The Blog of Author Tim Ferriss - Latest Comments in How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Pierro Marie — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 23:05:31 -0000

Nice read - thanks for sharing this

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Gloria Jean — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 10:23:25 -0000

I use twitter to update my websites as I have a script that posts my updates on my hometown and business sites. That way people who know me and don't use twitter can see what I am up to and can read the latest news tidbits about my home town.

I have no idea why people follow me.

Thanks for the tips.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Ignacio Gallardo — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:54:38 -0000

Test: In response to your tweet. Hello from Santa Barbara!

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Denise Lee — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 21:34:44 -0000

nice post, found it on Twitter, can u imagine?-:)

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

WorldMarketMedia — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 14:54:06 -0000

Tim, great post especially #4. I like value add content and keeping things short and tweet!

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Rusty Moore — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 20:59:54 -0000

Tim,

Those are great tips. I was thinking of putting a "follow me on Twitter" box on my site, but was worried about Twitter taking over my life. I am so hesitant to add this into my life, because it seems like it could eat up a larger portion of my time.

I knew you would give us tips for being time efficient.

Thanks!

Rusty

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

TheBookLady — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 15:22:04 -0000

Tim, you use ping.fm to post, but what are you using to read those you want to follow? I'm seeing several people recommending Tweetdeck, but you say no?

Thanks for the great post. I've had a Twitter account for over a year but barely used it, precisely because of the timesucker element.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Jen — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 08:53:04 -0000

Great post, thank you!

Initially I found Twitter very confusing and quickly got sick off all the "I'm having a coffee"-posts from random people I didn't know. OK, that was my own fault for following the wrong people but ever since I started monitoring who I follow and actively seeking out people that have interesting and relevant stuff to say, I have found Twitter one of the most useful tools on the internet.

I think I'm only starting to realize the full potential that lies within sites like Twitter and I'm excited to see where this will take us.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Richard Brian Penn — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 23:29:14 -0000

Tim - Perhaps you could include something on this in your next updated version of the 4 Hours Work Week. I find twitter to be fun, but work at the same time.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Barbara Ling — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 05:22:11 -0000

I'm lucky...I still have yet to become totally addicted to Twitter. I've set up Google News alerts for specific topics of which I want to keep track but beyond that...I just have Tweetdeck open and respond when inspired.

Data points, Barbara

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Devo Ramalingam — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 04:13:55 -0000

@Tim Ferriss,

To disable DMs:
Settings > Notices > change "@Replies" to "no @ replies"

From their support page, "No @replies: never see any @replies in your timeline, ever. In this case, you would not see a reply from anyone, regardless of follow state, including replies between Sheila and Ace, Dutch, or anyone else."

Long time lurker, first time poster. Keep up the great posts. And, I too, work best in the early AM hours.

Cheers,
Devo

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

timferriss — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 14:56:24 -0000

@Laurel,

How exactly do you turn off DMs? I don't see an option anywhere in "Settings" or elsewhere in Twitter. Thanks!

Tim

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

LaurelPapworth — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 07:03:03 -0000

Oh, I'm sure someone already mentioned this but you can turn DMs off. That's all. :)

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Marilyn Harding — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 12:40:16 -0000

Beware over editing! It’s true that 95+% of what crosses our bow is dross, but it is often the insignificant that informs us most deeply on our search for personal authority. If we only listen to opinions of those in our inner circle we may miss the truth we need to hear. Obama said in his nomination speech that it was critical to hear from those he hadn’t convinced. They will take him to the center of his task. If truth surfaced where we expected it we would all be experiencing Nirvana. And we are not. What we are experiencing is the result of over editing – choosing not to see.

Elizabeth Gilbert speaks of the Creative Genius and Greek mythology. The gods are none other than the archetypes that play through us all and lead us to our greatest creative achievement –our authentic Self. The circumstances that evoke the hero’s journey are often cataclysmic. We glimpse the majesty of our highest Self, are lured by Sirens of distraction, brave the Minotaur of our own ego, or ride the seas of circumstances out of our control. These gateways of awareness usually come through people and situations we would readily avoid. There is a saying that no one would have crossed the ocean if they could get off the boat in a storm.

It is not insignificant that the overwhelming success of Eat, Pray, Love, is in response to a book about Gilbert’s own heroic journey through loss, suffering, humility, and fulfillment through a multitude of simple acts and the courage to embrace the unexpected. The heroic journey is not about doing but about being.

Twitter and niche social networks are portals to virtual tribes. Brilliant opportunities beyond merely fast tracking life.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

April — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 20:33:35 -0000

Thanks for the reminder! Twitter can get addictive pretty quickly so I like your tips about keeping it under control.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Blanche Agency — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 14:36:48 -0000

Great tips! With all the social networking site out there, it can become a full time job just keeping up with them all!

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

michelle mckay — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 07:25:41 -0000

i think its polite and correct to follow everyone that follows you, but i will unfollow if they are trying to sell me something. i like reading the minutiae of life and it give a great insight into peoples lives, especialy celebrities. i have decided that from now on i will only read the first page or two because otherwise i get bogged down trying to read all 40 older pages and meanwhile new tweets have arrived. i cant stop adding people though, i think i will have to limit it to 1000 which i am fast approaching!

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Jose Castro-Frenzel — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 02:20:41 -0000

I think this article was concise and helpful to many readers. Thanks

Jose

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Christina Williams — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:58:02 -0000

About #4. "Don’t post unless you add more value than the attention you consume (both yours and others’)"

I am completely alone >90% of every week, no-one to talk to, no-one to exchange opinions with, no-one to bounce ideas off of, some thoughts just keep gong round and round in one's head, and so I thought I'd try Twitter as a possible therapeutic tool for regaining some sort of way of getting back into mainstream society. To suddenly find that a few people are following you, even though it sounds minimal, is such a change from being ignored by everyone.

And "I use the blog for testing ideas/campaigns/memes, catalyzing social change, and introducing more developed concepts so I can watch and track their impact and evolution in the blogosphere." - how pompous.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

CaptRobLee — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 08:24:45 -0000

Hi Tim,

Great points. I'm new to Twitter. I held off as long as I could!

I signed up about 6 weeks ago (Jan 14th), so I am a Twitter newbie. I too was concerned about Twitter consuming too much time.

Thanks again for sharing your ideas.

Your Pirate Lifestyle Guru,

Rob

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Claudia — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 23:54:15 -0000

The Tweetree interface is a time saver as it allows you to see both sides of the conversation without toggling back and forth between pages. http://tweetree.com/

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Dr. J — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:31:36 -0000

Actually, getdropbox.com also uses Amazon S3; as an FYI. :)

Dr. J

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Peggy Duncan — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:14:41 -0000

In other words, don't let social networking become social notworking.

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Vernon kohlenberger — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:42:50 -0000

Excellent read, gives me a better understanding how twitter works. I just started so I'm following more than are following me. Other than that I fit in with what was said. With the exception of keeping track of my time, being retired I had time to spare. Now that our retirement programs got killed, I want learn how the Internet works, then maybe sit home and make an extra buck. Not wasting time.

Thanks

Re: How to Use Twitter Without Twitter Owning You - 5 Tips

Are Morch — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 18:17:09 -0000

Two Thumbs Up!

Great article on Twitter Time Management.

This article is a must for my bookmarks. I'll send a tweet or retweet ...

Cheers..