In the entertaining world of social networking, the need to be
online constantly, or to check updates frequently, can creep up on
you unawares. An addiction is a term used when a person is
"compulsively or physiologically dependent" on something. In the
case of an addiction to Twitter, it can mean that you don't feel
able to go a day without writing tweets and following others'
tweets, and you feel deprived, unhappy, and perhaps even out of the
loop of what's happening when you're away from Twitter.
If you find Twitter has started to fill up too many hours of your day
and you'd like to stand back and put this social networking tool in
its place again, here are some suggestions for unraveling your Twitter
addiction.
!! Steps !!
You've mastered Tw-Eating - eating while tweeting Decide whether you
qualify for a Twitter addiction. If you've got one or more of the
following common warning signs of being addicted to Twitter, you're
in need of a Twitter reality check:
* Tweeting is more than fun. It's akin to breathing. Without
tweeting, you don't feel you are... anything.
* The tweets must go on, no matter what. Even when you don't feel
like tweeting, your hands and fingers haven't received the message
and have gone ahead and tweeted for you. Inconceivable you say?
Addictions involve actions that you don't want to do, or even
actions you don't realize you're doing. It has reached its zenith
when you don't want to realize you've realized that you didn't
realize you were tweeting.
* Insignificance takes on monumental proportions. The mundane
matters. The crowd on your tweet-stream deserves to know that
you... got up this morning.
* People without Twitter accounts are Luddites. Period. They've been
removed from your address book. You'd remove them from following
your Twitter account if only they had one.
* Giving Twitter updates as you leap from the crashing plane, give
CPR to a nearly-drowned pal, or witness a horror smash is
considered perfectly normal. So is reaching for the Twitter
account _before_ the epi-pen.
* Twitter is your day. The rest of what could have been your day is
arranged around it; the job is slotted in, the kids are given
glazed nods, and dinner's out of the store freezer for the
fifteenth month in a row.
* It's essential to find someone else to post updates for you when
you're incapacitated because of that nuisance work trip or
annoyance of a life-improving operation. Providing your substitute
with a total schedule, you've told them what to say, and
forcefully rammed it home that they'd better maintain your usual
tweeting tone... or else.
* The Fail Whale looms large. After realizing you can't post a tweet
informing everyone that Twitter is down, you curse, air-punch, and
grind your teeth. You refresh the screen again and again and again
until the Twitter conversations return. Only to tell everyone how
down you were when Twitter was down.
* Your work is piling up. You have a lot of unfinished projects and
you still feel compelled to tweet.
* You just cannot seem to be able to go a day without tweeting. It
makes you uneasy and you feel better once you log back onto
Twitter.
* You have been told by your parents, coworkers, or supervisors to
stop tweeting, and you find yourself unable to stop.
* Your real life relationships are deteriorating because of all the
time you are spending on Twitter.
Own up to your Twitter addiction. Yes, it's a cliche that half the
battle is admitting the problem but not acknowledging it means you
won't change the addictive behavior. And before you rush to tweet
that you have a Twitter addiction, by all means admit it to yourself
but remember that there's no need to tell the world.
* If you do tweet about your Twitter addiction concerns, it's likely
you'll receive a lot of ha, ha, LOL tweets back with comments like
"me too, and "oh I know, isn't it just too bad". All of which
minimizes the importance of your realization, which can easily
cause you to downplay the importance of admitting your problem.
* Be aware that some people will want to sabotage any attempts you
make to withdraw from or minimize Twitter usage. This usually
happens when the potential saboteurs know their own usage is out
of control but they cannot change it. They don't want any evidence
from someone else that it's possible to manage Twitter as anything
less than a lifeline.
If you must say something about toning down your Twitter use, couch
it in much more general terms, such as:
* "Got a novel to finish. You won't see much of me here for a bit."
* "Giving birth tomorrow. Since I'm no supermom, you won't see me
around till I know how to parent."
* "Huge, v. big secret work assignment just came up. Will be
unreachable for a few months."
* "Tweeting less 'coz I've discovered marathon running. Off to
train!"
Write out a plan Plan your Twitter time. If you're inwardly groaning
about how any person could ever "plan" the use of what is essentially
a spontaneous medium, you're right. Twitter works because of its
spontaneity. And that's also its weakness because you don't feel like
there are any limitations of time, day or night, to when a good (or
not) tweet can be unleashed. The plan that you'll need to adopt
involves when, not what, you'll tweet, so relax (although, do try
your best to minimize the inane and ramp up the qualify). Try the
following:
* Allow yourself a set amount of time every day, reserved for
Twitter. Some suggestions are: 15 minutes every 3 hours, or one
single block of an hour a day when everything else is taken care
of.
* Set precise tweeting times. This is different from the previous
suggestion in that you can set a time every day, say 12:30PM to
send one tweet message. Stick the to exact allotted times.
* Check when your tweets have the most impact. Using only
high-impact times can lessen your daily usage. Choose your time to
coincide only with the time of most impact; this will vary
depending on where you live and your interests. Assessing the time
of most impact is especially important if you're promoting your
blog, your novels, or your inner beauty.
Tweeting, listening, and thinking? Oh c'mon off it! Set aside "pure
Twitter time". This means avoiding use of Twitter as something you
can do while multitasking, such as watching TV, reading your exam
notes, or writing articles about quitting Twitter. Used this way,
Twitter serves as a distraction, an excuse to not fully concentrate
on whatever else you are doing. The problem with viewing anything as
a multitask activity is that you tend to downplay how much time it
wastes and how much it distracts you from getting anything done fully
and with satisfaction; instead, it feels piecemeal and never quite
"done". Setting aside time just for Twitter can be helpful in
overcoming using it as part of multitasking messiness.
Fire your Twitter supporting cast. All those apps and planning sites
that make Twitter such a breeze for you – get rid of them. Whether
it be Tweetie, TwitterBerry, TweetDeck, TwitterFon, PocketTweets, or
ceTwit, these mobile Twitter platforms enable you to tweet
practically anywhere and everywhere. Removing these applications
from your phone will greatly cut down on the amount of time you're
logged into Twitter each day. Try it before rolling on the floor in
disbelief; you can, and will, thrive as a result.
Turn Twitter into a hobby and not a habit. For example, make going
on Twitter something you indulge in on weekends only. You'll look
forward to on the weekends, when you'll be more alert and able to
craft more interesting tweets and perhaps connect more deeply with a
few rather than trying to keep up with the too many.
* Doing this might help to increase your work productivity if you're
in the sort of job where they allow Twitter usage (if work's so
boring you'd rather tweet, time for a new job maybe?). On the
other hand, if Twitter is a part of your work, create a plan to
use it the most efficiently, especially if you're working
remotely.
Spend time away from TMI (too-much-information). The constant
bombardment of messages can induce a sense of constant
hyper-awareness that keeps you on edge, in need of reacting and
worrying over things you can't, on the whole, change. Is that a nice
way to feel _all_ the time? Give yourself information free time,
chilling under some trees, or down the gym, or wherever your
favorite quiet spot is. Without your phone. Just because
everyone's doing it doesn't mean it's balanced Realize that you're
not alone in suffering from Twitter addiction. Ever noticed those
accounts that just vanish? Not those "suspicious activity" ones but
the raw food guy who was a fanatic about sending you raw food tips
every day, or the poet whose Twitter haiku astounded you in its
eccentricity? They seemed so nice, always around like Twitter
furniture! Many of the accounts that disappear or wind down are
people who have that moment of realization that too much time spent
on Twitter is time not spent on other pursuits. The raw food guy
wants to make his recipes instead of tweeting them; the haiku poet
wants to spend more time in a quiet, wooded wi-fi free zone to
reflect and restore her creativity. Be kind to yourself in realizing
that others have been here already; the evolutionary nature of
social networking means that many people continue to keep revising
how to balance Twitter in their already busy lives. Keep your
perspective about Twitter's place in your life as fresh as the
updates.
* What have you given up for Twitter? Was it an inane pursuit like
watching too much TV, or something that mattered, like writing,
exercise, reflecting, or spending time with people in the flesh?
The answer to this question may help you to find the necessary
motivation to make the time and energy input adjustments.
Quit Twitter. While radical, if you've tried everything else and
Twitter is still coming before the mowed lawn, the descaling of
the shower, and the ironing of work clothes, then you might have
to switch it off permanently. After all, will Twitter actually
land people on Mars? No. But you can bet it'll be tweeted
endlessly by people whose claim to space flight expertise is drawn
from a bunch of links. If you don't know how to leave, here's how:
* Log in to Twitter
* Click "Settings"
* Click "Deactivate my Account" at the bottom of the page
* Enter your password when prompted. (Without the correct account
password, you will not be able to deactivate an account.)
* Verify that you really want to do it. If you've come this far,
then you do. Have your life back. And those luddites are having a
great wine and cheese do on the corner of fifth and third...
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Think about installing a web protection program and disallow
access to Twitter. _Although you will know the password, it will
cause you to pause and think._
* Always keep in mind that you are doing this voluntarily, and for
your own good. If you don't do this, you cannot get rid of your
addiction once and for all.
* If you have teenagers, follow the rules you've imposed on them
about social networking hours. You do have rules to guide their
healthy and whole maturation into adulthood, right? Just remember
they're watching your example...
* This is the message Twitter sends you when you've been missing for
a while: _"So much happens on Twitter every day, whether it's
breaking news, a deal at your favorite shop, a local traffic jam
or a funny pick-me-up from a friend. Twitter keeps you informed
with what matters most to you today and helps you discover what
might matter to you most tomorrow."_ This telling message suggests
you're not capable of working out what matters to you without
being continuously tuned in. Bear in mind that the intention of
any site is to keep you there; the site doesn't care whether or
not it's beneficial for your personal life balance. Be the decider
of your own needs.
!! Warnings !!
* If you find it hard to stop tweeting, it may be best to stop for
good.
* It's not a good idea to seek advice on Twitter addiction from
other Twitter users. They'll only convince you it's a good thing.
Instead, seek out those who do not use Twitter or other similar
social networking sites, especially those who have used it in the
past and have quit successfully.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Restored hobbies, activities
* Planning sheet
* Timers to remind you when to stop
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Quit Facebook
* How to Avoid Internet Addiction
* How to Overcome an Addiction
* How to Use Twitter
* How to Deal With Addiction
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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