I did a good job cutting back on internet time this week and my productivity soared, despite being practically sidelined by this stupid cold.
But the question remains: going forward, how can I find a middle ground between obsessively checking my messages/emails/chatboards and pulling the plug on the internet all together?
Well, the productivity books all make the same recommendation: pick certain times for internet activity and stick to them!
That's my new goal this week. Here's how I plan to schedule things:
9:30 check and answer emails, scan CNN headlines, write blog post(s) - one-half hour
11:30 - 12:00 hang out and post on message boards
7:00 - 7:30 pm internet free-for-all (emails, posts, CNN, etc)
When I look at that schedule it seems so skimpy, but that's an hour-and-a-half a day! Ten years ago I spent nowhere near that much time online.
What do you think? Can I do it? How did your projects go this week?
3 comments:
Yippy! My desk is clean, but only because I knew you were going to post today. I cleaned it up this morning. :) But, to make up for my slothiness, I'm off to clean out the fridge, including throwing out 1/2 the condiments (they're probably all expired).
Your new internet time does seem skimpy, but when you think of 1 and 1/2 hours, that seems like quite a bit of time to be sitting in front of a computer. What did you get accomplished this week?
Also, do you find yourself with projects that you really need another adult person's help? Our storage area in the basement needs to be cleaned, but the thought of me tackling that space without my husband seems unreasonable. Do you limit your projects to one-person jobs?
Honestly?
I prefer one-person jobs to two-person ones and I'm something of a control freak, so I only get dh involved if I really, really need him.
It was a big step forward for me to ask for help moving furniture yesterday. I like to do everything myself, but I didn't want to damage the floors, so....
With a project like the storage area of a basement, I would tackle it a bit at a time. Say, "I'll do four boxes" and then stop. Save all the stuff that needs two people (or your dh's input) for one time. Know what you're going to ask him and make it easy to do - one pile of stuff to sort, one pile of stuff to move, one pile of stuff to help carry to the trash, car, etc to get out of the house.
Know what I mean?
Yes, I've been doing this internet limit thing since I took Margie Lawson's DSDB course a couple years ago. She has people using timers for everything. 1.5h on the web seems like a long time to me. I try for 30 mins/day but the boards really suck that up. I think it may be time to think about leaving some boards.
The thing about the timers is that you use them to limit productivity wasters, but also use them when doing a task you don't want to do. Like "I'll fold laundry for 15 mins. Whatever is left will have to wait till tomorrow." I find that I can convinvce myself to do lots of chores I've been procrastinating on, if I know it's only going to be for a short time.
Oh & I've named my timer. Rex runs my life. http://hmsindefatigable.blogspot.com/2006/02/rex.html
Post a Comment