Limiting online usage

[kingfu]

Read in one of Tims blog posts about a application called rescuetime, which tracks your online usage, what sites you visit etc with the aim of showing you how productive you are being. I highly recommend it.

First day i used it I found out to my horror that i spent 6 hours online! I had no idea I was spending this much time online. I'm now cutting this down to 3 hours a day with the help of this app and hopefully even more as I become more efficient/time conscious.

Out of interest, do others on here limit their online usage? If so how have you found it? How long do you limit yourself too?

[Crickwat]

I used to spend hours on the net browsing and chatting. I then decided to limit my online usage. I tried using an online timer which would signal me after exactly 2 hours after which I would have to go back to my work. This has helped me limit the time spent on the net. I keep myself occupied with other activities like reading books or listening to music and spend more time outdoors. :)

[froldt]

I am surprised how much time I can waste online.
I check a few different sites every day, and if I check them once a day, that's more than I actually need. If I have time to fill, I will check them all in repetition, filling my day.

To stop this, I have three tricks. I have a laptop, so the second two might not work for everyone.
My wife and I opted not to get an internet connection at home. This saves money and also limits my available access.
Since I have to go to the library/somewhere public to access the internet, I try to time it near to close, so that I am forced to work within a time-limit. I can check everything that I want to in 30 minutes or less, 45 minutes to an hour is more comfortable of a pace.
[8]If time is short, or there is more content to check through than usual, I open each page that I want to read in a separate tab. Then I can read through them at my leisure later on.

[padma]

I see no need in setting arbitrary timelines or limits. If you need to use the net, have it and use it wisely. If you don't then log off. I spent a week without my laptop on vacation and it was beautiful, but I also realized how useful it can be when used based on need and not based on laziness. Although, tell me what the difference between browsing for a few wasted hours or watching TV for a few might be?

[EsotericRule]

Interesting points of view from all. I use a modified version of the E, where 1 is Valid, 2 is a Time Waster and 3 a Time Consumer.

I cut out the news need and the tv need (really just 'conditioning' anyway), paired down the Time Consumers to things I can verify inside of 30 mins (like the meeting rule) and make sure the Valids make me $.

As some have offered, if you have spent oodles of time, but gotten oodles out of it...its a valid investment of time.

[DaveCraige.com]

i like rescuetimer (http://www.rescuetime.com). it really helps put things in perspective