Why (and How) to Spend 15 Minutes/Day on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is one of the most robust sources of information for business professionals out there. It is a veritable buffet of articles, corporate news, opinions, tips, perspectives, and engaging dialogue. The diversity of information and people is remarkable.

Anyone who's spent 15 minutes with me knows I espouse the practice of being intentional. Your time spent on LinkedIn should be no different.

First, why should you spend 15 minutes a day on LinkedIn? Here are just four reasons:

Networking - Networking should be a practice of every professional. Building a solid network of contacts is beneficial to you throughout your career, and allows you to be a benefit to others. It's a beautifully symbiotic relationship. You shouldn't wait until you need a job, or want a promotion, to network. Instead, your already in-place network can yield opportunities organically; opportunities you weren't even seeking. Not to mention you increase your chance of getting a job by 47 times when networking.

Learning - Behave like a life-long learner. Think about how interesting you'll be at cocktail parties!

Ideas - The list of ideas you have access to on this network is endless, but include: career ideas, marketing ideas, solutions to problems you're currently facing, unique and different ways of doing things, and so much more.

Contribution - There is no community if people are not contributing. Everyone knows something that can benefit someone else. Share your knowledge!

To make the most of your time on LinkedIn, I recommend starting with three 5-minute activities:

5 minutes reading and commenting on articles in communities you are knowledgeable about. It goes back to that whole contribution thing I just mentioned.

5 minutes reading about things you find interesting, but are not knowledgeable about. Expand your world...You'll become a more interesting person that can speak on many subjects.

5 minutes researching profiles of people like you, or people in roles you are interested in. What communities do they belong to? Do they publish articles you might read? What experiences do they have? Are there aspects of their profile you like that you can incorporate into your own? Don't be afraid to look at profiles of people you don't know. We're here to network and learn. No one will think you're a stalker. In fact, it's a compliment.

Please share your ideas on "why" and "how" in the comments!

All the best to you!