stop wasting so much time on the internet

I waste way too much time on this hunk of junk I call the computer

OMGi spend so much time sitte at my computer desk,...how can i do that,,i mean there so much els in the world but i cant seem to tear myself away.

It’s gotten to the point I can’t seem to do anything without my laptop in my lap – researching dumb things, cyberstalking, obsessively updating my blog – you name it.

And right now I’m studying for the bar and can’t spare the time. Thank god I’m going out of town for ten days to a remote place with no internet. That should help me kick the habit cold turkey.

Here’s what I should be using the internet for:

paying my bills
checking my emails
updating my blog and reading others
looking up pertinant info
doing reasonable shopping for things I need

Here’s what I should not be using the internet for:
trying to figure out if my ex still loves me
indulging my hypochondria
looking up really morbid info
shopping for things I cannot afford, or don’t need.

Well, ok, I’m still allowed to do some of these things…but overall I think two hours is a good starting point for me and I hope to get it down to about an hour when I’m finished.

Gah! I have been so bad about this in the past few months. Really bad. Frankly, I think being on the Internet all the time contributes to my depression. Plus, there are so many other things I’d like to be doing—exercising, reading, playing with my kids. So. As of today, I set a digital timer for 2 hours. That’s all the longer I’m allowed to spend on the Internet. Period. Wish me luck!

1. made a few timing rules: no internet (or TV) until i’ve been awake for 2 hours, or home from work for at least one.

2. in the same vein, declare certain days “no internet at home” days. on mondays, and some tuesdays if i’m really busy, i only check my e-mail at work and don’t even turn on my home computer.

2. reverse psychology: pick some day, probably on a weekend, say to yourself, out loud, “i am going to stay on the net for 4 hours (or some other ridiculous amount of time), not feel guilty about it, and not leave for anything.” when you do that, you’re allowing yourself to stay on, instead of feeling guilty about it. and then a strange thing happens: you get hungry. you have to pee. your ass hurts from your computer chair. you get bored. suddenly, being online for 4 hours doesn’t seem like such a good idea or forbidden guilty indulgence anymore.

Since I’ve added this to my list, I’ve actually INCREASED the amount of time I spend on this Internet. I find this horrifying. I don’t watch TV or read anymore because I’m much more interested in keeping up with my sites on the Net.

I need to make some changes, and I need to do it NOW. This Internet habit is quickly becoming a compulsion. I disabled a toolbar I used to keep abreast of activities in a group I belong to. That just got to be too time consuming. I need to make some other changes, too, but I’m not quite sure what yet.

I am failing MISERABLY at this one. What can I do?

I was doing really well at it, and then…I can’t blame it ALL on Facebook, can I? Well, maybe I can.

I’ve been really bad lately. It’s soooo easy to waste hours on the Internet, you know? Today, I’ve set a timer: I’m only allowed to be on for an hour.

I could hang out right now and waste time on the Internet. Obviously, there’s always SOMETHING to do online. But, I’m going to log off now and go do something else.

Let’s hope I make a habit of this.