Twitter, like all social networks, can be a serious time sump, sucking away your productive time.

With everything going on in my busy life, I often have no more than 10 minutes to spend on Twitter daily.

Here is how I manage those 10 minutes - to maximize my impact on Twitter. You can follow this too, and get more out of Twitter than most others.

1. Limit the people you follow:

I’ve mentioned my “Twitter Rule of FORTY” many times. By not following too many people, I can engage in more personal, deeper conversations with a few - and create friendships, connections and associations, rather than exchanging superficial, meaningless passing comments with many.

2. Check your time line:

When I log on to Twitter for the first time in a day (yes, I still use the Web interface at http://Twitter.com exclusively, no apps, no tools), I quickly scan through my ‘time line’.

3. Explore Links:

I open up interesting links in new windows - this avoids wasting time waiting for pages, pictures or videos to load, and lets me scan the time line quickly to the end. I just keep clicking on the ‘OLDER’ button, and stop when I reach the latest tweets I’ve already read.

4. Share Interesting Tid-bits:

Twitter is about your FOLLOWERS, not about YOU. So, when I stumble across something that may interest my ‘tweeple’, I re-tweet interesting snippets. Credit the person who authored the tweet - it’s polite, and will win you new friends.

5. Engage in Conversations:

I also reply to comments or tap into ongoing ‘tweet-versations’ with friends as I scan the time line. Often, by the time I’ve reached the end, some of them have replied, and I can engage in short mini-conversations within my 10 minute limit.

6. Give value:

Every day, I go to Twitter with the clear intention of giving something of value to my followers. It may be an inspiring quote, a funny joke, a useful link, a profitable tip, an introduction to a nice person - something.

7. Know When to STOP:

Most Twitter users don’t know this. Yet, it is critical to success in using Twitter. You could spend all day going back and forth. It won’t help you much. So stop. Just quietly leave. Or sign off with a note saying what you’re about to do - and maybe when you’ll be back.

It took me exactly seven and a half minutes to write this post. Now, I will briefly drop by Twitter, post a link to it, and get back to what I was doing.

And so should YOU!

Remember these tips - and you’ll handle Twitter in 10 minutes a day!

Before you go, follow me on Twitter - click here