Scobleizer - Latest Comments in Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

rb73 — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:12:38 -0000

I agree about this noise - but there are ways to look at it. Different ways for different people.

It's about will power and ruling the noise, not letting it rule you.

Many people seem to not realise that there is a button on a mobile phone that turns it off. You don't need to get rid of it, just learn how to use it properly.

It is the same with RSS feeds, Facebook, Twitter, Blogs and email.... you don't need to shut them down, you just need to know what you NEED them for, and use them as the tools that they are - but do not stray from that purpose, and do not let them rule you.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

shelby — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 06:18:14 -0000

I have someone in family reading my e mails from archives. How do I block this?

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Sachin Tewari — Thu, 22 May 2008 08:10:32 -0000

......Procrastination-Web Addiction........

There is a way I deal with....and it is easy...

Install Firefox, Install LeechBlock Extension, Install MeeTimer and have a bit of determination.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

geekmommy — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 03:57:45 -0000

Part of the reason I pretty much only access Twitter thru the web interface is I find it *much* easier to close a browser tab than to ignore an API client clipping along in the background.

Just knowing its there is distracting. But if I navigate away from the page, I can forget sometimes that it's there and GTD.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

pinastro — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:18:12 -0000

What I feel is , Web is a boon for me to reach to the masses and become famous soon and who knows to become obscenely rich. I am working on it :D

May be it will take some years may be after I find a girl in my life to actually feel what you are saying.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Megan — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 05:53:14 -0000

A better solution: try out http://8aweek.com

It lets you specify which specific sites you want to turn off (Facebook, twitter, etc) instead of the whole internet.

Its got a ton of other features as well.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

S.P. Gass — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 20:20:52 -0000

Very nice post, Robert. I suggest taking your idea a step further: http://lowtechtimes.com/200...

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Arné — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 12:45:23 -0000

well, this is SO TRUE!
I've worked at a client side for 2 days without any internet connection. Only internet access was remoting into a remote machine and that just gives me webmail. :-/

Had a few hours off waiting for some software to run an installation and script, in these few hours I sorted out my mailbox and did all the due administration work from the last few months, one actually feel as if a great weight has been lifted from one's shoulders.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

funkyboy — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 08:25:52 -0000

I agree. I notice an increase of productivity when I am not distracted by the phone, the internet or the office mates :)
And I feel strange when, after 2/3 straight hours of work I think: "I didn't miss email and rss feeds!" :)

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Sciamachy — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 02:53:27 -0000

Twitter's not enough of a distraction for me to merit doing anything much about it - since I use Jaiku, Facebook, Myspace, Pownce, Tumblr etc etc I tend to update them all from http://www.hellotxt.com/ up to a maximum of about 5 times a day & only bother reading other people's tweets, jaikus etc when I get home at the end of the day. You seem to be endlessly twittering most days - you're definitely the most constant twitterer in my follow list - but updating so often kind of defeats the purpose in a way. The idea of microblogging is to save time by limiting the size of posts, but not to be never done with the damned thing :-)

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Colin — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:10:52 -0000

While seemingly obvious the underlying point Robert makes is fascinating. While on a plane, we are 100% removed from all normal interruptions. Our time is truly 100% ours .... however the counterpoint is that time is potentially so un-natural that the work in that time is skewed and less valuable. During that time, when we send all those emails, the lack of instant response is gratifying, yet unreal, and I suspect creates an artificial sense of gratification.

I know the feeling too well.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

buddyscalera — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 20:31:28 -0000

Instant Messenger is a blessing and a curse in the workplace, but at least it has a true function. Twitter is fun, but way too distracting, especially if you want to complete a creative or technical project. That little twit in the in the corner of your screen is seductive and charming, which is why I need to turn it off to work.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Brian Cuban — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 18:59:48 -0000

I am so emeshed with twitter and the "social web" I feel like I would be turning off my life.... pretty sad....

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Shelley Powers — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 17:57:22 -0000

"...to have an interesting conversation every day."

Have you ever thought about just letting life happen? Interesting conversations that arise because of place and circumstance and people, rather than dictated by a check list?

Maybe what it takes to be a weblogger is to live a life in a permanent state of partial attention. I know I can't live the "connected" state anymore, more power to those that can, I guess.

But "interesting conversation every day"...how can you be meaningfully impacted by a conversation when you don't give yourself time to absorb all the nuances?

Oh well, whatever works for you.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Michael — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 10:58:35 -0000

I do something not quite the same. I develop software - for linux. But my documentation/mail/etc.. machine is a mac. When in my office, the Mac and the Linux box share a monitor. When I'm coding/debugging/etc.. I have the screen on my "work" box. I can't see the mac screen. There are days where I completely forget to look at the mail etc.. because I've hit the coding 'zone' and since there's no blinky to catch my attention.. I stay there! (till the wife calls to see if I'm still alive since it's been 12 hours since last she heard from me.)

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

George Black — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:45:04 -0000

I would love to know more about the cost to productivity of Facebook, Twitter, et. al. Which are the biggest drains? And are there any real benefits in the workplace?

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Bob — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:40:34 -0000

What are your goals? Is it to have more followers on Twitter? Or is it to get something done today?

It certainly is not to have more followers on Twitter. I care not a hoot about that.

Here's my Life List. I much prefer to work on getting these things done.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Divorce Fire — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:15:25 -0000

You hit the nail righ on the head.

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Best Adsense Videos — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 07:14:05 -0000

I know what you're re talking about, I could get a lot ,ore done. I really appreciate you article because it is written in such a way that it is easy reading. So many blog posters get too carried away with creative writing styles. Apparently you have had some practice at it.
Thanks, Jordy

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

James L — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:56:03 -0000

In other words, 'stop screwing around and do some work'

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Ruben — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 05:52:03 -0000

Robert, how long exactly has taken you to reach that conclusion? :)

Many of us have shunned the likes of Facebook, Twitter or Friendfeed for that very reason. They are too demanding on our time.

I see exactly why they would be valueable for someone like you, and I find it quite normal that you use them. For me, they're simple not worth it.

You know, this is a game we can't win. Asynchronous services such as email favour procrastrination and an ever mounting inbox. Synchronous services such as twitter completely wreck our workflow. The combination of both is death.

For me, the lesser evil is staying with email, using plain old IM when I need it, and cutting down on the number of contacts to those I care about. I couldn't care less about what I'm missing that way. Among other things, YOU won't miss that, and will keep us updated ;)

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Christopher Coulter — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:20:16 -0000

"You blokes look up tight. You should try logging off; it relieves tension" -- Ray Tracer (ReBoot)

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

mike wood — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 02:57:45 -0000

good job on clearing down that email. Though since I am a Gmail user that wouldnt work for me unless I was flying over Europe. :)

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Jake — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:58:10 -0000

Why are you even using email?

http://scobleizer.com/2007/...

Re: Not productive enough? Turn off the Internet

Bob — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 01:45:42 -0000

"The Huffington Post"???? That alone should save you a collossal amount of time, and also enable you to regenerate some brain cells.