Dealing with Computer Addiction - DIY Sundays
The personal computer can be an incredible time saving device. You can use it to bank online, order refills foryour prescriptions, shop for clothes, gifts or food. You can send an e-card, email or read a newspaper. The downside to this incredibly helpful technology is that it is so easyto get swept up into the cyber world and lose track of thereal world that is right in front of you.
1) What does your computer mean to you?
The first thing you should do is sit down and give some serious thought to exactly what your computer means to you and how it functions in your life. Is it just an entertainment tool or are you using it for business?
2) Set ground rules.
You want your computer to benefit your life which will mean setting some ground rules. These will vary widely per your individual circumstances. Give yourself an appropriate timelimit when online. If you have a family at home, don'tallow your computer time to take away from real face-to-face quality time with them. Nothing online is as importantas being with your loved ones. If you use your computer asa social tool, as most people do in this day and age, besure that you also get out in the real world and interact with other live, breathing humans.
3) Give your inbox a break!
Take a good hard, long look at email you receive. You canand should control what you allow to enter your email box.If you have friends or family members who forward you everyjoke or virus warning to make its way around the Internet,it's perfectly acceptable to ask them politely to stop. Remove your email address from all but the very most important newsletters.
4) Printing is OK sometimes.
If you enjoy reading online news articles but can't seem tobreak yourself of the habit of following every linkimbedded in the stories, you can always print out thearticle and read the hard copy-be discerning, please, so asnot to generate tons of paper clutter). You can also carrythese printed stories with you in your purse for time whenyou might be waiting with time to kill.
5) It's OK to delete.
Just like you don't have to read every email you receive,there's also no rule out there that says you have to download and view every (or any for that matter) of the plethora of video clips or Powerpoint shows that people love to send to everyone that they've ever met. It's okayto simply delete the email.
6) Make a plan before you get on the computer.
Say for example that you have one hour to spend. Jot down alist of the things you know you need to accomplish in thattime frame. If you spend 10 minutes doing online banking,15 minutes to read and reply to email, 15 minutes to placean online order or two then that will leave you 20 minutesleft to spend on an online forum or social networking site.
7) Use a timer.
If you find yourself frequently losing track of time andspending more time than you planned, start setting a timer.Once the timer goes off, be true to your decision and putdown the mouse. Avoid the trap of saying just 10 moreminutes. In that 10 minutes, you could have thrown in aload of laundry or filled and started the dishwasher--or better yet, have snuggled with a child or a pet.
8) Use computer time as a reward.
In order to avoid feeling guilty while you're online, useyour computer time as a reward for time spent on less pleasant tasks. For instance, you can promise yourself that if you spend 45 minutes and vacuum the house, then you getto spend 15 minutes online doing whatever you please. If you prefer to work in baby steps or in 15 minute blocks,than give yourself baby steps on the computer, say 5 minutes to check the latest headlines or leave a post on the GON forum!
9) Don't check for email every second.
Even if you use your computer primarily for business, it'sstill easy to get sucked into the black hole of time. Avoidchecking your email every 10 minutes. Work email is aconvenience, but it can quickly become very inefficient ifoverused.
10) Stand up and stretch once in awhile, for goodness sakes!
Be sure to get up from your computer frequently, walkaround a bit, stretch your legs, shake out your arms,wrists and fingers. Have a drink of water and rest your eyes.
Resource site: www.getorganize.com
1) What does your computer mean to you?
The first thing you should do is sit down and give some serious thought to exactly what your computer means to you and how it functions in your life. Is it just an entertainment tool or are you using it for business?
2) Set ground rules.
You want your computer to benefit your life which will mean setting some ground rules. These will vary widely per your individual circumstances. Give yourself an appropriate timelimit when online. If you have a family at home, don'tallow your computer time to take away from real face-to-face quality time with them. Nothing online is as importantas being with your loved ones. If you use your computer asa social tool, as most people do in this day and age, besure that you also get out in the real world and interact with other live, breathing humans.
3) Give your inbox a break!
Take a good hard, long look at email you receive. You canand should control what you allow to enter your email box.If you have friends or family members who forward you everyjoke or virus warning to make its way around the Internet,it's perfectly acceptable to ask them politely to stop. Remove your email address from all but the very most important newsletters.
4) Printing is OK sometimes.
If you enjoy reading online news articles but can't seem tobreak yourself of the habit of following every linkimbedded in the stories, you can always print out thearticle and read the hard copy-be discerning, please, so asnot to generate tons of paper clutter). You can also carrythese printed stories with you in your purse for time whenyou might be waiting with time to kill.
5) It's OK to delete.
Just like you don't have to read every email you receive,there's also no rule out there that says you have to download and view every (or any for that matter) of the plethora of video clips or Powerpoint shows that people love to send to everyone that they've ever met. It's okayto simply delete the email.
6) Make a plan before you get on the computer.
Say for example that you have one hour to spend. Jot down alist of the things you know you need to accomplish in thattime frame. If you spend 10 minutes doing online banking,15 minutes to read and reply to email, 15 minutes to placean online order or two then that will leave you 20 minutesleft to spend on an online forum or social networking site.
7) Use a timer.
If you find yourself frequently losing track of time andspending more time than you planned, start setting a timer.Once the timer goes off, be true to your decision and putdown the mouse. Avoid the trap of saying just 10 moreminutes. In that 10 minutes, you could have thrown in aload of laundry or filled and started the dishwasher--or better yet, have snuggled with a child or a pet.
8) Use computer time as a reward.
In order to avoid feeling guilty while you're online, useyour computer time as a reward for time spent on less pleasant tasks. For instance, you can promise yourself that if you spend 45 minutes and vacuum the house, then you getto spend 15 minutes online doing whatever you please. If you prefer to work in baby steps or in 15 minute blocks,than give yourself baby steps on the computer, say 5 minutes to check the latest headlines or leave a post on the GON forum!
9) Don't check for email every second.
Even if you use your computer primarily for business, it'sstill easy to get sucked into the black hole of time. Avoidchecking your email every 10 minutes. Work email is aconvenience, but it can quickly become very inefficient ifoverused.
10) Stand up and stretch once in awhile, for goodness sakes!
Be sure to get up from your computer frequently, walkaround a bit, stretch your legs, shake out your arms,wrists and fingers. Have a drink of water and rest your eyes.
Resource site: www.getorganize.com
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