Time Spent on the Computer

The amount of time I spend on the computer is something I have to watch constantly. I can do well for a while (meaning not much wasted time at all) and then I start to spend a little more time each day or so until I am back to spending too much time on the computer. Insidious.

As an introvert, I use the computer to go into my own little world where I escape all the input from family. The funny thing is, I would enjoy reading a book so much more! But, to me, reading a book is a clear escape and pleasure and I am not entitled to that until my work is done.

On the other hand, I can easily find something I need to do on the computer. Check email. Send an email. Do a bit of research. Find out if there is a book about "that."

And I can feel like I really need some inspiration, so I will go to one of the blogs I enjoy reading. And which gives me inspiration to do something.

 Irony alert: I'm not doing something (productive in my home or life) if I am on the computer reading a blog to get inspired to do something.

As I said before, I need to recognize the end point and then quit. 

I found this page about apps and programs that help you monitor your time on the computer: 10 Ways to Measure Your Time Spent Online.

And I think I just downloaded RescueTime. (I tried Toggl and didn't like it very much, but I recognize I was impatient with the learning curve, too.)

"Recognize the end point. Then end." How to reduce the amount of time you spend on the computer.

I was thinking about managing my time on the computer (and in other areas, too, but mainly the computer). It came to me just as I wrote it up there:

"Recognize the end point. Then end."

Recognize when I have finished the work I need to do on the computer. Then end my time there and move on to the next thing. I'll imagine my most police-like, authoritarian voice, and say to myself, "STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER!"

How often I have lingered instead and thought of something to check:
a review of a book,
a new post on a favorite blog,
the news on my yahoo home page,
maybe I should request that book from the library?,
while I'm here, I will check my library account--anything overdue?,
my wish list at amazon,
what do others buy who bought the book on my wishlist at amazon?
new messages posted on my yahoo groups I belong to,
I should post a reply to that one,
any new emails?
oh, yeah, I need to respond to that email I got a couple of days ago...

Click, click, click and tick, tick, tick. Time passes; I am reading interesting stuff, good stuff, but I should have ended minutes ago.

I should be doing something else.

It is a skill that I hope to improve. Recognize the end point. Then end.

Like right now:

I've written. Reviewed. Edited. Re-read. Edited again. Re-read.

I'm done here. I'll post and then I will move away from the computer and on to my work in our home.

I will recognize the end point and end.

Top Six Daily Planning Sheet

Here

My New Links (Blogs and Groups) or, Time Spent on the Computer

I just updated the "Blogs I read" and added "Groups I like" and I think I have discovered why some things are not getting done around here! (Actually, I knew why, but I wasn't willing to admit it.)

Funny how this follows my post about my priorities.

I am spending too much time on the computer.

Know how some older time management books talk about not spending too much time on the phone? or watching television? Well, those are no problem for me, but the internet/computer is.

It is also funny how, now that I have set up this blog, I feel compelled to make a daily (or frequent) entry. It was just supposed to be a place for me to gather thoughts or resources. Now, I am interested in readers! Is that pride rearing its ugly head again?

I believe it is. I want to be important, helpful, a connection, an authority of some sort.

But the other side of this is that I really do get good help about spirituality, home and homeschooling from these blogs and groups. I just need to keep my time on the computer within reason.

I will be working on this.

Now, I don't think I have any readers, but if I do, any ideas?