Using Twitter to get you organized and informed.

By now you have at least heard the somewhat awkward term "Twitter". It took me about six months to finally cave in and sign up, and that was last summer. Just in the past two months or so, have I found that it is one of the most useful tools out there. I am in love with Twitter, and it just keeps getting better. Actually Twitter is still the same, it's the third party developments that keep expanding Twitter's influence and capabilities.

I like information to be short, simple and current. So needless to say, my introduction to Twitter was not simple and left me very frustrated. My first experience with a third party "handler" of Twitter was Twitterfox. This worked well for me due to my short list of follows and therefore its sporadic pop up in my browser was not distracting. Back then I followed a mere 10 people and it was more of an open chat circle from my perspective. However, the more people I followed, the more annoying Twitterfox became. That's when my friend Peter Cook introduce me to an application called TweetDeck.

Both Twitterfox and Tweetdeck are free applications. Download them and dive in.

Here's how I use Twitter to keep me organized and informed:

1. Groups within Tweetdeck. With Groups, I have organized my follows into these categories: Facebook Statuses, News, Entertainment, Designers, Organizers, Friends and Replies. Tweetdeck is a stand alone application that can always be running in the background. Now first thing in the morning, I grab my coffee and open up Tweetdeck. Here I get to see what's up with my friends, the news (local and world), weather and what really cool famous people are up to.

Here are some follows I think you would benefit from: @cnnbrk, @TWCi (search your cities weather in "find people" search bar on your twitter page.) @heraldleader (I am in Lexington, KY), @uncluttertips, @clutterdiet, @hungrygirl, @jimmyfallon, @theofficenbc, @rainnwilson, @TheEllenShow


2. Twittercal. The first step is setting up a gmail account and from there you can begin a new calendar. Once that is set up you need to follow @gcal and allow it to follow you back. Using this you can now add appointments directly to your Google calendar. I take this one step further and sync my Google calendar to my iCal (calendar used with the MacOS), thus reducing my need to go directly my browser to see what's going on with my day/week/month. Additionally I use Google Sync with my Blackberry; bringing my appointments not only to my computer but also to my handheld device.

Here are a couple of articles that really helped wrap my brain around this tool and its "handlers".

Lifehacker: http://lifehacker.com/280837/add-events-to-gcal-and-why-twitter-may-boost-productivity-yet

Mashable: http://mashable.com/2007/07/16/twittercal/

A thorough how-to-guide: http://www.yourbloghelper.com/2009/01/26/how-to-use-tweetdeck/

A Patient Process: Featured at Cre8tiveGroup.com

This month I was able to share some insights on bringing process into the work place. The blog was written to prepare you to take on the undertaking, not on a specific process. Stayed tuned for more posts on this subject.

Click here and pass it on:

The Reason for My Absence: Blog of the Month

During the winter months I tend to abandon my "things to do" and take on other people's. Actually, I do this all year, however, I've just ended a long stint at getting nothing done.

Here's where Lorie Marrero of the Clutter Diet has helped me refocus. Check out her January 31st blog post : Overdoers Anonymous

A must read for my fellow freelancers

Check out what Michelle Goodman says about:

Working For Nothing

We have the same idea when it comes to "free time". Respect yourself people!