The Procrastination Bug

Many of us suffer from being too connected—that is, via the internet. Up until about 10 years ago, most work involving computers didn’t directly use the internet, or at the very least, required email and that’s about it. Nowadays, many of our jobs require us to open up Internet Explorer, Safari or Firefox, and with that comes the temptation to surf and procrastinate.

The internet is the king of technological distractions, even more so than television because it is so intertwined with “work.” It takes a sincere effort to curb mindless usage and truly change your work life. Paul Graham, an essayist and programming language designer, has a solution. Though for some, it may be a difficult and drastic one: get a second computer and use it solely for internet purposes.

Graham turns off the WiFi on his work computer when he programs, while a second laptop sits elsewhere in the room if he needs to check email. He give himself the freedom to browse the internet as much as he wants on this computer, but being so aware of his usage has decreased it significantly. Now, at his work computer, he simply works. What a concept!

Is it worth the expense? Are there other ways to curb your procrastination? [Paulgraham.com]