The author of a recent article confessed that she spends so much time on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, her husband complains that she is only a "husk" to her family and is never fully present in their lives.  He says that when she talks on the phone, he at least hears her end of the conversation so feels somewhat included, but when she's online, he's not privy to any of the conversation, so he can't be a part of it.

It was a good reminder to check in with yourself and assess just how much time you actually spend online and whether it is detracting from or adding to your primary relationships. 

Here is our Top 10 List of signs that you may be spending too much time on social media:

1. You'd stay home to chat with friends on Facebook and turn down invitations to go out with them.

2. You're tired and snappish with others because you stay up late every night using social media.

3. Even when you're with others, you find yourself planning what you are going to post as soon as you have a moment.

4. You think tweeting and posting status updates is more interesting than the dinner conversation you are having.

5. You go to the lobby during a movie to check your Facebook account (or even worse, you check it in the movie theater).

6. You missed your child's game winning goal because you were Tweeting about the soccer game.

7. You're too busy posting status updates about the food and the service that you miss all the live conversation at the table.

8. You can't remember the last time you had an in person conversation - with your phone turned off.

9. You can't remember the last time you picked up the phone to call someone rather than tweeting or messaging them.

10.  Your spouse complains that you are a "husk" to him or her.

If you find that any of these scenarios applies to you, resolve to put down your smartphone or step away from your computer and fully engage with your family members, close friends, and colleagues.  Used wisely, social media is a great supplement to, not a substitute for, other ways of connecting with people.