First, let me say that I don’t think twitter is a bad thing for all you twitter addicts out there. I just think it’s bad for me.

Ever since I read Getting Things Done and The Four-Hour Workweek, and put them into practice, I’ve realized what a drain email is on my time.

Since then, I stopped checking email so often, stopped reading blogs (I only follow 2 blogs: BlackBerry Cool and LifeHacker, and I only read them on my blackberry when sitting on the toilet!), unsubscribed from all newsletters, and stopped answering my phone.

I found that it’s amazing what cutting out distractions will do for your productivity. I actually get things done now. I actually get things done that I don’t want to do! Not only that, but I’ve found that sometimes, I don’t have things to do anymore because I’ve already gotten everything done! (so I go spend time with my family)

Today, via LifeHacker, I read that email is costing the US $70 Billion/year in lost productivity.

Notice on the LifeHacker post, they say “Wonder what our Twitter habits are adding up to.”

So, here’s what it comes down to for me.

If email costs the US economy $70,000,000,000 per year, I don’t care. That doesn’t affect me. In fact, it doesn’t affect most of the people who are costing their companies money. If you work for someone else, and you waste time checking email/voicemail/tweeting, what do you care. You’re wasting someone elses money.

For me, If I’m wasting time tweeting, I’m costing myself money.

I’ll repeat:

If you work for yourself, all the time you spend on interruptions (email, twitter, blogs, newsletters, bright shiny objects), you’re costing yourself money.

I don’t care if you do, I just care if I do.

And that’s why I don’t twitter (except to tell you about this blog post!…lol)

One last word. I understand that there is a place and a time for everything (including twitter). I’m not saying it’s all bad, I do use it for one of my businesses. I’m just saying that right now, for me, it makes me less productive and costs me money.

I’d love to hear why I’m wrong.