So you want to try Twitter...

I get it...not ONE MORE THING!

But, what if I told you this could help your professional life...get any better??

Many people get on Twitter but do not stay on it because...

1. Don't have time
2. Don't want to have another social media account
3. Don't get it

Sound familiar? I have been there before. The first time I started with Twitter, I did not get it. The second time, it made more sense.

Here is why I like it.

• Everything is written succinctly and to the point. Simply put, you cannot really ramble on Twitter. You have to make up your mind and sometimes eliminate words and characters to say what you need to say.

• You can easily connect with people in your profession. I have connected with people all of the world, some I have met, others I have not. The cool thing...if I have a question about something in education, technology or leadership...I can ask someone in my Professional Learning Network (PLN) and THEY ANSWER!

• You are literally connected to people you previously were not connected to. For example, my son Colin is an aspiring filmmaker. He has reached out to several filmmakers for advice. And yes...they answered him! He even spoke to a couple of them on the phone afterwards. Think about in the past, if you wanted to connect with celebrities or "experts in the field", it was near impossible. Now it is a possibility. 

• You can participate in specific Twitter Chats. There are chats on education, leadership, gardening, comic books...you name it. You can literally get professional learning while watching your favorite show on Netflix. I recommend Mindhunter by the way...but you probably want to pay attention while watching it. 

How do you get started?

It is easy.
1. Create an account (I just used my name but there are not many Mick Shurans around)
2. Personalize your account...yes, add some kind of image so people know who you are and that it is a real account.
3. Start following people...celebrities, sport stars, people in your profession...ME.
4. Sit back and watch for awhile...retweet other people's posts you like and then start posting things you might want to say. I promise, you do have something to share.
5. Find a Twitter chat to follow and participate. For education, I recommend #TNEDCHAT

One last thing...you can get caught up in the craze of funny videos, gifs and memes too. So, be careful, it is addictive.

Enjoy!
MS