One of the biggest ways I have cut my computer time is to make the weekends computer free with the exception of when I need to post a book review(which I write up during the week but then publish on Saturdays). I had found that I was wasting my Saturdays and Sunday afternoons reading blogs and not just the blogs I regularly visit! I was finding all sorts of great blogs out there, but in the process I was letting it consume all of my time.
Another way that I have reduced the amount of time spent on the computer is by staying off the internet in the mornings. I allow myself to publish any new comments on my posts and to check my Email, but nothing more. Last week I bent my own rules and allowed myself to read a blog post or two from some of my favorites in the morning, but it just led to me wanting to read one more, just one more(yeah, right!). So, this week I am sticking to the boundaries that I have set for my morning.
The sad part is that I was beginning to neglect the teaching I needed to do with my younger two boys. Both need me to guide them through their morning work. Both need help with reading certain portions. Both need help with their math, at times.
They need me and I need to be right there with them!
It is hard to admit, but I was really letting them down. They would ask for help and I would say, “just let me finish reading this” or “hold on I am leaving this lady a comment”. Now I park my rear at the table with them! I am focusing on them and their needs as their teacher and momma, instead of getting sucked into blog world. I love teaching. I always have and this week I am going to renew that joy.
So, here are my boundaries in list form:
LIMITS
- No blogging in the morning
- No blogging on weekends
- No blogging in the evenings
- Blogging for one hour during lunch break
- Blogging for one hour in the afternoons after school is finished (Two hours a day sounds like a lot, but since I have dial-up I do house work while I’m waiting for pages to load, so I’m not spending a total of 2 hours on the computer.)
What are some of the ways that you limit your blogging time?
I'm just trying to watch the amount of time I spend online, for now...I may have to actually come up with a scheduled time to be on it, if I can't reduce it enough with what I'm doing. I had noticed the same things that you did...I was putting my children off when they needed me and I was also not getting enough done around the house.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great goal, Jenn! :) I'm trying to figure out the balance of it all myself. Everything is about balance, right?
ReplyDeleteI want to limit my time to so many hours per week, but am in a transition and haven't done that yet. However, what I do practice is this...if the little snippet in my google reader does not catch my interest, I don't even go to the blog and read the whole post. Otherwise, I'd be on forever. We must not let this distract us from more important priorities, ladies, it reminds me of when I was young and yacked on the phone way too much while my babies got into trouble. Remember to give them our first and our best.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Carol
Good for you, boundaries....a good thing. Your plan is a good one. This stuff is addicting to say the least and ya end up neglecting family and friends. Like I said before, I set a timmer like I'm some two year old in time out or my minutes quickly turn to hours.
ReplyDeleteGod bless your plan, Jenn!!!
This is great Jenn! I need to set concrete boundries for myself as well instead of just saying I'm going to "cut back".
ReplyDeleteThese are great tips and I'm so glad I'm not the only one who struggles with this. My sis and I have been holding each other accountable and we've been doing much better. The biggest thing that has helped me is only visiting the blogs of people who are commenting on my blog. There are so many good blogs out there, but I have to face facts and realize I just can't visit them all. It has really reduced my blogging time. Also, posting less is help, too.
ReplyDeleteThis was great!! I just deleted my facebook account because between blogging and that I was spending WAY too much time on the computer and not enough time with my family. I too decided that beyond e-mail and posting comments I would keep my mornings internet free. I don't even open my laptop until quiet time at our house. I will admit I've had a little withdrawal:) but I know the benefits of time spent with my family is so precious. I don't want to waste it!
ReplyDelete