Rashida
Ah, the internet.
That magical place where you can earn a degree from your living room, become an expert in just about anything, and run an entire business…
… or you can watch six hours of TikTok every evening.
The truth is, having access to the internet is a privilege that many of us take for granted. Access to the internet opens the doors to endless social and business opportunities, but it also provides an avenue for procrastination. Why do so many of us waste this incredible tool, and what can we do to fix that?
The Black Hole of Procrastination
You can find anything on the internet. That’s the main problem. While the internet has so many great offerings, it can also become the biggest waste of time. Checking your email can quickly and mindlessly turn into an hour wasted on the web and a plunge into the black hole of YouTube cat videos.
Why does this happen?
Because it’s easy.
The internet makes it so easy to procrastinate.
You can find photos and videos of everything you like. Connect with people from all over the world. Scout the latest Twitter drama. You can do it all with the click of a button and without leaving your chair.
Practicing Effective Internet Use
Okay, we might have just made the internet sound like a horrible place, but let’s face it, you’re using the internet to read this. We’re using the internet to write this. People use and rely on the internet every single day, and it does have some amazing benefits. It’s all about how you use the internet. Here are a few tips to help you be a better internet user.
- Track your time. For any intervention to be successful, you must first have a realization. First thing’s first, track your hours. Check all of your devices for screen time and analyze how much time you spend on each app. Be realistic and assess how much of this time is useful and how much is wasted. Your cell phone may already have a tool that shows you how much time you spend on your phone and on what apps!
- Make a task list. Yes, a good old-fashioned to-do list can help you use the internet more effectively. Write down the things you want to get done, and set short and long-term goals. If you want to start an online blog or take a new course, write it as a goal and define when you will work on it. Try to avoid getting sucked into other things, at least until your to-do list is done.
- Work without distraction. It’s unrealistic (for most of us) to try to work all day online without ever peeking at the fun side of the internet. But the internet is a constant distraction that makes it so easy to get off task. Set smaller goals for yourself, like work for 25 minutes and get a 5-minute break (aka the Pomodoro method), so you can work without distraction and know exactly when you can check your texts and socials.
- Unplug. We know you don’t want to hear it, but spending less time on the internet can help. When you spend 24 hours a week online (as the average American did in 2018) the time you have seems nearly endless. It’s easy to get sucked into the weird side of Reddit without a second thought. Instead, set a time limit for your internet use and go outside once in a while for heaven’s sake!
The internet is a powerful, amazing, incredible tool that so many people have at their fingertips. Instead of building multiple streams of income or learning a new skill, we often just waste a lot of time online. Now is the time to take advantage of internet access and mindfully use this tool. Okay, maybe after this one Facebook video of the dog saying “I love you”…
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