How to save time using Twitter

I’m sure I’ve read about what a waste of time Twitter is. But I have to disagree. Twitter has actually freed up a fair amount of time…on a daily basis…since I figured out how to use it.

Yes, I know people who only tweet about mundane (well, silly) happenings: what they eat, what they feel, where they go, how their favorite TV show is so disappointing. And that? Despite those who say you should follow everyone who follows you (Twitter hashtag?), it’s really an individual decision.

The beauty of Twitter is that you can use it however you want. Follow people who talk about things that interest you. Much easier than worrying about how you will follow 15,000 people every day. And by the way, you’ll find that most of the people you follow don’t tweet as often. So stop worrying about HOW you’re going to do it. Decide what works best for you and move on.

Likewise, following someone whose tweets are starting to bore you? No problem. Just click “unfollow”. There are no hard and fast rules in the Wild West of social media.

As for the time-saving statement I made… let me qualify that. Using Twitter alongside Facebook and LinkedIn has freed up a lot of time.

Since many of my colleagues (and some clients) use these tools, we can communicate with each other through social networks or social networks instead of email. Once you’re on a social networking site or page, you can send a bunch of messages quickly and move on. Even better, you can post an update, talk about an event, or share an article with all of your colleagues at once.

What I found is that instead of finding 300+ emails in my inbox each morning, I could have 75. This means I can read emails in 15-20 minutes, not the two hours it used to take me each day. Sure, part of this is due to the fact that microblogging in 140 characters forces you to be concise. But what’s wrong with that? It doesn’t mean you’re forgetting how to write. It just makes you a more efficient communicator.

I love the fact that I now receive so much more information than I choose to receive. Tips and tricks that help me work better, faster and smarter. Articles that keep me updated on the latest Facebook updates or Twitter tools. Not only do I work more efficiently, but I also get a lot of information… in REAL time.

If there is a downside here, I don’t see it.