Despite an honest attempt to get a solid eight hours of sleep every night, I find myself overwhelmingly bombarded by the need to keep the world updated with my life. Well, OK … maybe not the world, but anyone who is interested. I’ve recently made a pact with myself not to join any social media applications unless I plan to fully commit to keeping them updated. In fact, I’ve already caught myself signing up for applications only to delete them shortly after. I realize its best not to put all your eggs in one basket — but which ones are the right ones to choose?

I would say that decision starts with your purpose. Why do you want to put yourself out there in the first place? For me, it’s to stay connected. I love the idea of sharing information and the concept of an online community. And how about that. A group of people who are genuinely interested in what I had for breakfast.

Second reason, equally if not more important than the first is the unlimited networking opportunities. Here ties in the information overload. Gone are the days of a good looking resume. Sure, the content might be amazing, screaming to whatever talent and knowledge you have built over the past few years, but what employers really seem interested in is finding out how you think. It’s about being strategically transparent — careful not to reveal too much (as we’ve all heard the horrors of Internet stalkers) yet just enough to get on the radar.

Here’s what you’re up against. You’ve got Twitter, a great way to share information in less than 140 words or less. And of course, facebook for networking with friends. Then there’s blogging. Everyone seems to have one, but a surprising amount of people don’t keep it updated. I’m in the process of starting my own blog and find it difficult to pick a name. All the good ones seem to be taken. The most annoying part is that they are taken by people who aren’t even blogging. Then, there are sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, 20 Something Bloggers, flickr, myspace, ning, livejournal, adgabber … and the list goes on. It stresses me out just thinking about the time it would take to keep them all updated.

So what really works? Only time will tell. For now, I’ve chosen to commit to three. Three applications I can realistically manage and spend time to keep current. For me, I can’t see a better way to connect with people half way across the country than to put yourself online. Perhaps you have an entirely different purpose. Whatever it is, these sites are mostly free and a fun way to meet people with a similar goal. When you find some time, dig around and try a few sites out. And let me know how it goes, because what better way to learn than share?

Collaboration is a huge part of what we do. And creative minds don't always think alike. But that's what keeps things interesting around here. This post was written in cooperation by members of the Trampoline Branding staff.