I think there are two deadly sins for the DIYer: One is accumulating cast off items for theoretical future projects. The other is falling into the trap of either researching a subject so thoroughly that somehow you never get around to actually doing it, or avoiding doing that research in the first place by checking email, Facebook or any of the other anti-productive tools our Silicon Valley overlords subject us to. It’s the distraction problem I’d like to look at today.
The state of restless research and “busyness” that leads to ultimate inaction is an aspect of what was known in the Middle Ages as acedia and what has misleadingly come to be known as “sloth”. For me it begins this way, “I’ll just check my email.” Then, two hours later, I’ve descended to the click bait circle of hell where I’m viewing all the latest cat memes, 80s music videos and hitting the “like” button like a mouse in a Skinner box.
I’ve become very worried in the past few years about this interweb induced state of acedia. As Nicholas Carr observed in his prescient 2008 article in the Atlantic, “Is Google Making Us Stupid?,” I’ve noticed that my attention span seems to be shrinking and that I’m less able to sit down and read books without the temptation to jump on the Internet and look stuff up. I’ve also noticed that I’m having a harder time initiating and completing the sort of gardening, cooking, food preservation and general DIY projects that provide fodder for this blog and for our books.
I think it’s time for some drastic action. It’s time to limit certain highly additive and often counter-productive Internet activities such as email, social media and general surfing not related to my core mission. Two tools I’m evaluating are LeechBlock, which works with the Firefox browser and allows you to block up to six sets of sites for certain periods of the day and two Chrome-based apps, Stay Focused and Strict Workflow (which uses a Pomodoro timer, an enforced 25 minute work period I’ve found helpful).
In the past I’ve found limiting email and social media to two brief periods a day, in the morning and late afternoon, really enhances my productivity. The problem is that I’ve fallen off this wagon. I’m hoping that these apps will get me back into this twice a day communications habit. I’m also thinking of taking the radical step of limiting emails to five sentences using the fivesentenc.es email signature.
While I find the internet to be a very useful research tool, not to mention a great way to publish my thoughts in both words and audio, I’ve become concerned of late with unintended consequences. At the risk of seeming alarmist, I think we may be in for some turbulent years as the full implications of a hyper-connected world work their way through our culture. Anyone watching Wolf Hall? The unmentioned offstage character in that drama is the printing press. Mobile computing, texting and the “Internet of things” could prove even more disruptive than Gutenberg’s invention.
Is Internet addiction a problem for you? What technique or tools have you found useful?
Funny enough, I encountered this article while procrastinating via Feedly. Thank you for the timely reminder! I am a huge Pinterest procrastinator, ESPECIALLY when it comes to planning projects, and I’ve also noticed a major dip in my attention span over the past year or two. It’s hard because my work is on the computer, so distraction is really never more than a click away. I’m installing Strict Workflow now and getting back to work!
You really hit the nail on the head with this. There’s an interesting article about the physiology that is going on with all the distractions and stimulation available on the Internet. Apparently we’re all falling into a “dopamine loop”. I believe it. In high school I read Gone With The Wind in 3-1/2 days. Today I can barely get through a magazine article!
Here’s the article:
Why We’re All Addicted to Texts, Twitter and Google
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brain-wise/201209/why-were-all-addicted-texts-twitter-and-google
I find that “SelfControl” works well. You create an internet blacklist and set a timer (between 15mins and 24hours). You can’t visit the website while the timer is active on the blacklist unless you do a clean reinstall of your OS. Helps keep me off the biggest time sinks while at work.
My low-tech solution: when I come across something where I feel the itch to look it up in the middle of whatever I’m doing (you know, malaria vaccines, the elevation of Stockholm, hypoallergenic cat breeds, bee balm as an herbal remedy, Victorian breastfeeding corsets…) I write it down on a piece of paper. I only need to look it up if it’s actually hindering my comprehension. Otherwise I can check it later. Works for me.
That’s a good system. And it sounds like you have a brain just like mine!
I know I’m just going to have to block myself from the Internet entirely during certain hours, because I don’t have problem sites where I waste time–I can waste time *anywhere*. When I’m in that mood, I find everything interesting, from politics to crafts to gossip to history to opinion. I especially love the obscure corners of the Internet, but am vulnerable to the big time wasters as well.
There’s a definite progression to my fall. First, I’m usually researching something–out on legitimate business, let’s say. As I’m finding that information, I’ll come across something I don’t know, and “have to” follow that up. This will likely be tangential to my original purpose, but I tell myself its a legitimate pursuit.
This tangent will lead to another, and another. My discretion starts to slip. It’s a little like getting drunk. The longer I’m surfing, the lower my inhibitions and common sense. I’ll finally sink to the point where I’m hitting true click-bait–posts with titles starting with “!0 reasons..” or “You won’t believe…!” Usually, at that point, I sort of snap out of it, and wonder where I’ve been for the last two hours.
One rule I’m thinking about setting is no Internet after 6 or 7 pm. Not even Netflix &etc. The most productive period of my life was the time we had no TV, and the Internet was not interesting yet. Erik and I went out and did something many nights a week, and I read a ton.
This is exactly my problem! It doesn’t matter how many sites I block; I just find new ones when I really want to.
In fact, I’m in an internet spiral right now and thought I’d hop over here for the first time in months. 🙂
Our internet has gone out two full days this month due to storms, and sadly those were the most productive days I’ve had in awhile.
I think it’s time to implement a “No internet after xPM” rule. I’m staying up too late watching Netflix and I’m sure it’s affecting my sleeping patterns. Also, both my husband and I are self-employed and it is way too easy to waste time all day on the computer and then end up working late. If we had time restrictions we’d finish by 5PM and enjoy our evenings.
Reb,
I write things down to look up later. Sometimes, “later” never happens. So, I saved time.
I know that Pinterest would be the death of me. I would quit bathing, eat cereal, and lurk around the fringes of society in real life. I would be the Belle of Pinterest. So, I just don’t go there. I did once because there is a guy who puts every thing I do on there. He links back to my post, so I am okay.
There is no twitter in my life and facebook is mostly ignored.
Mrs. H,
I could have written your last comment except for the going out with erik.
To add a little twist to the time sink, try being 100% disabled. There is not much I can do around here, so the internet and TV are tops…lol. When I get the other cataract removed, reading books will be a happy possibility.
I read the first four Harry Potter books in 8 days and spent two of those days looking for the third book in the series. When my vision worsened with the cataracts, I had to have lots of light and still could not read much.
I did watch “Wolf Hall”; it was fabulous. PBS programs are the sole reason I still have basic cable and a small television. Please don’t tell me that, with a few connections and gizmos, I can feed TV programs from my computer, because that involves more electronic know-how than I have patience for and my internet connection is not all that dependable anyway.
You’re absolutely right about the printing press driving the first fractures in the Catholic Church’s hold on spiritual power in Europe. I haven’t seen that point addressed in any of the discussions of the program on other sites, but it is true. Without access to scriptures in the vernacular, there was little chance that ordinary people would ever question the Church’s authority. Lesson: disruptive change can come quickly and from places we’re not expecting.
it”s like you’re in my head. So easy to get caught in the web-suck! Thanks for the heads up on the Chrome apps. I’m going to give them a shot… And hopefully not spend hours researching them. Cheers
You’ve lit a fire under me! For quite awhile I’ve noticed that my brain is getting too “skippy” to read and even while I’m doing productive, homestead work, I’m waiting longingly for the next time I can google something. Hello, my name is Rebecca and I am a dopamine addict.
Here’s my plan (and I’ve designated a family member as my accountability partner): keep a running list on the fridge of “things to look up”, e-mail chatty friends and tell them to expect radio silence except for my once-a- week computer time. On Tuesday mornings I will write everything that needs to be written and read everything that I want to read. I don’t depend on the computer for my livelihood so there’s absolutely no excuse for my multi-times-a-day screen staring. This feels a little like disentangling myself from a really strong octopus.
My technique is severe, but effective – I don’t have Internet. I do have a smartphone, so if I desperately need to look something up or write an email, it’s easy enough. But otherwise, I just plan on getting in early to work and spending 30 happy minutes browsing, trailer-watching, and bill paying. But when I’m home, I just remove the temptation entirely.
I do this for two reasons: firstly, because I’m cheap, and New York internet is not. Secondly, it’s the sad, self-aware truth that if the Internet is available, I’ll be so firmly stuck in the rabbit hole that no number of tools would be able to get me out. I do miss being able to watch a movie now and then, but at least my reading attention span is getting better!
I’m really surprised no one mentioned “go outside” as a solution.
I think go outside is the best solution. I go out on my apt balcony and knit. Ive also taken all of the timesuck apps off of my phone.
You can always get rid of your phone too!