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setonmom
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| Posted: Feb 16 2011 at 11:41am | IP Logged
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moms- what are your strategies for avoiding wasting time on the internet? Or even to avoid wasting time in general? for awhile I had a rule for myself that I could not go online each day until 2 pm. That worked pretty well, but I fell off the wagon. any ideas? thanks!
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lapazfarm
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| Posted: Feb 16 2011 at 11:46am | IP Logged
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If you figure it out, let me know. I am a champion time-waster. 
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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lovebeingamom
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I am excited to see the responses to this thread! I definitely need to keep an eye on this one!
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JodieLyn
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| Posted: Feb 16 2011 at 12:52pm | IP Logged
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It helps me if my "time wasters" are "rewards".. "as soon as I do ______ I can spend 5 minutes doing ______."
Then the time wasting is actually motivating me to do more vs less.
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Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4
All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
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Erin
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Well the word is self-discipline.  The implementation is harder. I find the best way (and please don't imagine I don't waste time in lots of areas of my life) is to make lists. If I have a written lists of what I want to get done in the day, I am far less likely to waste time.
Your 2pm rule is a good one. Perhaps you also need to implement a rule of what you do once on there?
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Erin
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JamieCarin
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| Posted: Feb 16 2011 at 3:13pm | IP Logged
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Ughhh huge issue for me!
The reward one is a good one...especially if combined with the list idea!
Probably would also be helpful to actualyl TURN the computer OFF...which I don't LOL, but I can see that being helpful!
Can't wait to see more advice!
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Wife to Claudio for 9yrs, Mom to Ben (4), and Annabella (almost 3), and Beatrice (born 1/17/12)
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Angie Mc
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Setonmom, when I read this topic title, I thought of a book lover going into a book store and asking other book lovers how to limit book purchases  . We may need to find some friends who don't waste time online to learn their tips.
In addition to the above options, I limit where I go online. 4Real is the only place I chat. I don't surf and only google on an as-needed basis. I only shop online the first week of the month.
I really do enjoy having my major duties done first thing in the morning, well in advance of coming online. This is easier now that my children are older.
Love,
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Angie Mc
Maimeo to Henry! Dave's wife, mom to Mrs. Devin+Michael Pope, Aiden 20,Ian 17,John Paul 11,Catherine (heaven 6/07)
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aussieannie
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I was a big internet user originally but when I fully recognised this, the choice was a full and complete life in the home with the family or keep overusing the net.
For me, when I'm tempted to, I just keep thinking to myself, "these are precious years raising children, remember your choice and why" it works.
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Spiritual Motherhood for Priests
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Chris V
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aussieannie wrote:
I was a big internet user originally but when I fully recognised this, the choice was a full and complete life in the home with the family or keep overusing the net.
For me, when I'm tempted to, I just keep thinking to myself, "these are precious years raising children, remember your choice and why" it works. |
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I love this. Love this. Love this! That has often been my strategy as of late. On the days when I misuse my time online, there is a direct correlation with all things misguided with my vocation here at home - as wife, mother, and educator to my children. I often say to myself is this what God intended for my use of precious time today? - and it's at that point I log-off Facebook  . Making a poor choice with how I use the time given me. My children deserve better.
... and as wonderful as that sounds, admittedly, I still fail more often than I'd like to claim. I'm a work in progress.
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Chris
Happy Wife with my Happy Life
Mama to My Five Girls ('04~'07~'09~'11~'11) 
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Willa
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I've found it helpful to fast from the internet periodically..... like a detox. I fast for a day or several days and it helps recalibrate my brain so I don't always have my mind in the cyber-clouds.
Also, I check email in the am since my mom, son or daughter and friends often contact me by email but I try to limit blog-reading and message-boards mostly to weekends. Checking email is relatively non-addictive to me -- it's web-surfing in different forms that eats up the time.
Wasting time in general -- not so easy It helps me to have a short list of things I want to get done on a given day or week. A lot of my time-wasting is just wheel-spinning in the transitions between one thing and the next so if I have a list I can move on to the next thing more easily.
Oh! and almost any "issue" I am facing -- it helps me to work on it during Lent. Lent lets me try out a new way of doing things and face the temporary discomfort. And often Lenten penances end up modifying into long-term better habits. I've dealt with a lot of addictions that way, though I still have much progress to make, so I look forward to Lent because God always helps me so much during that time.
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Willa
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At_His_Feet
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I have found that pulling the internet connection out of the wall works when I have spent too much time online. That way if I need to do something it's worth the effoert of rebooting the computer, if I'm time wasting, I useally can't be bothered going to the trouble!
The other thing which has worled for me is having a tight schedule for me and the dc, and reminding myself how much better I feel when I am obedient to my schedule.
Tricia.
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Tricia
Mum to 3 boys 17, 15, and 10.
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stellamaris
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St. John Bosco had this sign over his desk: "Every Minute is a Treasure". The devil hated it so much that one night when he was harassing Don Bosco, he threw it on the ground. I'm thinking about hanging that saying above my desk....every minute is a treasure...a gift from God not to be wasted. How to spend it in the best way for His glory?
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Caroline
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Nique
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stellamaris wrote:
St. John Bosco had this sign over his desk: "Every Minute is a Treasure". The devil hated it so much that one night when he was harassing Don Bosco, he threw it on the ground. I'm thinking about hanging that saying above my desk....every minute is a treasure...a gift from God not to be wasted. How to spend it in the best way for His glory?
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Stellamaris, I LIKE that!
Thanks!
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I had always thought that once you grew up you could do anything you wanted - stay up all night or eat ice cream straight out of the container. ~Bill Bryson
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cathhomeschool
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I find that I waste less time when I keep my email running and can check it when I have 5 minutes to spare between activities. If I save it up, I tend to go from email to surfing and before I know it, hours are gone.
I don't read blogs regularly (unless I'm in "planning" mode or "crafting" mode) and only read other forums if they come up in a google search. I don't do facebook or stuff like that. This helps limit time.
General time wasting -- lists helps a lot. When I don't have lists I always end up with moments in which I have a few minutes to spare and can't remember what I need to get done.
The timer -- I don't use one, but I have friends who set it and it helps them a lot.
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Janette (4 boys - 22, 21, 15, 14)
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SuzanneG
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cathhomeschool wrote:
| -- lists helps a lot. When I don't have lists I always end up with moments in which I have a few minutes to spare and can't remember what I need to get done. |
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I keep a section in my planner every week....that I write down internet/computer-things-to-do. It helps me focus when I'm on and make the most use of my time.
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Suzanne in ID
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Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
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marianhome
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I also have had to fast here and there to keep on track my internet involvement. What works for me right now is to have set times that I am allowed to check mails and look things into the computer. So during my rest time, twice a day i have permission to do that, but not during the other scheduled activities of the day.
When i find myself craving the computer time or ignoring my own rules, I know it is time for fasting again!!!!
raquel
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leanne maree
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I think everyone has said most things that I would.
I have 10 min time slots for internet access. But as we run a business from home, that in itself can be hard to be true to, as I an often using the computer for that purpose.
If I am looking at curricula I now involve my dh so we choose together and we don't spend all day wasting time.
As Erin said I write a list of things to be done and when they are done, its free time, and more often than not, we spend it as a family.
And as Anne said, we only have a season to be a Mummy with our homeschooled children.
Leanne
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Leanne
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mamaslearning
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| Posted: March 02 2011 at 7:33am | IP Logged
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Angie Mc wrote:
Setonmom, when I read this topic title, I thought of a book lover going into a book store and asking other book lovers how to limit book purchases . We may need to find some friends who don't waste time online to learn their tips.
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 This made me chuckle!
I limit myself to morning email and 4real browsing. If the children are engaged in an activity in the afternoon, that's when I do planning activities/browsing online. It's a struggle, but keeping priorities in mind helps to keep my bad habits in check. If I ever feel like I *have* to get online, I know that I'm overdoing it and back off for a day or two to regain my composure.
Of course, being online is my favorite time waster, but I can easily waste 1/2 hour just staring at the wall and living inside my head.
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Lara
DD 11, DS 8, DS 6, DS 4
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4Real Forums : Planning and Ordering our Days
Topic: wasting time on internet etc
