spend less time online

I’ve gotten to the point where I am sick of checking my email. I think progress can be made now.

I’m not sure how much of a problem this is now. To the extent that it is, it’s more of a procrastination/organization problem. I have to take care of that first.

I’ve been failing on this one….I spend WAY too much checking my email. Really, there’s no reason to check it 2-3 times per afternoon, because NORMAL people send emails with at least a day’s notice. And there’s usually not much of a difference if you check it any more than 2-3 times per day. That’s going to be my goal now.

Tools:
Gmail’s email addict
willpower
hope that this will help me

I spent between 3-4 hrs online doing nothing work-related and I have a paper due tomorrow. I really need to work on this one. Why is is that even when I have an list of alternative things to do (like walking outside), I don’t do them? Why do I think I will get offline in a few minutes, and then don’t? Why am I not properly weighing the pain of being up and writing against wasting time online?

I KNOW what to do in order to spend less time online (I’ve even made a list of things to do), but I can’t seem to do it. Spending time online must seem easier or less time-consuming than it really is. What a shame. There is a lot I would like to get done, including school work!

I am going to give Leechblock a try. I think that if I set it to limit the amount of time I spend online (instead of blocking it completely), and I also use TimeTracker, I should be ok.

This can be difficult if I go online at night, but…
1. Hit the gym!
2. Research (academic and non-academic)...but not on the computer.
3. Read a book (need to start doing that again).
4. Do sit-ups, push-ups, and other exercises that can be done at home.
5. Organize my computer files.
6. Work on accomplishing other 43Things goals: organize my music files, spend quality time with my mom.
7. Make lists of other things that I want to do (visit every library at college!)
8. Clean and organize.

I think part of the problem, for me, is that spending time online seems like a quick, satisfying thing to do. Can I “get into” a book in 20 min.? Unfortunately, I end up spending more time than I think I will online (despite having a time tracker). Another problem is that I can get more information online. If I want to find a recipe, I find it online. I do need the internet for communication, too…

What I Have Done to Reduce My Internet Time
1. Quit Facebook.
2. Stopped using instant-messaging apps.

What I Have Been Doing Too Much of:
1. Reading blogs!
2. Reading LJ communities.
3. Checking my email way too often.

I should do these less often, but I just can’t. I think I’ve been spending about 2hrs daily online, so it’s not so bad (sometimes, though, I’ve spent about 5 hrs)

Things to Do to Improve:
1. Make a list of things to do instead of going online..and then make another.
2. Find something even better than Firefox’s timetracker? Leechblock wouldn’t work for me; it’s too harsh..and I am guaranteed to rebel.

I need to try this again. I will manage my time well.

I’d like to waste less time online. I spend around 3 hrs online, some of it used to work, and most of it used to relax and/or procrastinate. Unfortunately, I need the internet to listen to a lot of music (not necessarily songs I like enough to own).

Ideally, I think I want to spend a total of 1 hour wasting time online and 2 or more on work.