For the month of May I decided to see how I could manage without blogging and twittering to see how life was before I got involved.

I initially had some extra time which I used up focusing on client work. After the initial week, I began to feel out of touch with what was going on. Not only with my peers and friends, but in the digital world, as I get a lot of news from Twitter.

I then started thinking about the opportunities or contacts I have made through twitter and blogging this year (and I know I’ve missed some:

• @ITStrategyLisa – Followed up on a tweet Lisa forwarded and followed up on the lead. 2months later I won the work that client tweeted about
• Met up with @monicatailor and got involved with Leeds Social Media Surgeries
• Got introduced to @JonathanHirst at a dinner and followed up our conversation through twitter
• Met up with @benmckenna – a fellow Tweeter and blogger
• Through @TheSocBiz I was introduced to @vivslf and have subsequently joined to become a fellow of the RSA
• Was asked to do a guest blog post on: HillRich Blog
• Have been contributing to the main IoD blog

So when a non believer in social media asks me ‘Should I take the plunge’, I always answer – Absolutely. Participating in twitter and blogging has helped me:

• Grow my network
• Open up new opportunities
• Create business opportunities
• Keep up to date with news in the digital world
• Keep my skills up to date

Much to my relief I have started blogging and tweeting again and certainly started to feel less isolated and are avidly catching up on the news I’ve missed.

What opportunities have you got through blogging and twitter?