Self Control

My number one problem in writing involves the internet. And that's tricky for me because when I'm writing news pieces, I need the internet. I can't go somewhere with no internet and still expect to get anything done.

But with the internet comes Facebook. And Twitter. And Google Reader. And whatever else I can click on to avoid doing the work I'm supposed to be doing.

Enter SelfControl. It's an application that is easy to download (I even did this one myself and I'm a downloading idiot). You set up which sites you want it to block and for how long they need to be blocked. Presto, you are locked out of Facebook and Twitter for 3 hours. Or for however long.

I heard about this last week on Katy Bowser's blog, but just set it up today. Even now I can't get into Facebook or Twitter until 3:30. I may set it to last the rest of my life.

Okay, so I'm kidding about that last part. I've toyed with the idea of deleting all those accounts. I don't think that's really actually necessary, but what is necessary is mastering the amount of time I waste on either place. And getting the work I really need to do done during the time I have to do it and not in that time plus an extra 2 hours because I'm clicking around playing Scrabble after every paragraph.

Also, I'm finding that things I would normally care to write about here on my blog I'm just as quick to post in 140 characters or less on Twitter. Thoughts are not getting developed, they are just getting tossed.

Sometimes that's okay, other times it's just lazy. I need to do better. I need to be better.

We're going to put in a garden this year. It is going to be hard. I have a history of killing everything that is green and grows in dirt. But this isn't just something fun to mess around with now, it's a need we have to spend less on food that is better for us.

It's going to take work and self control. Lots of it. It's going to require me not jumping on the computer every 45 minutes to say something.

Nobody needs that from me, nobody cares, and I need to be doing other things.

It's no surprise my blog has been quieter than usual lately. I have no apologies to offer, no statements to make, nor any promises to extend. I will continue to write when I can, when I have something to say, but not every day. I don't want to waste anyone's time – yours or mine.

I'm finally getting to the place where I'm okay with that. And if those who drop by here drop off to 20, you know what? I'm okay with that too.

This month is crazy. Our family holds no exception to that end-of-the-school-year rule. Focus is needed and in my case the internet doesn't usually help.

I just wanted to let you know.

Tweet