View Full Version : October limit time online
rosarugosa
10-1-12, 7:24pm
I've known for a while that I'm spending way too much time online. I am challenging myself to limit - not eliminate - the amount of time I spend online, to visit my "short list" of sites, which of course includes SLF, and then move on to other activities.
I did this somewhat over the past week, and I was much more satisfied with how I used my time.
Does anyone else have concerns in this area? I feel like I've become a much less productive person in the last year or so, and I don't like that feeling at all!
I am having internet service installed after being without it here at home for more than six months.
The chances are excellent that I will not be getting much done for the foreseeable future. With that in mind, I spent this afternoon at the laundromat so that I do not run out of clean anything for at least a week.
Are you thinking about making this a challenge, Rosa, cause if you are I am in. I started cutting out some new clothes for me and have to get something constructive done so have cut back online time as well.
Hmmmm, let me see, I will spend no more than 1.5 hours a day online is my goal. That include checking weather, news, email, SLF and some googling.
It will reduce my internet bill as well as I pay per gigabyte. Anyone else up for this challenge?
Tussiemussies
10-1-12, 8:12pm
Do spend too much time on the computer too, but it is my only outlet. So I cannot curtail it yet but I will read along and eventually...:(
rosarugosa
10-1-12, 8:28pm
Razz, I am thinking about making it a challenge, but I don't have any hard and fast rules . . . I'm usually online for about an hour in the morning with coffee, and I don't have a problem with that. Spending the entire evening online isn't a good thing though. I'm usually online for 2.5 - 3 hrs., which is my entire evening. And on the weekends, I find that if I turn the computer off and put it away, I increase my productivity enormously. So that's what I'm shooting for I guess. Weeknights that include other activities, especially reading (which I love to do, but am doing far less of lately). Weekends of just being online in the morning, and then putting the computer away. Tonight was pretty good because I watched the Brown/Warren debate and read for a bit, in addition to spending some time online.
fidgiegirl
10-2-12, 8:51pm
I have been focusing on this lately, too. I have two main time-sucks - Facebook and SLF. I am also getting more into Mr. Money Mustache forum, and I come and go on Twitter. Anyway, I installed LeechBlock on the laptop to help with the two main culprits, but ironically, as I was writing my post for this very thread, it timed out my use of SLF for the day! (So now I'm on my iPad - it's not foolproof for me, but it keeps me in line). Leechblock is an add-on for Firefox (recommended by Rosemary!). I set FB to 15 min. a day and SLF to 30 min. a day. Has helped so far, but I'd like to go further.
In tandem with this I'd like to become more productive in the evenings. So if it's ok, when I do post, I'd like to post about what I DO get done with the time I'm not just killing online. Tonight, it was dinner, and skimming a book, and going to the patio store to get the last few blocks we need to finish our little patio that was half dismantled by the former owners.
And with that, friends, I bid you adieu for tonight!
ApatheticNoMore
10-2-12, 9:45pm
If I was going to do such a thing I certainly wouldn't tell anybody. Because I think that just leads to "policing". As in: "wait a second didn't you say you were going to cut down internet time, you've been on here 20 times today".
fidgiegirl
10-2-12, 10:21pm
I feel like it works well in the frugals thread and the health/fitness thread that no one is pointing out failures, confessed or otherwise. I feel safer saying it to you guys than to my DH, who would be tempted to police. He doesn't like my online time or understand that I do derive value from a great deal of it - just not every second.
rosarugosa
10-3-12, 4:42am
My DH spends more time online than I do, so he won't be casting stones!
Had a short night last night - got home from work late. Spent half my free time after work reading and half online, so I judge that to be a success. (My weeknights are only 2.5 - 3 waking hours, so I don't really challenge myself to accomplish too much during that time).
I think this is one of those things where each individual knows what feels like too much, or feels like wasted vs. productive time online. So someone else might spend a lot more time online than I do, and it could be OK.
Our house is like fidgiegirl's, DH is never online and cannot understand what I get out of some of the forums. I read him the weather, oil price, CBC news headlines and any emails that might interest him.
I agree that each person has a different time slot available for optional activities and should be free to modify to suit one's own choices for the day. I find that I can spend too much time onine too easily so needed to modify by monitoring same as food intake etc.
Just so long as it's only for the month of October, Rosa. :)
P.S. Don't cut back too, too much, because as it is I'm going to miss you a lot.
I have a MAJOR problem with this.
I don't have a TV so I end up watching the news online (it's the only TV I watch.) Problem is that I spend way too much time watching the news online. I watch it at work (I'm a social studies teacher so it's like a duty, right?) then I come home and watch while I'm eating lunch. Then I watch all evening.
Last night we got some rain and my neighbor had a branch fall, screwing up my electricity. The VA Power said to turn off the appliances so they wouldn't fry as I waited for them to come fix it and I got so much done while I wasn't chained to the computer. There is so much I want to do but this computer/internet is keeping me from doing it!
Fidgie: I had never heard of Leechblock. I am going to look into this. That sounds perfect!
rosarugosa
10-3-12, 7:03pm
Don't worry Mrs. M, I'm not going anywhere :) This forum is worth my time, and there are a few other sites that are also worthwhile to me. But I need to do a better job dividing my free time between the real world and the virtual world.
Comforting news, Rosa. :)
I'm still computerless so haven't even been using free wi-fi at places unless I'm at my sister's place using her computer or using one of the computers the library has. While I find being internet-less and computer-less to be GREAT in terms of quality of life, it is a bit too restrictive so will break down and at least buy a computer (tablet type) soon even if I continue to not have home internet.
Gardenarian
10-4-12, 6:08pm
I'm going to try and cut down a bit this month. So many other things I would rather do, but I get online and forget! Maybe I'll try Leechblock. My main problem is that I feel a need to check my email all the time - since I lost my hearing I use email as I used to use the phone. Maybe I can limit it to twice a day.
fidgiegirl
10-4-12, 6:13pm
Gardenarian, I find an iPhone to have been really freeing in terms of email. Once you set it up, you can have it with you all the time. I have mine set to "fetch" so it isn't like it's pestering me all the time with its alerts - only when I check the mail does it load the mail.
On the downside, when you check, you check everything. So you can't sometimes check work and sometimes not - if work e-mail is set up on the phone, and you're checking, you'd see it.
Something to think about, anywya.
rosarugosa
10-4-12, 8:04pm
Well last night I did finish the story I was reading, but I also somehow managed to fritter away about 45 minutes learning about cockroaches online (Fascinating! Did you know there are over 3000 different cockroach species? And the egg case is called an ootheca? I can't wait to drop that tidbit into casual conversation!)
I had squashed a roach at work which was terrorizing several of my co-workers, and my manager once again expressed concern about me releasing eggs. My research reinforced my opinion that this is probably an urban legend, and I learned a lot of other fun cockroach facts in the process.
Square Peg
10-6-12, 8:20pm
I am trying to control mine. My big pitfalls-facebook and online news sources. Way too many articles to read!
I have rescuetime, and it tells me how many hours I have spent on each type of site. It is grim :(
Last week, almost 7 and a half hours on facebook and 7 hours on news. I don't watch television, but I do watch netflix. I usually watch one show while exercising or cleaning. So, yeah, all of my mindless time is spent online with those two activities: social media or news.
I have installed StayFocused for Chrome, but don't use it consistently enough. Not enough willpower
fidgiegirl
10-6-12, 8:27pm
Doing pretty well. We have our first houseguest coming and staying off the computer has allowed us to work toward getting the room ready in little bits rather than having to spend alllllll of tomorrow doing it.
rosarugosa
10-7-12, 7:45am
I've spent some time reading each night, so I'm not spending all my time online. Turned the computer off during the day yesterday, so accomplished much more than I would have otherwise.
rosarugosa
10-7-12, 8:09pm
I was definitely using the computer as a procrastination tactic today. I finally gave myself a stern talking to and tackled the closet!
I intended to finish reading my book and two magazines this weekend, and I succeeded with that. I'm about half way through the seasonal closet project. We even managed a short hike yesterday, but didn't get any yard work done. Will try to do some of that next weekend if the weather cooperates.
I have a neuromuscular condition that requires me to rest intermittently during the day. I use those rest times to do my online visiting. I would miss the forums and my blog friends if I cut out too much computer time. OTOH, I can easily let my rest times get out of hand and not get anything accomplished. So it is a balance.
Tussiemussies
10-7-12, 10:16pm
Florence, sorry to hear about your condition...
Florence, sorry to hear about your condition...
Thank you Tussie, on the scale of bad things that can happen to someone, this is not so bad, more of an inconvenience. (Besides, it gives me a good excuse to sit down and read a good book or check online. )
Tussiemussies
10-8-12, 9:48pm
Thank you Tussie, on the scale of bad things that can happen to someone, this is not so bad, more of an inconvenience. (Besides, it gives me a good excuse to sit down and read a good book or check online. )
Well I'm glad you see it in a positive light. Great that your able to takes your breaks and read books and come here!:)
ApatheticNoMore
10-10-12, 1:48pm
Was thinking bout this limiting time online business ... and where and when it might be beneficial. I think time online could be broken down into several categories. Clearly if you are online to log into the work computers to do work, it's not wasting time online. But then neither is online bill paying (taking little time), or online job searching (that could take quite a lot of time online, not any of it fun), or for that matter online dating and the time online needed for that if it's a goal, which might be a substantial time investment as well. Never mind online classes. And to argue that one should be counting flowers on the wall rather than say online job searching (if one desires a new job) is silly.
So I know very well what is meant to be limited and that is the aimless time online. I know very very well hahaha :D. Hours spent on discussion boards, or following random links about obscure topics, or "looking inside" books, or reading about politics. I know :). And I don't pretend 3 hours spent online reading about politics is somehow work applicable or improving my life otherwise, that's silly, it's not (the best that's ever done is greatly improve my ability to argue! And that's not even work applicable!). It's more I think the failure to recognize that it IS a wired world, there's no escaping it, guarantees failure. And yet the wired world is so seductive ... and pretty soon your wasting time. Yes, but still if time spent job searching or mate searching etc. (if either is a goal) is lumped into the same category as idle link clicking, I think it guarantees failure. Even then there's an argument against too much screen time? Probably. It can interfere with sleep I think, too much light a few hours before bedtime. But then so do e-readers I imagine, so then dead trees, ludditism again, very well, dead trees are fine with me.
I think what is aimed at is conscious and PLANNED time online rather than limited time online.
SteveinMN
10-10-12, 2:23pm
My computer is my newspapers, almost all of my magazines, almost all of my mailbox, a good chunk of the music I listen to (radio and albums) and the videos I watch, many of my cookbooks/recipes, the way I keep in touch with far-flung friends, my encyclopedia ("So that's how you remove that part!"), my dictionary/thesaurus, my photographic studio, my ledger books, my typewriter/word processor, and probably a few other things I don't remember right now. My mobile phone is my alarm clock, calendar, to-do list, address book, sticky-note stand-in, portable music player, walkaround camera, videocam, and, oh yeah, a phone. I spend a lot of time on my computer and phone and I know it's not all "work". I would guess the time I spend would be considered "unhealthy" by some.
But, yes, as ANM said, it's a wired world out there. I would say that computer time that takes you away from things you should be doing might be time worth limiting. But how different is it to "Look inside!" books on amazon and browse the shelves at the local bookstore? I don't think there's any standard against which time spent should be judged and I think perception of "constant" computer use will change over time.
Not sure when judgements about healthy and unhealthy joined the discussion?
I saw this thread more about a discussion of individual personal choices because I, for example, was finding that I needed to manage my time throughout my day differently.
I fervently believe that each should do whatever works for each and would be concerned that my post could could be considered a judgement or the imposition of my choice on anyone else.
rosarugosa
10-10-12, 7:00pm
Razz, You said it perfectly. I want to limit my time online because I know that I'm spending more time online than I should for ME to get the most value out of my free time. Hey, there might be some folks out there who should spend MORE time online. :)
I think each of us knows when we're frittering our time away and if there's something else we would be better off doing. I don't think all time spent in front of a computer is wasted by any means.
ApatheticNoMore
10-10-12, 7:48pm
Maybe I just think time is a poor unit of measurement of that as opposed to exaclty how that time is spent, quantity vs quality and so on, so the unit of measure somehow seemed to be steering me wrong ...
It came of my own thoughts too, there are very well *some* things that are "online" (even require a web connection!) I should be spending MORE time on, and I mean it, that are more in line with my goals than counting flowers on the wall even! Even though hey I stared at the wall for 1/2 an hour, that's time I didn't spend online! However those more worthwhile things, are not how I've been tending to spend time online. :D (more time spent counting virtual flowers - it's far more pleasant. I mean for example what is more pleasant discussion board or online education? hahaha :)). It's in the way that you use it ...
rosarugosa
10-14-12, 7:28pm
I think if I continue this thread in November, I will change it to something along the lines of "Using time wisely in Nov." That's really the big picture of what this is about. I chose time online because that's my biggest time waster. When I turn off the computer, I tend to get the things done that I really want to do. If I went and read comic books or watched sitcoms, I would probably be better off online, where I can "talk" to intelligent people and read interesting things :)
So I'm pleased with how I spent my time this weekend. I did my usual housework and laundry tasks, but I finished cleaning the closet and got together another batch of clothes for the Salvation Army (mostly stuff that DH was ready to part with). I spent time online, but finished reading my book and and am almost done with the second of the two magazines I wanted to finish. (We subscribe to several magazines that have worthwhile content, and I actually read them cover-to-cover, but I've fallen way behind). We even squeezed in a small hike in the woods around 4PM since the rain had stopped and the sun had come out. All in all, it feels like I achieved a satisying balance.
fidgiegirl
10-14-12, 9:24pm
Have had a great week with limited online time! We had visitors from Costa Rica and the whole week was spent with them or at work. No time to pine after my online time. :)
Back at it tonight though, hoping to blog (http://twincitiesglutenfree.com) some of my restauranting experiences in the last week, and needing to finish a niggling task that has been hanging out there for a few months and get it off my back.
For you Facebook junkies (me being a former-facebook junkie)...have you considered deactivating your account at least temporarily?! You can always reactivate it! When I was decluttering my house...I started reading about people decluttering their inboxes and internet use and so forth. So I de-activated my FB account for a week...it turned out I loved not having FB so much that I ended up leaving it deactivated! It's been so refreshing and really I have that same feeling of when I declutter a room. It feels like cleaning up the mental clutter! Aaahhhh.
We were forced to limit Internet use the last 4 days. The fiber optics line serving our area was burnet by a power line and it took 4 days to fix. We also did not have TV so I missed the 49ers game and the Giants game.
I did get some book reading done.
Well I'll be completely computerless and internetless starting tomorrow. My computer broke awhile ago and I've been using my sisters while I stayed there the last couple of weeks. Now that I'm moving out, and probably won't get home internet access, I probably won't be going online at all unless I visit my sister (90 minutes away) or I find a library that has it's own computers. Will I survive? For awhile but I'll probably break down and buy a tablet and then i can at least use free wi-fi everywhere.
fidgiegirl
10-16-12, 4:58pm
We'll miss you, Spartana, and look forward to when you're back online!
Spartana, good idea - go to the library and you their computers!! Best of luck to you...it will be interesting to see how things go without a computer. You'll survive and it will make you stronger. :)
We'll miss you, Spartana, and look forward to when you're back online!
Ah shucks... (blush, blush) thanks. I'll miss you guys too - I'm still catching up on posts I missed when I was on my last trip! I'll probably break down and buy a tablet computer soon as it's getting impossible to be completely internet free nowadays. I am lusting for the new Apple I-Pad but will wait to see what they come up with next week :-)! But tonight I'll be in my new mountain digs (and out of this horrendous heat) so will worry about the internet another day!
Spartana, good idea - go to the library and you their computers!! Best of luck to you...it will be interesting to see how things go without a computer. You'll survive and it will make you stronger. :)
At least I won't have any excuses for sitting around all day for hours on end. Oh wait... I'll still have TV :-)! I have gone a long period of time without a computer so am pretty use to it now. I actually enjoy being computer-free as I do spend too much time on it when I have it - even when I don't have internet access at home. And I do so much more without it. But..always a but :-).. it is hard to be completely internetless and I really don't want to be. Just wish it wasn't soooo addictive! Someone needs to invent a timer that limits you to 2 hours a day and then turns off the computer and will not allow you in until the next day. Someone needs to intevent that for the fridge too :-)!
rosarugosa
10-27-12, 5:35pm
I feel like I've been doing well: catching up on the magazines, also somewhat on the books (they do take longer), and I'm pleased to be budgeting some time for reading the printed word on paper just about every night.
fidgiegirl
10-27-12, 7:37pm
Awesome.
I've been slipping this week - back to the old habits. I did get a few things done one night from consciously being offline. And I'll keep working on it. Leechblock IS helping, though I need to expand it to a few more sites. And it doesn't help that if I REALLY want to be on one of my blocked sites, I can just go on my work iPad or through my iPhone!! Argh! :) So it all comes down to will, really. :D
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