U
Unregistered
Guest
How can I stop my bad habit of web surfing at work?
C
craigm
Guest
I'm not sure what the answer is, but I'm sure posting to web forums isn't part of the cure. 
T
Tomas D.
Guest
Unregistered said:
Tell your boss. (S)he will know
)
M
mocephus
Guest
I've never had this problem myself 
But... you can edit your hosts file pretty easily so that the sites you need to stay away from will be pointed to local host or to some internal website.
At that point the only way around it is to 1) Edit the hosts file again 2) Enter the actually numbered IP address of the site which you probably do not know.
Or if you are really friendly with someone in your IS department you can have them block your sites for you. At a former job I actually had some people approach me to do this for them.
But... you can edit your hosts file pretty easily so that the sites you need to stay away from will be pointed to local host or to some internal website.
At that point the only way around it is to 1) Edit the hosts file again 2) Enter the actually numbered IP address of the site which you probably do not know.
Or if you are really friendly with someone in your IS department you can have them block your sites for you. At a former job I actually had some people approach me to do this for them.
U
Unregistered
Guest
Getting back to work
Read this
http://www.marktaw.com/blog/GettingBackToWork.html
Make this your browser homepage
http://www.marktaw.com/getbacktowork.htm
Read this
http://www.marktaw.com/blog/GettingBackToWork.html
Make this your browser homepage
http://www.marktaw.com/getbacktowork.htm
Distribute cognition. Write down the URL's you're surfing, and put them on your @computer list. Then you get to look at those actions against your other ones and objectively decide what you should be doing off of that list. I guarantee you that when you look at "Check eBay" against your other @computer actions, you'll make a better choice.
The problem isn't that web surfing is frivolous. The problem is that you're leaving frivolous activities in psychic RAM, so the only way to offload them is to do them as soon as they occur to you instead of deferring them with appropriate reminders.
The problem isn't that web surfing is frivolous. The problem is that you're leaving frivolous activities in psychic RAM, so the only way to offload them is to do them as soon as they occur to you instead of deferring them with appropriate reminders.
Changing habits
I used to have this problem.
First, you will have to find the method that works for you. There is no universal method.
I have found that monitoring my behavior, or keeping a log of it, is often sufficient to get me to modify that behavior.
So, it might be sufficient for you merely to keep a log.
If that is not sufficient. Set a goal. Is your goal to eliminate frivolous internet or is it to spend less than an hour a day, etc.?
You could then keep score. Each day give yourself x points if you surf 0-60 minutes. Give youself -y points for each minute over 60.
If that does not work you could vow that every day you spend more than 60 minutes surfing you will send $Z00.00 to the American Nazi Party (presuming that you find their views vile and repulsive) or that you will burn $100 for every 10 minutes (or fraction thereof) over 60 minutes. You get the idea.
If that does not work you could find a confederate and tell them you need their help. Give them the money and tell them to mail the check if you exceed your limit.
Extinguishing bad habits and developing good habits is essential to be adept at GTD. All of us have our demons and our struggles. Relying on willpower alone is rarely effective. Using the behavioral methods I have outlined above is one (not the only) way to instill habits to achieve one's goals.
I used to have this problem.
First, you will have to find the method that works for you. There is no universal method.
I have found that monitoring my behavior, or keeping a log of it, is often sufficient to get me to modify that behavior.
So, it might be sufficient for you merely to keep a log.
If that is not sufficient. Set a goal. Is your goal to eliminate frivolous internet or is it to spend less than an hour a day, etc.?
You could then keep score. Each day give yourself x points if you surf 0-60 minutes. Give youself -y points for each minute over 60.
If that does not work you could vow that every day you spend more than 60 minutes surfing you will send $Z00.00 to the American Nazi Party (presuming that you find their views vile and repulsive) or that you will burn $100 for every 10 minutes (or fraction thereof) over 60 minutes. You get the idea.
If that does not work you could find a confederate and tell them you need their help. Give them the money and tell them to mail the check if you exceed your limit.
Extinguishing bad habits and developing good habits is essential to be adept at GTD. All of us have our demons and our struggles. Relying on willpower alone is rarely effective. Using the behavioral methods I have outlined above is one (not the only) way to instill habits to achieve one's goals.
D
Dennis
Guest
Unregistered said:
This is awesome, I have a friend here at work who has had some difficulties with this very subject. I will also employ this among the people I employ.
This was very, very helpful!
M
MarkTAW
Guest
Thanks for the mention. 
L
LeonGTD
Guest
Try to not run browser by default. Only run when you need it. This save me a lot of time of jumping back to browser and read something irrevelant to the current task.