Are Time Wasters Sucking Your Profits Away?

Hear that? That's your profits going down the drain due to digital time wasters. These are online sites and media that suck us in and keep us hostage from focusing on more profitable endeavors. Digital time wasters include social bookmarking sites like Reddit, 9Gag and StumbleUpon, as well as some things we think are a  productive use of time like email, Twitter and Facebook.


But what often happens is we get on one of these sites, and before you realize it, you've consumed hours of your time - and you didn't even realize you got distracted.


But now is the time to get control of these time wasters. Just follow these five steps.


Step 1: Identify the Cause


Which digital time wasters are your biggest time sinks? The answer varies from person to person. Some people browse from joke to joke on 9gag, while others incessantly check email every hour. Some people spend far too much time on Facebook, while others are hooked on Pinterest.


Whatever it is for you, start by observing your own behaviors and identifying your biggest culprits.


Step 2: Set Specific Times to Check Them


The goal isn't to eliminate the browsing of these sites. Instead, the goal is to limit the checking of these sites to a manageable amount that doesn't distract from your day to day activities. Set a few specific times to check these sites. For example, you might check Facebook once before work, once at noon and after work as much as you like. Or you might check Reddit only once a day, at night.


I personally use my 'waiting' time to access these sites: when I wait for the school bus to arrive with my kids, when I am waiting for the teapot to boil, when I am waiting at a doctor's office. (You get the idea!)


Step 3: Let the World Know


The decision to stop these time wasters becomes much more powerful when you let the world know. Let your peers,virtual assistants, and your Facebook friends know that you'll no longer be checking email (or whatever site you chose) every hour.


People will help hold you accountable and make sure that you don't waste undue time on these sites.


Step 4: Block the Sites


This fourth step is optional. For people who have trouble with self-control and eliminating distractions of their own accord, one option is to simply block your computer from being able to access these sites. This works best for purely entertainment sites like Reddit or StumbleUpon, rather than facilities that you also need for work like email.


Step 5: Review and Improve


How has your productivity been since you implemented these changes? Take a look at your results after week one and see what happened.


Ask yourself: Is this sustainable? Can you keep your digital time wasters at this amount forever, or do you feel like you're being overly strict? On the flip side, do you think you need to be even stricter to achieve maximum productivity?


Remember, it takes 21 days to change a habit, so keep at it for the best results.






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Posted in: Time Managment