Lost in the Internet Forest looking at the trees

I think most of you have had this happen at one time or another. You are on the Internet checking the usual places that you check things and something comes to your attention say an article about something you have interest in. You go to the article and find yourself an hour later reading about left handed knitting not really knowing how you got there. Oh you can go back and find the path that put you to that article or website but it is amazing how much of a time sink just looking something up can be.

A friend calls that the ‘oooo shiny’ phenomenon. Not that you don’t learn something but still that’s time needed elsewhere.

Do that a couple of time a month and it is not much of a problem. Several times a day cane become a major time sink. Add those time up and you will be amazed at the amount of time you didn’t know you were spending on the Internet.

Then there are the fun games we play on our various devices that suck up more time. We go back every day because then we get a prize or further ahead in our game. Time limited contests is another way they suck people into playing and paying attention to their game.

I am going to try an experiment starting Saturday. I will collect my little prizes but I am going to limit the time I am spending playing games to time in the evening.

I will hold myself to an hour for social media including this blog in the morning and then get off until lunchtime to give myself another hour then.

The rest of the time I will turn off the wi-fi on my computer.

I am going to try this for two weeks and see where it gets me.

I am grateful for the ability to see what is taking up my time.