the most important thing is to stay authentic and real and come from a place of love.

So based on all of the above I have learned a few things about managing social media and using it as a very effective business tool. I want to share them with you. Some may not apply to you but hopefully, some of these will help you navigate the need to always be plugged in. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback

1. It is critical to get up every 30 minutes if you are working at a desk and walk around. Getting our circulation flowing is vital for overall health so set a timer.
2. Make sure your workstation is ergonomic and you are sitting upright and not hunching over your screens.
3. During each break take the time to stretch your hands, wrist, and fingers.
4. Use the first 10 minutes of the day and the last 10 minutes of the day to do a meditative breathing practice.
5. Try to avoid technology till after you have had breakfast and for 3 hours before bedtime
6. Make sure that you are sitting down and present when you eat and that you are not looking at your phone or computer.
7. Ban all technology from meals and use this time to catch up with your family
8. Have a discussion with your children about any social media bullying and try to guide them to behave responsibly and safely.
9. Make sure that your children are aware that once something is up on the internet it is there forever, so they should exercise caution when posting rude, nasty, or inappropriate stuff they might not want their kids and grandkids to see.
10. You have to unplug to recharge so you can plug back in. Try taking one day a week and switching off all technology. Get back to the silence and quiet. It is the place all great ideas come from.
11. Make sure to spend at least 30 minutes a day in nature without any technology. Take a walk in the park or use your lunchtime to fit in some exercise.
12. Try reading a paper book before bedtime. It slows down the brain and helps you fall asleep.
13. Make time once a week to grab a coffee, lunch, walk, or dinner with special friends in your life and catch up with them face to face
14. Try if at all possible, to conduct business meetings in person. There is something to be said for looking into someone’s eyes when you are delivering your pitch.
15. Don’t compare yourself to anyone ever. You are unique, talented, amazing, incredible and perfect just as you are.
16. If you wouldn’t like someone to write or say it to you then don’t be the one to post something nasty about someone else.
17. Check-in with your friends and those influencers who you are most interested in twice a day and limit your time on social media to 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the afternoon. Remember nothing valuable can come from endless scrolling.
18. If you have a business idea or project you want to get started the most important thing is to focus on creating quality content. There are no secret tricks. Just honest, hard work.
19. Don’t try to be like anyone else. If I had a penny for every time someone told me the market was saturated with Chefs. But there is only one Melissa Mayo. And I am a South African-born, Jewish chef, living in LA, with a cooking school in Italy. I am a yogi and a mom and wife. I like red meat, coffee, and dark chocolate. There really is only one me. So my advice just does you, and the right audience will find you.
20. If you are using social media for business, my advice is to create a business profile on the platforms and use this for your work. Follow people in your market or industry, not your friends.
21. Keep your personal life and family photos for your personal page where you can share them with friends so you aren’t bombarding them with work stuff.
22. Ignore the haters. To win an election you just need a 51 % majority. This means 49% of people won’t like what you are about. I know some of my more religious audience are not huge fans of my bikini photos, but hey, I’m gonna show off my abs for as long as I have them. And I do have a largely male audience not really interested in food, so I am never going to keep everyone happy.
23. Don’t ever put up content just for the sake of it. People make my dishes for special occasions so I can destroy their trust by posting something average. If a recipe is not great I will remake it till it is perfect, even if it takes 10 tries.
24. Don’t spam people. I have a mailing list for my website and I have not sent out a newsletter all year. People don’t need a hard sell. If they like what you are doing they will come back to your page and seek out your content. Make sure you are adding value to your audience.
25. Unfollow people who make you feel bad about yourself. We don’t need anyone that brings up negative emotions for us.
26. Always and I mean always come from a place of kindness and do your best to help others on their journey and share the love.
27. Don’t place limits on yourself. If you want to achieve something just know that it is going to take a lot of hard work and effort. I have been plugging away and creating daily content and taking photos and testing recipes for 10 years.
28. Take the time to write handwritten notes or cards to people that matter in your life.
29. Never, ever, ever concern yourself with the numbers and how many followers you have. They do not define you. It’s better to have 50 quality people in your tribe than 5 million random, fake friends.
30. Take a huge giant leap in the direction of your dreams and know that the Universe and G-d is there to support you.
31. Don’t be a cyber-stalker watching from the sidelines and getting jealous about others’ success. Reach out to those you admire and ask them for tips or guidance. And congratulate them on their achievements.
32. You will be surprised how many successful people got there with the help of others and most of them are happy to pay it forward and help you climb the ladder. They know there is enough to go around for all of us so reach out and ask for help.

I hope this has been of some help to you. Let me know your thoughts and if there are any other questions I didn’t address or topics you want me to cover. I am always happy to share with you.

Big love, hugs, and kisses xxxx