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Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

news.ycombinator.com

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Re: Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

#51

Post by xenoterracide »

nickb wrote: post #20

I think you're approaching it from a wrong point of view. You don't have a browsing problem, you have an issue with getting things done or you have a procrastination problem. This is why I have little use for all the apps that tell me how much time I'm spending on diff sites / programs. That data is useful and interesting but it's not good for solving your procrastination issue since you already know you have a probl…

I'm procrastinating reading this stuff on procrastination. Good stuff. Yet another thing I should try. Now how do I deceive myself that getting this homework done is not near the most important things I should be doing...

Re: Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

#52

Post by ambition »

unalone wrote: post #49
thingsilearned wrote: post #12

I'm one of the founders of 8aweek. It was created because Zack and I deal with the same problem. The default settings of 8aweek are definitely not strong enough for a major news junky. Mostly because the settings that news junkies need would probably piss of most users :). There are two modes to 8aweek, if you haven't tried already switch your settings to "block mode" and edit your preferences to limit the time and l…

Are there any GTD books you'd recommend? I've heard a lot about GTD and it sounds very interesting, but I've never actually figured out what a good starting point would be.

There is literally a book called Getting Things Done by David Allen. The system in its entirety is too hard core for most people (myself included) but the principles are good.

Re: Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

#53

Post by unalone »

ambition wrote: post #52
unalone wrote: post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Are there any GTD books you'd recommend? I've heard a lot about GTD and it sounds very interesting, but I've never actually figured out what a good starting point would be.

There is literally a book called Getting Things Done by David Allen. The system in its entirety is too hard core for most people (myself included) but the principles are good.

I'll check it out.

Why is it so hardcore? What do the systems actually entail?

Re: Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

#54

Post by ambition »

unalone wrote: post #53
ambition wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is literally a book called Getting Things Done by David Allen. The system in its entirety is too hard core for most people (myself included) but the principles are good.

I'll check it out. Why is it so hardcore? What do the systems actually entail?

It takes a great deal of discipline to manage all your productive output in a system. It requires a significant upfront time commitment to initialize the system. It's complex enough that it fills a book.

It's really best suited someone who needs to manage a large quantity of varied but mostly small tasks.

Re: Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

#55

Post by eru »

xenoterracide wrote: post #51
nickb wrote: post #20

I think you're approaching it from a wrong point of view. You don't have a browsing problem, you have an issue with getting things done or you have a procrastination problem. This is why I have little use for all the apps that tell me how much time I'm spending on diff sites / programs. That data is useful and interesting but it's not good for solving your procrastination issue since you already know you have a probl…

I'm procrastinating reading this stuff on procrastination. Good stuff. Yet another thing I should try. Now how do I deceive myself that getting this homework done is not near the most important things I should be doing...

Who cares about your homework? You should be saving the world instead.

(Hope this helps.)

Re: Ask YC: How do you avoid wasting too much time online?

#56

Post by eru »

jaaron wrote: post #17

Go offline. Large parts of even web applications can be developed without connecting to the internet. Have everything you need on a local network, or even just your own computer.

You can still play nethack. But you'd better not start that habbit.
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