5 Tactics to Stop You Internet-Browsing When You Should Be Working
How many hours a day do you spend internet-browsing? More than you should? The internet’s alluring wealth of information and entertainment can sometimes be a little too tantalizing, especially when you’re supposed to be working! Tearing yourself away from the latest stories and gossip can be a challenge, particularly when your job involves the internet, too. But these five tactics will ensure the work gets done. See which ones work best for you or, if you’re seriously struggling, apply the whole lot together.
Set your alarm
Grant yourself five or 10 minutes’ free roaming on the internet before you start work, and set your alarm clock to alert you when time’s up. If you’re still having difficulty tearing yourself away, select the “Snooze” option on your clock for regular reminders until you’re safely into your work. For extra effect, set an alarm tone that grates on your ear and place your clock – or phone – at the other end of the room so you have to walk away from the screen to stop the noise.
Use favorite programs as deadlines
Work around your favorite TV or radio programs, checking their start and finish times and setting yourself a timetable to fit between. If you manage to focus on your work throughout your allocated slots, you’ll be able to sit back with a clear conscience through the shows and enjoy them to the fullest.
Instruct a friend to nag you
Ask your partner, friend or colleague to pester you every time they find you browsing instead of working. If their nagging reminders cut no ice, give them permission to pile on the pressure, using any harmless methods they may think up. Be prepared for anything – blasts of loud music, hands clapping infuriatingly around your ears, arms waving in front of your screen and who knows what else.
Compete with a friend or colleague
If you know someone with similar internet addictions – and the chances are you do – challenge them to get more work done than you in a given time slot. Alternatively, if you don’t want to compete, help each other along, swapping notes every so often on how good or bad you’ve been at getting on with your work. This is a comradely solution, but mind you don’t defeat the object by chatting too much about it.
Deny yourself treats until progress is achieved
Do you allow yourself snacks at the computer screen? If so, keep them as rewards for steady application. That means you’ll have to go without if you’ve been flicking through your social media accounts or browsing shopping sites for the past hour. If you find you can skip the snack too easily for the sake of more surfing, set yourself a tougher punishment, like cancelling your evening’s entertainment plans.
You’ll enjoy your idle web-surfing all the more when you’ve got your willpower under control, so set some prods and incentives and see your productivity grow – but remember to take a break for some well-earned browsing!
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