Much like long shares, I rarely hold short shares outright. In fact, I trade them even less often than I do long shares. They can become expensive to hold and are not the most capital efficient strategy. Not to mention, many brokerage firms and account types do not allow them at all.
Whenever I get short shares, I usually close the position and reestablish using options to replicate the risk profile. For me, it is easier to manage risk and the using options.