pc fasting (from lifedev.net)

[nudone]

i don't think this has been mentioned before...

pc fasting, i.e. limiting your time at the computer. productivity went up, etc, etc. makes a whole lot of sense to me - but then i tend to get away from the computer for a good few hours each night anyway.

here's the link if you are interested: http://lifedev.net/2...06/09/computer-fast/

[Eóin]

Hmm, link doesn't seem to be working at the mo. I must say in my case, internet fasting as opposed to complete pc fasting would probably up my productivity. The pc itself I think contributes more than it takes, I think.

[nudone]

Hmm, link doesn't seem to be working at the mo. I must say in my case, internet fasting as opposed to complete pc fasting would probably up my productivity. The pc itself I think contributes more than it takes, I think.

-Eóin (September 15, 2006, 06:39 PM)

umm, just clicked on it. it was a bit slow but the page did appear ???????

[mouser]

loads here now too (wasn't before)

[mouser]

i've been thinking about some of these issues myself recently (am i spending too much time on email, etc?), related to working more efficiently.

i think one of the things we also really have to remind ourselves to ask is, what non-efficient stuff do i get PLEASURE from?  There are always going to be things we do inefficiently.  But if they give us some pleasure, they aren't nescesarily good targets for fixing.

[brownstudy]

I like Gerhard's version of this, which is the Weekend Luddite.
http://everydaysyste....com/weekendluddite/ The idea is that on the weekend, he doesn't use the PC after breakfast or before supper. So a kind of 12-hr break from the beast.

I also use his No S diet (No S Diet: No snacks, sweets, seconds, except on days that start with S. http://www.nosdiet.com/) and it's MUCH easier for me than any other diet plan I've tried.

By the way, his "manifesto" includes the rules he uses to create his "Everyday Systems," and they're not bad things to keep in mind as we devise our own answers to our own peculiar problems: http://www.everydaysystems.com/

And I agree with mouser that the goal isn't to become efficient productivity machines; I enjoy puttering on my 'puter and sorting my digital files from this side of the hard drive to that side. It's just that if I do it for hours at a time, then I forget to pay the bills or address my mother's birthday card.

I think David Allen has said in his newsletter that *because* he knows what's on his lists, *because* he knows what his obligations are, he can decide whether to blow them off if he'd rather relax in the yard than work on that project. DA's philosophy is that if you don't have it written down and acknowledged, then your nag-mind will be niggling at you that you've forgotten something. So by writing everything down and checking it regularly, you reassure your mind that everything's taken care of, it won't be forgotten, and then your nag-mind will leave you alone. That's why I'm OK with getting my systems good enough.

mike

[mouser]

I also use his No S diet (No S Diet: No snacks, sweets, seconds, except on days that start with S. http://www.nosdiet.com/) and it's MUCH easier for me than any other diet plan I've tried.

hahahhah! love it 

The everyday systems thing is very cool - going to blog about that now.

btw:
i wonder if these don't suggest something else about having a system, which is the effect of pride and fun that comes with *creatiing* a system of your own.  i think for many of us, sticking to a diet or time management system might be easier if we recognize that we take some pride in creating things, and that by actively embracing the idea that "i'm going to create a system of my own" might have value just in the fact that we have created it for oursleves.  ie. make up your own interesting rules and the fact that you have invented them might be that special ingredient that makes it possible to stick with it.

ps.
brownstudy i enjoyed your blog.