Productivity Tip - Turn Off Your Computer
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It’s a lesson that I seem to constantly need to relearn, but the computer can be your biggest enemy, even if you’re working on an online business.
Do you ever find that you’ve checked your traffic or AdSense stats more than once an hour? Or even worse you have that vague partial numb in the brain feeling that comes from looking like you’re doing things - you’re typing into your computer after all, but you aren’t actually accomplishing anything productive?
Just Turn if OFF!
Two or three times this week I was able to muster enough will power and consciousness to be able to recognize this destructive time wasting pattern and actually turn off the computer.
I either just went and sat on the couch or pulled out a pad of paper and began to sort out and prioritize what I was trying to accomplish. If it doesn’t flow easily [and advanced case of brain numbing via computer] then you may have to take more radical counter measures; like going for a walk!
Get Clear Before You Fire It Up Again
Don’t allow yourself to get back on the keyboard until you are clear what you are going to do while you’re there. Give yourself a couple tasks [write a post, answer Joe Smith's email, research the new ad server] and then go do those tasks and turn it off again.
It’s completely counter intuitive, especially for an online business, but spending less time in front of a computer could actually make you much more productive.
Clear focused and purposeful action is many times more effective than semi-conscious sucking on an LCD screen.
What’s Your Ratio?
On some days my ratio of time working online to time working off-line is like infinite because I’m online all day. I don’t think this is the most effective way to work and I’m changing it up.
Less time at the keyboard equals getting more done…I’m sure of it.
How about you? Do you find you’re spending more than 90% of your time online? Would it be more productive to switch up your rhythm and balance out your schedule with some off line work time?
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Comments ( 1 Comment )
Kimber added these pithy words on Feb 05 07 at 7:28 amI actually stay off the ‘net until my core work is done (like writing a chapter of the next novel or drafting up posts in word).
I find constant e-mail checking to be the black hole of time.