I joined Twitter many years ago, and I mostly use it to follow sports.
It’s easily my #1 time-wasting activity. As I’ve previously mentioned, it’s impossible to avoid the emotionally charged political banter on the platform.
Most people think it’s good to stay informed on current events. Most people actively subject themselves to the 24-hour news cycle, and it eats away their life.
Then I found an article with staggering stats. Only 22% of American adults use Twitter. Of those, 80% of tweets come from 10% of “power users.” I briefly talked about the “80/20 Rule” in the article below, and this is one more clear example of it!
RELATED: The “80/20 Rule” Will Make or Break Your Business
Here’s the funny thing. On the days when I have a full schedule and avoid Twitter, I feel noticeably better at the end of the day. I feel like I accomplished something. And I never feel like my life is worse because I missed a few headlines.
When I actively engage in a conversation on politics, it’s in the back of my head all day. It clouds clear thinking.
The irony is I barely care about political issues. It’s pure emotion taking over. Sure, maybe my head is in the sand. But the reality is that if you spend hundreds of hours keeping in the loop, your “output” is still one vote (unless you plan on becoming a politician).
Is that the best use of your time?
I have to remind myself daily:
- The vast majority of people are content consumers, NOT content producers
- The content you consume affects your rate of production
- People waste stupid amounts of time reading news stories that don’t push their goals forward
- When you stick within your professional subject area, you’re much better off
The contrast comes when I’m listening to podcasts or watching videos that push me to become a better person.
Changing yourself is HARD work. It’s a lot harder than shouting at someone else to change.
I’d challenge you to take an “inventory” on how you spend your time. If it doesn’t directly contribute to reaching a higher level of personal success, consider cutting back. If it makes you angry, eliminate it.