Heh

What is it, Day 6? It's like smoking; the first 48 hours are the toughest. (And also the just-one-slip-piest.)

My war on time-sucks is not going well. While I've stopped one time-suck, I've simply increased my other time-sucking activities. These involve, as usual, a lot of YouTube and Wikipedia "research" into things I barely, but do slightly, give a crap about.

So I was surprised to see this article.

Internet addiction can be especially harmful for those who make a living through intense focus—such as novelists. A number of esteemed writers including Nick Hornby, Dave Eggers and Zadie Smith have come forward to admit they are powerless over the endless distractions of the Internet, and to name a new solution: two software programs called Freedom and Self Control. These are computer applications that can be downloaded and configured to increase productivity by completely blocking Internet access at specific times.

This is how Self Control is described:

Is email a distraction? SelfControl is an OS X application which blocks access to incoming and/or outgoing mail servers and websites for a predetermined period of time.

For example, you could block access to your email, facebook, and twitter for 90 minutes, but still have access to the rest of the web. Once started, it can not be undone by the application, by deleting the application, or by restarting the computer – you must wait for the timer to run out.

That's some Doomsday Device ish right there.

Oh: To make clear, I'm not advertising or recommending either of those programs. I don't plan on using either.

I'm just taking some small comfort in the idea that It's Not Just Me.

Coinage: AlexTheChick has a different word for "multi-tasking" -- "multi-shirking." Which is more accurate.

posted by Ace at 01:42 PM

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