How can I stay focus and stay off of non productive websites

[whochrisporter]

I'm a 22 year old web designer, I work at a design firm, freelance, and i'm finishing up school for web design in march.

Right now, I'm losing more money than gaining because I can't stay focus on what I need to do such as school work, freelance, and 9-5. I seriously thinking about quitting freelance because I've been late on deadlines so much and not doing what I'm supposed to do for projects such as posting websites live before I test it for errors.

I'm trying therapy, which my therapist says i may have a big addiction to the internet, and tech toys, which keeps me unfocused on stuff i need to do...and may need some help on that...

I also doing David Allen's mythology called Getting Things Done, which I'm reading the book and trying to apply his methods so I won't have so much on my mind and stay organized.

I've tried software, but its been so buggy that its no use using it. The software disables me from sites like facebook, smashingmagazine, lifehacker, and twitter at hours at a time and then open back up for an hour.

Right now, I'm trying an app called Cooktimer, which is set for a 30 minute countdown to do work...and then 2 minutes after that of browsing.

My last choice was either militant force (having someone yell at me for getting off task until I'm almost forced to being fired or losing money, or worst)...

Does anyone have ways of not randomly going to facebook when you have work to be done, because seriously I've lost so much money, I'm not keeping up with invoices (may be in trouble in the tax arena), and basically I don't know if I'm ready to be in the major work force (on salary) after I graduate

Thanks

[mackiest]

You might want to try to identify exactly why you are procrastinating. In Getting Things Done, David identifies two possible reasons - you either do not know what your successful outcome really is, or you have not identified the next physical action necessary to move forward. Some other causes for procrastination are perfectionism, fear of failure (and success), and resentment.

The best book I know for describing the causes of and possible solutions for procrastination is "The Now Habit" by Neil Fiore. I would recommend that title to anyone who struggles with procrastination.

[jamiewlove]

You might talk to your therapist or another psychologist / psychiatrist about ADHD or attention deficit disorder. One does not need to have the hyperactivity or be stupid. I am a successful physician and I was diagnosed at the age of 34. When we are in school and have very rigid deadlines it is easier than work that is done with much more freedom, etc. I was upset and shunned the diagnosis at first but then I came to embrace it. I am by no means saying you have this but to consider it.

Many people with ADD have executive function problems, severe procrastination and a propensity to hyperfocus and get lost in electronics, internet and TV. David Allen system is so good because it gets things out of your head. However, it still is up to the individual to decide what is important and to prioritize. David Allen system will not help you with hyperfocusing and losing yourself on the internet. Even if you don't have ADD, there are many great resources in the add literature. Check out Additude Magazine (free articles). I really do agree with the last post that Neil Fiore book is great on "the Now Habit" You could check out the reverse calendar which I found useful.

Hope this helps.

[kewms]

Goodness knows you're not the only one with this problem. The Internet is probably the best procrastination tool ever devised. And it sneaks up on you because you'll really need to research one quick thing, but then while you've got your browser open... and down the rabbit hole you go.

It helps me to have a bare bones environment set up for work-related stuff, without any of my fun bookmarks, and also without login cookies for fun sites. That raises the barrier high enough for me to catch myself. In my case, I use DevonAgent as my "serious" browser, and it helps that it integrates more easily with DevonThink, my research database, than Firefox does. (DevonAgent and DevonThink are both Mac only.)

That helps, but it can still be a struggle. Good luck!

Katherine

[abhay]

Procrastination is a vast topic, and everybody's solution is different. What I write below is just one (more) way to tackle it.

The mind is a pleasure seeking entity. Even if you know what is the outcome of a particular activity, and the ways and steps to achieve it, you may not be pulled towards the activity. A typical comparison that goes on in the mind is between the instantaneous pleasure that one derives from non-productive activities, and the apparent boredom or repulsiveness of the desired activities. Obviously the former wins. In spite of all the disciplinary measures that are imposed, by somebody else, or by oneself. Finally all the software that tries to discipline you, or all the rules that you make for yourself will fail. The "prisoner" will escape this "jail of rules".

In spite of a lot of guilt, the behavior changes only little if any. You now carry both the burdens: the constant behavioral failure, and the guilt. This is because of the apparently repulsive nature of your work.

A solution is to attack the repulsion itself. That is done not only by finding out what is the desired outcome of the things that you have to do, but actively imagining, visualizing, and emotionally experiencing how the success looks and feels like.

For example, let's say you have decided to be a web designer. This is just a description, and may not get you emotionally involved into it. Try creatively visualizing the result. Stretch it as much as you can while being rational. Start visualizing in detail as you read on this paragraph slowly: What would be the areas of your expertize? How would your office look? Imagine successful conversations with your clients. About finished projects. About ongoing projects. Visualize various aspects of you being a knowledgeable web designer. Visulalize that you are in your office, working towards a project intelligently and diligently. Visualize your reputation. Do this everyday for sometime. Use your creativity.

If a few positive images have danced in your mind while reading the above paragraph, how do you feel now? Does the thought of visiting nonproductive websites feel attractive now? If this has caused any change in your state of mind, then it may work for you in the long term as well. The purpose, in short, is to create a frame of mind which is suitable for achieving the desired.

If you feel this will work for you, you can look at other areas of your life as well through this angle. Currently you may feel guilty at the end of the day when quite a bit of time of the day is wasted. Visualize how you would feel at the end of the day, knowing the day was spent well.

This technique usually goes by the name of affirmations. You can write down various details of such visualizations in present tense sentences to help you visualize these. Consciously go through them daily. Keep changing and experimenting with them occasionally. The same set does not work all the time.

More info:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-...h_b_83526.html
http://www.self-esteem-and-confidenc...firmations.htm
http://briankim.net/blog/2008/07/how-affirmations-work/

Looking forward to hear your name as one of the leading experts in web design,

Regards,
Abhay

[Brent]

You have my sympathy; addiction is difficult. Good for you for taking steps to overcome it! As others have said, internet addiction is common, as is addiction in general. Don't beat yourself up over it.

Addiction is famously tricky to overcome, particularly addiction to a thing that you can't simply avoid (you can keep liquor out of your house; you can't necessarily keep the internet out, though some folks have gone that route).

Going "cold turkey" rarely works, in practice, over the long term. The addiction is typically too strong unless you have other, new desires or interests filling the void.

One option: Give yourself solid periods of time during the day to surf the internet. Do it intentionally. Schedule time for it. Pay attention to how much of the 'net you surf during that time. Plan to spend a lot of time on it.

Between surfing periods, you can work productively, and your brain will know that you will get another "hit" of the 'net shortly.

Once you've established this habit, you can gradually increase the amount of time you spent working, and decrease the amount of time spent surfing.

It's much like the GTD idea of getting things out of your mind and into a trusted system. Your brain needs to know that you'll get back to it (whether a Project or an addictive behavior) eventually, and then it can let go. That gives you something to work with.

Hope this helps.

[JulieJohnson]

Hi! I completely understand where you are coming from!
I have been treated for years for depression and only recently thru my therapist learned that I have ADD.
My therapist used the Brown ADD Rating scales to test me. Here is a link to the site and the breakdown that he uses for attention issues in adults http://www.drthomasebrown.com/brown_model/index.html
I have trouble "activating" for work, meaning that even when I have my next actions in front of me I still have trouble getting started for some reason. (That we haven't uncovered yet lol).
I don't have a good solution to offer unfortunately, I get sucked into the internet all the time! I think it's because it's more fun than work!
I love your timer app, i am going to check that out.

Hope this helps you in some way.

Julie

[BobW]

You might want to try to identify exactly why you are procrastinating. In Getting Things Done, David identifies two possible reasons - you either do not know what your successful outcome really is, or you have not identified the next physical action necessary to move forward. Some other causes for procrastination are perfectionism, fear of failure (and success), and resentment.

The best book I know for describing the causes of and possible solutions for procrastination is "The Now Habit" by Neil Fiore. I would recommend that title to anyone who struggles with procrastination.

I second that recommendation - I finished the book (and of course GTD!), and with the both of them I have found my attitude to work and LIFE has changed profoundly, so much so, in fact, that I sincerely am excited about work. Cool huh!?

Co-incidently I work in a similar creative to you (music production) so I do understand where you are coming from.

I wish you all the best anyway
Bob

[dschaffner]

Does anyone have ways of not randomly going to facebook when you have work to be done, because seriously I've lost so much money, I'm not keeping up with invoices (may be in trouble in the tax arena), and basically I don't know if I'm ready to be in the major work force (on salary) after I graduate

Can you do parts of your work when you are offline? Could you go to a location with no internet access and still get work done?

- Don

[Instigase]

I'm not a psychologist so I wont comment on the ADD part. But there is something to say about these electronic doo-dads that sparkle and distract...

Anyhow I recommend you track and log your time down to 15 minute increments. David Seah has a simple flash version of his emergent task timer that I would recommend.

http://davidseah.com/blog/comments/t...nt-task-timer/

Its set to chime every 15 minutes and you can log in what you are doing. You'll have hard data on your work v. distraction time.

Yes is electronic and slick and I have found that if i have to account for every 15min period during the day - I actually am more productive.

Good Luck.