3 Ways To Claim Your Life Back - How To Step Away From Your Computer

Lea Says:

January 4th, 2008, 2:37 am

Since writing this, I’ve found another fantastic tool - Rescue Time (http://www.rescuetime.com/) - which helps you analyse how much time you spend on your computer using certain programs/browsing certain sites etc.

Thanks for the post, Leo!

moxie Says:

January 4th, 2008, 2:53 am

unplug the internet……? what are you, crazy!?

actually, that’s probably a good idea… but so many of us are like crack addicts with our computers and the internet. i really liked this entry. i often realize i’ve wasted an entire day on my computer when i could have been doing something productive. :p

Al at 7P Says:

January 4th, 2008, 3:04 am

In addition to time, the frequency is something to monitor too.

One suggestion that seemed sacrilegious at first but has now grown on me is checking emails only 2-3 times a day. Same goes with social network sites. These things want to take up as much time as you give it.

tim woodhead Says:

January 4th, 2008, 3:35 am

Hello my name is tim .I have an internet problem :).
This hit home a lot better look for the off button.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

January 4th, 2008, 3:50 am

My advice would be to go cold turkey, at least for a day. I just got back from a ten-day trip to Egypt only to find that the world hadn’t completely ended. (GASP!)

Email and all the other online distractions can wait (except Zen Habits, of course). I’m checking email only once a week and spending about 10 minutes online per day. Really, there are more important things to life than all that. It feels great to finally be free!

(Anyone looking for help on starting a low-info diet MUST read The 4-Hour Workweek)

Sham @ Enhance Life Says:

January 4th, 2008, 4:20 am

Just yesterday I wrote about how technology is taking over our lives little by little. Your post provides some valuable and practical advice into we could discipline our selves.

Sandra Says:

January 4th, 2008, 5:12 am

I don’t know, though… for better or for worse, some of my generation (I’m 21), and many more of those that follow, have grown up with information tech playing such a central role in their lives that I don’t really know what I’d do if I didn’t spend as much time on the computer. I mean, what I used to do when I was younger was watch more TV, and I feel confident in saying that was NOT a better solution.

Now, I know that logically there are plenty of other things to do if I just branch out. But if one doesn’t mind being on the computer a lot… is it really a “problem”?

Michelle Dawn Says:

January 4th, 2008, 5:49 am

Great post. I was just talking about this very thing on another forum. I definitely need to get my internet time in check.

Opus Vir Says:

January 4th, 2008, 6:02 am

I agree that the internet has become necessary in today’s society and a lot of businesses depend on it. I work in IT and admit I spend time hanging around the internet, social networking sites etc. I do think that these types of sites have an effect on getting the task at hand completed. If all of these sites disappeared tomorrow, I am sure people would mourn for a few days and then get on with their lives without much drama.

pavs Says:

January 4th, 2008, 7:37 am

I apent about 8-12 hrs a day on computer everyday. Hopefully I will spent less time online if my blogs become really succesfull

Balfour Says:

January 4th, 2008, 8:52 am

I really need this post - I am an addict! Not only do I use the computer at work and home for internet, but I also don’t have a tv and view DVDs and downloads on my laptop, with breaks for surfing and looking up obscure actors. I look forward to reading the rest of the comments.

The Financial Philosopher Says:

January 4th, 2008, 9:58 am

“… in an information-rich world, the wealth of information means a dearth of something else: a scarcity of whatever it is that information consumes. What information consumes is rather obvious: it consumes the attention of its recipients. Hence a wealth of information creates a poverty of attention and a need to allocate that attention efficiently among the overabundance of information sources that might consume it.” Herbert Simon

Matt Says:

January 4th, 2008, 10:20 am

I think being conscious of the time we spend infront of the computer coupled with a definite plan of attack when you’re there will make a huge difference.

Genesis Says:

January 4th, 2008, 10:24 am

This was a major issue for me, but about 4 months back, I realized that my kids really needed more mommy time, so I started to work only when they were asleep. It left me with a lot of spare time!

Now that I have a fairly time-intensive writing job, I´m back on the computer in the mornings, but still make a point of only spending about 1 hour of kids´ awake time working. It´s tough, but definitely necessary.

deepali Says:

January 4th, 2008, 11:00 am

You know, the problem isn’t how much time I spend on the computer, it’s how much time I spend at my job. :)

Jason Unger Says:

January 4th, 2008, 11:30 am

How about taking one day per week to not use the computer? As an observant Jew, this is what I do every Friday night- Saturday night.

It’s really refreshing, restful, and gets you prepared for getting back to work.

Never the Same River Twice Says:

January 4th, 2008, 11:40 am

Thanks, Lea. I needed this one.

I really need to stop eating lunch in front of the computer. Maybe my deathly palor with color up a bit!

Kristin Says:

January 4th, 2008, 12:49 pm

i can’t find any search results for togglr or tick, and the third option listed is windows only. any links?

mac Says:

January 4th, 2008, 12:50 pm

Sandra I know what you’re saying and am very interested in that angle. Although I spend a lot of my time at work on the computer (90%?) and then some more time at home, it’s my 15-year-old daughter I worry about. She has the attachment to being on-line you describe, but the difference from me is that I know what it’s like not to have the computer. I didin’t grow up with it the way she is.

Michelle Dawn Says:

January 4th, 2008, 13:07 pm

Oh I really like that Rescue Time link that Lea provided. Well worth trying!

JEMi Says:

January 4th, 2008, 13:30 pm

LOL *blush* I realized I had a problem when my mom pointed out that I didn’t know how to relax. She said my idea of relaxing was to live online.

She proved this to me one weekend when I spent some of my weekend getaway time at a swanky hotel going through actual withdrawal from the internet.

don’t believe me?

I found the business center (maybe with a slightly crazed look in my eye) and gleefully swiped my credit card in order to graze the internet.

10 minutes online = 30 bucks.
satisfaction of overpaying to log on for nothing particularly important? = priceless.

*hangs head in shame and slinks back into cyberspace*
….
I mean..err.. *the library.*

Susan Says:

January 4th, 2008, 14:20 pm

If you spend too much of your free time on the computer, your spouse could end up feeling pretty lonely. Who wants to play second fiddle to a computer? It’s better to go outside and do something together.

Liz @ Creative Liberty Says:

January 4th, 2008, 14:20 pm

I too have been shocked by how prevalent cyber-connection-addiction is, even where I am concerned. I have taken one simple step at my day job: limiting access to my personal e-mail to 2-3 times a day, not every 15 seconds. That alone has made me more productive and better focused. I also take a walk at lunch nearly every day and don’t know what I’d do without that time away from the computer.
The next steps for me? Paring down my Internet usage at work (difficult, since my day job demands quite a bit of cyber-research) and stepping away from the computer when I need to create or think, and staring at the screen is obviously not the answer.
Great thought-provoking post! :)

Lea Says:

January 4th, 2008, 14:21 pm

Here’s the link to tick: http://www.tickspot.com/ - it’s more of a project tracker kind of tool.

And Togglr is actually Toggl (sorry - just checked it on my desktop!) - here’s a link: http://toggl.com/

Having used Toggl but just recently found the tool I mentioned above (Rescue Time), I much prefer the latter - it’s ideal to help cure yourself of aimless surfing by showing you just how much time you spend doing it!!

Well done those of you who’ve clawed your way out of cyberspace (and those of you who’ve admitted your addiction right here!!)…it’s something I’ve become so much more aware of recently and is one of the “habits” I’m changing. It is tough though, especially if you use the computer/internet for business purposes…

Lise Says:

January 4th, 2008, 16:25 pm

I would have finished reading this article earlier, but I got distracted by a discussion of China Mieville, leading to reading Michael Moorcock’s “Epic Pooh,” essay, leading to futzing around on LJ.

I think this pretty much proves your point exactly. I’m an addict.

pril Says:

January 4th, 2008, 16:38 pm

so hard… soo hard… i think there is a small issue I take forever to log into my sites to care for the 5 sites that I visit every day.. I type fast but recheck mywork all the time (still get errors)

grace Says:

January 4th, 2008, 17:43 pm

I put a time limit of two hours a day and only check emails once a day. My 15 year old is allowed on the internet for school related work only. However, she can get lost in Sims so she has a two hour a day limit. It seems we’ve substitiuted the tv for the computer. I can imagine what will happen when we have a faster internet service. I can see You Tube being a problem. We use the computer for entertainment. Im sure it must be difficult to limit your time if you use the computer for work.

Sara Says:

January 4th, 2008, 18:29 pm

I began to limit my computer usage in November after realizing how much time I was spending visiting the same four sites over and over (Facebook, Flickr, icanhascheezburger, and my favorite message board). I figured out how to block the sites using my hosts file. It amazingly almost stopped my internet usage altogether while trying to write my papers.

I have also had a Firefox extension installed that times my internet use called TimeTracker. So far, since March, I have used Firefox for 788 hours. That is a WHOLE MONTH of the last ten months spent online. It amazed me and really helped me realize I have a problem that needs solving. Thanks for this article, I think it can really help the addicts out there like myself put things in perspective.

Dan R Says:

January 4th, 2008, 19:24 pm

I like the idea of planning specific activities away from the machine - the flip side is making sure that you have specific activities planned when you sit down at it - do them first and then switch off.
If I have to sit down at the PC at the weekend, say to check the opening times of a store or see what’s on at the zoo, I make sure I have what ever it is I’m trying to achieve scrawled on a piece of paper to remind me. Otherwise that temptation to just respond to another fb poke, or send that email you kinda think you might need to send to an old friend can take over and - bang - there goes an hour.

Andrew Brunelle Says:

January 4th, 2008, 23:50 pm

There is just so much info on the Net, but overuse can become just plain boring. Go for a walk or something. I maybe spend five hours at most on the Internet. I may be in denial about my actual time usage. I have never timed myself. The only thing I do know is that most of the time I am not doing that much productive work, just surfing blogs I enjoy and commenting, much like I am now. But it does fill a void. Otherwise, I would be doing something else, like playing Texas Hold ‘Em and losing all my money.

Vince Says:

January 5th, 2008, 3:36 am

I’ve also been feeling this sense that I spend way too much time in front of the computer. I sit in front of it all day at work and then I come home and plop down in front of my home computer. I don’t have TV (well, I physically have one so sometimes I sit in front of that screen to watch movies and such) and generally just find that I spend too much time in front of screens.

Lately, I’ve been trying to implement a good solid 2 hours after getting home from work before touching a computer again. Typically I spend that time reading a book/magazine, cooking dinner, doing laundry, or something physical that doesn’t involve sitting in front of a screen.

I wrote a short blurb Life If Not Inside a Computer on my blog thepoormansmba.com.

ITeachSpeech Says:

January 5th, 2008, 6:03 am

I agree with Dan R here. It’s important for me to list what I need to do when I’m at my computer.

Also, I don’t feel particularly bad about indulging myself first. After I’ve visited all my favourite comic strips and read through the blog updates, I know I don’t have to go back until another day. So I’ll usually just bum around the series of tubes for a while, and then sit down to do some serious stuff.

I guess it helps to know your weaknesses :)

Eden Says:

January 5th, 2008, 12:41 pm

Not easy to limit computer time when you earn your living on a computer! I know it hasn’t been good for my health, but it does provide me a decent income.

Rose Garden Says:

January 5th, 2008, 14:01 pm

The “I don’t know what else I’d do” comments are a little sad to me… particularly from the younger readers.

I’m one of those silly nostalgics that remembers going out to play as a kid with no specific agenda in mind. We - whoever else I’d run into that was also outside - would be gone for hours, exploring nearby woods and rivers (aka “undeveloped land”), making up games or trying stunts on our bikes. Eventually the parents would stick their heads out their front door and call kids home for dinner, or phone a neighbor down the street who would pass on the word. For those out of earshot, word got around about who was being summoned home. Teens did basically the same, but with a car and a few more destinations and activities. Parents took walks in the evenings, stopping to visit those who had perched themselves on the front porch or were hanging out in the front yard puttering with plants, the car, or the dog and weekends included bigger projects outside in the yard, putting up basketball hoops, teaching kids to ride a bike, building a shed, playing in the garden.

This is a middle-class American perspective… certainly things have changed for the better for many. But from my nostalgic window to the past, a few lessons may be applicable today. On average we lived more modest lifestyles, and I suppose we were a little naive, maybe because we weren’t online getting a handle on what’s going on in the bigger world around us (or living in a big city where the world comes to you). Being “bored” meant it was time to get creative and invent something to do. The neighborhood was an engaged community, where we were generally safe and healthy. Maybe a little happier too.

kevin Says:

January 5th, 2008, 15:01 pm

I like this post. I think it’s really relevant to “my generation”, the one that got to experience when computers got big. Later generations may not be as susceptible to having this problem. Just a side thought.

Anyway, I’ve found that just not being around computers really helps. It sounds dumb, but it’s true. Just LET yourself not be around computers, or, if your computer is broken (like mine is - dead PSU), just let it be. Take advantage of it. Also, just recognizing computer use as a crutch activity can help to curb it.

Allison Says:

January 5th, 2008, 15:30 pm

Really great post. I’ve gotten problematic myself many times in the past and still feel an intense connection in the present. The final straw for me was a few months ago when I realized how much time I spent on a private spin-off message board of some people I had met briefly in real life, some I had not. When it turned into constant arguing, bickering and one-upmanship with total strangers/acquaintances, I felt it was time to start limiting my use. My husband even has pointed out that he felt the message board thing was a bit much.

Lea Says:

January 5th, 2008, 16:05 pm

@Kristin - I posted a comment earlier with the links but I guess it probably got deleted as spam.

The services are toggl.com (sorry - not togglr) and tickspot.com but you might want to check out the one I mention in the comments - Rescue Time. It’s ideal to analyse what/where you spend your time when on the computer.

To everyone else: Thank you for your comments and suggestions…and well done to those of you who have admitted your addiction right here on this post!! It’s a habit I’m in the process of changing because I’ve realised it’s got out of hand. Pretty hard to do when most of my businesses are run on the internet but it’s got to be done.

As some of you have suggested (thanks guys - great suggestion), it’s a good idea to make a list of what you want to achieve when at your computer to cut down on the “faffing” time. It’s the only way I’ve found to stop that “oooh where’s the time gone” feeling 2 hours after I sat down at the computer to realise I haven’t actually done anything.

Definitely time for a change….

Rolltimer Says:

January 6th, 2008, 18:33 pm

I think I’d rather stay in denial a while longer. Sure, I do other things–run, yoga, stretching, small amount of cooking, baking, grocery shopping, playing with my cat, and offline reading. I like that I can do so many things on the internet–pay bills, track finances, track workouts, keep up with long distance friends, keep up with news, trends, and technology, try the latest freeware, learn something new. I hate the phone. At least with e-mail, I can think about what I want to say, say it succinctly, edit it as necessary and send it. I’m not interrupting with a phone call, I’m not spending time, money, gas, etc. getting somewhere to meet someone to do something.

Blake Says:

January 6th, 2008, 23:16 pm

I found a link for Tick, but it looks like it’s got a price tag on it, though there is a free version. I also couldn’t find Togglr though.

Amy Says:

January 7th, 2008, 3:12 am

Great article!
A great way to save some time for us addicts is to use an RSS reader for your reading materials and 8hands for your social activity.
If you do it smartly, it can save a great amount of waisted time.

Steve Says:

January 7th, 2008, 4:37 am

I have to spend most of my waking life in front of the computer … communicating, recording, researching, locating, analysing, checking, evaluating … but the times I’ve been happiest is when I’ve been out in the world … talking, looking, finding, playing, socialising … and I wonder why the hell I’m so restless …

Ant Says:

January 7th, 2008, 10:48 am

I’ve found a great way of reducing my internet use & get out more.. I cancelled my DSL & home telephone line.

I now solely use mobile broadband with a limited 1GB data plan.. it means I know I am limited to the amount of time I spend on the Internet, and now concentrate on the essentials.

Now, I’m not limited to where I can work from, and the single plan works out cheaper for me!

I still get the same amount of work done - probably more as I know I can’t randomly browse to often.

May Says:

January 7th, 2008, 13:41 pm

I’ve helped myself with this by simply not having internet in my home. When I use the computer there, I know I need to use it and since I go out to use wireless at coffee shops and things, I get my computer time in while being outside of the house. It’s not perfect, but I’m happy with it for now… especially since otherwise it’s hard for me to pull myself off.

Vanessa Van Petten Says:

January 7th, 2008, 17:05 pm

Oh man this is such a problem for me! I work on the computer all day long and usually ’save’ the fun stuff I have (reading craft blogs, looking at puppy pictures and shopping on discount stores)…I know, I know its bad, but its fun! Anyway, I save all the fun stuff for night, but invariably I end up checking email, managing comments on my blog etc etc. I like some of the tips above. To try to make sure that I keep the ‘fun’ computer time ‘fun’ I will make a not-to-do list on a sticky on my desktop.

Then no matter what, 10pm each night I have to close the computer and do something else…I usually journal because that gets me out of the ‘day time grind’ mindset. Thanks LEO!

PS good luck on the bet blog award, I am going to vote for you!