I spend most days working on the computer and I often catch myself checking my emails, reddit or hacker news instead of working. I didn't think it was a problem until I tried using a time tracking app. I realized that I was literally wasting hours every day and I wasn't getting much out of it (it's not even that fun!).
I tried disconnecting the internet. It wasn't practical and I would only do it for a few days before reverting back.
I tried blocking a list of websites. It worked for a few weeks.. until I started using another browser to watch work related youtube videos or manage my Facebook ads.. And my muscle memory would kick in.. ctrl+t reddit ctrl+enter .. and.. game over.
I uninstalled the other browser, then I started using my phone. It was nearly unconscious, my hands would just reach for my phone and open it when I was distracted.
At that point I felt like no matter how I intensely I could lock myself out, I would ultimately subvert the system and cheat down the line in a moment of weakness.
I had to come up with a new strategy that didn't involved blocking things because I knew it wouldn't work. That's when I found an interesting idea.
Fun facts:
I use an extension called LeechBlock NG to put a delay on my list of distracting websites. I can go on reddit or youtube whenever I want, but when I do, I have to sit through a 30 seconds delay and I can't change tab or click on an other application or the timer stops and the page doesn't load. It doesn't sound like much but it's nearly unbearable for the instant gratification brain.
This lead me to an other big discovery : you don't need willpower to change your behavior, sometimes you just need awareness.
When I wait my 30 seconds now, I spend that time reflecting. Why am I visiting this website? What was the trigger?
Sometimes it's a phone notification, sometimes it's because I don't want to do the next task. Sometimes I just need a break (and I get up and walk around instead). Most of the time it's because of some kinds of negative emotion that I'm not even consciously aware of that I'm trying to numb out with a distraction. Now I can address the negative emotion, remember my WHY, close the tab and focus!
Hope this helps someone else too!
I tried disconnecting the internet. It wasn't practical and I would only do it for a few days before reverting back.
I tried blocking a list of websites. It worked for a few weeks.. until I started using another browser to watch work related youtube videos or manage my Facebook ads.. And my muscle memory would kick in.. ctrl+t reddit ctrl+enter .. and.. game over.
I uninstalled the other browser, then I started using my phone. It was nearly unconscious, my hands would just reach for my phone and open it when I was distracted.
At that point I felt like no matter how I intensely I could lock myself out, I would ultimately subvert the system and cheat down the line in a moment of weakness.
I had to come up with a new strategy that didn't involved blocking things because I knew it wouldn't work. That's when I found an interesting idea.
Fun facts:
- Amazon found that every 100ms of latency cost them 1% in sales. (that's 1/10th of a second)
- Google found an extra .5 seconds in search page generation time dropped traffic by 20%.
- AliExpress reduced load time for their pages by 36% and recorded a 10.5% increase in orders.
I use an extension called LeechBlock NG to put a delay on my list of distracting websites. I can go on reddit or youtube whenever I want, but when I do, I have to sit through a 30 seconds delay and I can't change tab or click on an other application or the timer stops and the page doesn't load. It doesn't sound like much but it's nearly unbearable for the instant gratification brain.
This lead me to an other big discovery : you don't need willpower to change your behavior, sometimes you just need awareness.
When I wait my 30 seconds now, I spend that time reflecting. Why am I visiting this website? What was the trigger?
Sometimes it's a phone notification, sometimes it's because I don't want to do the next task. Sometimes I just need a break (and I get up and walk around instead). Most of the time it's because of some kinds of negative emotion that I'm not even consciously aware of that I'm trying to numb out with a distraction. Now I can address the negative emotion, remember my WHY, close the tab and focus!
Hope this helps someone else too!
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