Do you sometimes find yourself online placing bets with total strangers in article comment sections about whether or not Kimye will name their next baby South West when you should be working to make your next deadline? Don’t feel bad; it’s a problem many of us face. There are websites and discussion threads completely dedicated to cat videos, and Ivy League institution. The University of Pennsylvania even has a class called “Wasting Time on the Internet.”
If you’re one of those people who just can’t seem to quit tweeting, liking, or Googling, here are five tips on how to stop wasting time and get shiz done.
1. Log Off Social Media – Yes, All of It
Humans are hard-wired to seek out social connections. We crave attention and a feeling of being close to one another that we often satisfy through the use of social media. It doesn’t even have to come from our own friends. You probably check out George Takei’s Facebook page more than you do most of the people you went to college with.
One way you might’ve heard suggested on how to stop wasting time on social media is to shut it off. Before beginning work or sitting down to study, log out of your social media accounts, delete them from your phone, or block them through your browser settings to reduce the amount of time you can procrastinate.
2. The Repeat Test
In order to see just how much time we’re wasting sometimes we need to write it down. The Repeat Test is a great tool to help you keep track of your daily habits and activities and how doing them made you feel.
Start by drawing a table representing each hour of your day. At the beginning of every hour, take a minute or two to write down exactly how you spent the last 60 minutes, along with a short note of how each task made you feel. At the end of the day, go over the list and review which habits were productive and which need to be eliminated.
3. There’s an App for That
Yes, there are apps to help keep you from Googling all day long for the newest iPhone product to hit the market. Apps like Facebook Nanny can help limit the time you spend on social media. Other apps like Concentrate allow you to specify which sites should be blocked and which you might need to visit, while an app like Checky can keep track of your online habits and let you know where you need to work on self control.
4. Schedule Your Internet Time
You schedule your workout times, possibly your meals, and your travel plans, so why shouldn’t you schedule your Internet time too? Instead of leaving yourself free to hop online willy-nilly throughout the day, schedule specific times when you’ll allow yourself to browse the web.
Whatever posts you see that look interesting in the morning will still be there in the evening, so it’s not necessary to click on it right away. Make note of your favorite games, social media pages, and news sites and schedule a window of time to visit them. Just make sure you stick to this schedule.
5. Take Work Breaks
Stopping your study session or workday in order to play online could indicate you simply need a break. Research has shown regular breaks help us prevent boredom while also helping us retain information over time. In fact, studies show taking a break every 90 minutes could improve our productivity.
Set a timer for work sessions, then take a short five minute break to help maximize your potential each day. Walking, eating, and even looking at cute animal pictures can help us relax and recoup energy throughout the day, so this is the perfect opportunity to log onto Facebook for a quick Grumpy Cat fix.
Training yourself to focus and avoid playing around online is tough, so use the tools above to help you get started. Remember, it’s all about willpower. Learn how to assert yours and you may find yourself getting more done than ever before.
Featured photo credit: raneko via flickr.com
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