How Distracting Is The Internet?

Here is the scenario - You have your to-do list for the day (if your organised), you get up to start work at 8am, or if you work full-time, you come home from work to start your website and promotional activities. You sit down, open up your emails, open up your Instant Messenger, check your RSS feeds and favorite blogs etc and before you know it, nearly 2 hours have gone by and you haven't done anything productive!

This used to happen to me every day! I now write a list of 3 main things I need to achieve for the day. ONLY 3 things. No more, no less. I turn off my Instant Messengers, shut down my email and open up ONLY the website, folders and documents that I need. I focus on the job, until its finished. Once its done I reward myself by reading my emails. (Great reward I hear you say - I love reading my emails and Im sure you do to - especially the ones that say 'Congratulations you have just made a new sale'!

I then focus on the next task and do the same again. Finish the task, dont leave it half finished and then get distracted. This is very important. This is what turns an unproductive person into a productive one. You will be amazed at how many things you can get done when you really focus your mind to it. Write a list!

IM's have their place and they are great for networking with your friends or collegues, but dont engage in little pointless conversations when you still have your 3 main tasks to do for the day. Do the chatting and replying to emails later when you have finished everything.

Keep up the good work and think about how much more productive you could be come by stopping a few bad habits.