Today: Internet Discipline
I'm really proud of myself today. Today I resisted the urge to check the internet till I finished my main To Do list priorities. This is part of a new habit I'm trying to start: using the internet as a reward for achieving priorities. Recently, basically since I got back into blogging, my daily priorities stopped getting done. They didn't get done because either I didn't limit net access at all or I'd use the net as a reward/break between tasks. Having no access-limit meant I'd flat out neglect things. Limiting access as a between-task reward usually meant accomplishing one task but not the next. After accomplishing my first task I’d diddle on the net during my break and lose track of time.
So last night, after a few days of this, I resolved I'd stop letting myself open a web browser until all priority tasks were done. The result? I felt squeamish between tasks. But by refusing to let myself check the web, I had to find less distracting, less time-consuming rewards to fill the break e.g. eating a cookie. Then, when my cookie was done, I'd have to choose between doing nothing and doing something, but not internet. Without the highly entertaining internet as an option, the most prominent remaining options were (1) do nothing and feel like a loser (2) resolve to do the next task and feel good at day’s end.
So I resolved to do the next task, then the next, and the next. Eventually, when I finished everything, I felt a sense of accomplishment for doing all I envisioned for myself at the start of the day, and good about myself for holding out against temptation. With everything major done, I felt no end-of-day guilt, and it was a great reward to check all my usual round-up of sites: social networking sites, blogs, LJ, email, news, etc. I think I’ll keep doing this and see how it goes.
I like this better than my old “Check LJ only on Saturday” rule. While “Saturday only” did keep me away from a time consuming activity for much of the week, the emphasis was only on freeing up time to get things done, while putting me out of touch with people. The emphasis of “After priorities only” isn’t just on freeing up time for tasks, but on incentivizing tasks, all of this without putting me out of touch.
Anyways, writing this post is part of me rewarding myself to reinforce the good habit. I do feel like a lab mouse on a wheel whenever I manipulate myself this way. And when I feel good about my behavior and “holding out against temptation” I do feel a little bit like a priggish, Puritanical child. It’s funny, I know. But I like things that work.
So last night, after a few days of this, I resolved I'd stop letting myself open a web browser until all priority tasks were done. The result? I felt squeamish between tasks. But by refusing to let myself check the web, I had to find less distracting, less time-consuming rewards to fill the break e.g. eating a cookie. Then, when my cookie was done, I'd have to choose between doing nothing and doing something, but not internet. Without the highly entertaining internet as an option, the most prominent remaining options were (1) do nothing and feel like a loser (2) resolve to do the next task and feel good at day’s end.
So I resolved to do the next task, then the next, and the next. Eventually, when I finished everything, I felt a sense of accomplishment for doing all I envisioned for myself at the start of the day, and good about myself for holding out against temptation. With everything major done, I felt no end-of-day guilt, and it was a great reward to check all my usual round-up of sites: social networking sites, blogs, LJ, email, news, etc. I think I’ll keep doing this and see how it goes.
I like this better than my old “Check LJ only on Saturday” rule. While “Saturday only” did keep me away from a time consuming activity for much of the week, the emphasis was only on freeing up time to get things done, while putting me out of touch with people. The emphasis of “After priorities only” isn’t just on freeing up time for tasks, but on incentivizing tasks, all of this without putting me out of touch.
Anyways, writing this post is part of me rewarding myself to reinforce the good habit. I do feel like a lab mouse on a wheel whenever I manipulate myself this way. And when I feel good about my behavior and “holding out against temptation” I do feel a little bit like a priggish, Puritanical child. It’s funny, I know. But I like things that work.