TAMING TIME: Time Management, FR Addiction-Control Tips?

Prayerful Musings | 9/20/04 | Daniel J. Phillips

[BibChr]

As the big 4-9 looms this Thursday, and I anticipate entering the fiftieth year of my pilgrimage, I took a day to pray, evaluate, think, regroup, analyze.

One particular shortcoming that leaps out is that I need to get a grip on how I invest — or waste — my time. There's a Bible verse that calls for "making the best use of the time, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:16). I realize that I don't. (You will note, at this point, that this is not a Breaking News essay.)

And while I don't at present share my species' particular habit of sitting in front of a TV, remote in hand, doing the click-click-click rumba, I do dance that particular dance with FR. Far too much! Only here, it's F5, F5, F5. Yes, FR is a good thing; but for me it is a classical illustration of when a good thing becomes a bad thing because of its misuse. It too often is, for me, an addiction, and I need to get a grip on it — which, I figure, will be deucedly hard as the election approaches. But I must.

So I am asking you, the FR-populace:

• Has any particular book, method, approach helped you manage your time more effectively? Care to share your story?
• Specifically, has anyone come up with a plan for managing his FR-time so that it you don't constantly note 20, 30, 40 minute time-gaps, never to be seen again?

I know we have a wide variety of FReepers here, including some very busy and productive folks who nonetheless do manage to FReep some. Lay your ideas and plans and "testimonies" out here, if you would, that all may profit.

[BibChr]

Jokes will be inevitable, of course; but I also thank you in advance for your serious contributions. I really do need to get on track.

Perhaps after the thread has been well-populated, I'll try to cull what I think are the best thoughts, edit them into manageability, and post them separately.

Dan

[Mamzelle]

All jokes aside, people can get hooked on the internet because of the "feedback"--it's not too different from gambling, because the win-lose is feedback. And probably most FRs have wondered about the time sink.

When there's some really great story happening, I find it hard to stay away.

Do you have a woods with brush to clear? (g) It's calling me right now...

[MaryFromMichigan]

Has any particular book, method, approach helped you manage your time more effectively?

Yes!
Free Republic RSS feeds!
Just hold the bookmark and all the latest stuff comes up!
Very efficent! Love it!

[SuperSonic]

My name is SuperSonic and I am a FreeRepublic addict.

Seriously though, I am looking forward to some thoughts on this so that I can manage my own time better.

Thanks for starting this thread.

[mattdono]

Here's my list...

• Caffeine. Lots of Caffeine.
• Less Sleep. (Do you really need 8 hours sleep?)
• Be hardcore.
• Plan to take a (1 day) break after the election is over

As the old saying goes, "No rest for the wicked...and the righteous don't need none!"

P.S. Having a Franklin Planner and an IPAQ (or PalmPilot) can do wonders.

[gobucks]

How the 1976 Olympic rifle gold medalist does it.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I stay away from the Hobbit Hole threads, thus limiting my FReeping time to only several hours a day. :)

[HairOfTheDog]

Hey! He never wastes time on our threads!

[cyborg]

I find I'm spending less and less time on FR. In fact, I'm thinking about leaving anyway. Politics and social issues are getting less and less interesting the more I realize I can't do anything about it. Frankly I find it to be downright depressing. There's some much of life to be lived, places to travel to,etc. No more time to sit in front of the computer and debate the undebateable. I've been reading more good books, discovering classic rock music and soul music, getting fresh air,etc.

[HairOfTheDog]

....anymore.

He gave us up a long time ago.

[Tijeras_Slim]

I just realized from the volume of posts, they were Hobbit forming.

[marty60]

I have gone long periods away (weeks or months) from FR. But it was due to Family or personal comittments. I have dropped in to see what is going on, at times. Then there are times that I stay on for several hours a day. It is according to what is being discussed. Try to focus only on the things that you personally fell very strong about or have the wisdom through experience to help others.

It is very important to share your knowledge with others. You are doing Gods work, when you participate, I believe. <p. We can not leave the world to the lies of the Godless.

[The Great Yazoo]

Don't tell my wife about this. She periodically insists that I cease Freeping and go to work!

[Esther Ruth]

Wait a second...... Come to think of Free Republic HAS helped me to manage my time better. Where it used to take me 5 minutes to make a bed, now it takes 3 minutes. Where it used to take me 15 minutes to clear dishes, now it takes 7, where it used to take me 10 minutes to fold a load of clothes, now it takes we 6 minutes. I do things much quicker and more effectively SO I CAN get get back here as soon as possible.

Free Republic is your Time Management Special Assistant.

[Capriole]

I'll leave the jokes to my more witty brethren, as always. I've noticed the same problem--chunks of time missing out of my day--and I too looked at it from the perspective that God expects me to use the time He grants me wisely. Perhaps it's self-justification, but I think of it this way: it's fair to devote a certain amount of time each day to relaxation and recreation. No one should be obliged to work during every waking moment, and I'm sure the Lord doesn't expect me to. I decided to inventory my forms of recreation and to consider this as one of them, as someone else might sit down with a beer and the remote.

The question then becomes how much time to devote to it? I settled on an hour and a quarter a day, with one quick visit in the morning before work, another after I get home in the early evening, and another before bed.

It helps that lately I've been forced to share my computer with my teenage daughter, so I don't have the time to get on it all evening! "Mom, I have to be IMing with Timmy, he's helping me with my French homework." Right.

[Fierce Allegiance]

Limit your time to freeping at work.

[Joann37]

Hi Dan,

I'm almost your age, and I'm also a Christian (I noted your reference to Scripture).

Whether it's FR or another site, I spend WAY too much time on the Internet. When my computer broke down a few months ago, I purposely didn't get it repaired right away, as I wanted to see whether I'd miss it. I didn't miss it that much, plus I got a TON of work done around the house and accomplished a lot of other things I had been putting off. I probably would have been better off not getting it fixed at all. After all, we all lived without PCs as recently as a few years ago.

Don't be down on yourself; lots of people are online way too much. I think we must realize that it is an addictive behavior, and like all addictions, must be eliminated or brought under control.

My most productive days are spent when I heed Matthew 6:33: "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." When I spend a good amount of time in prayer at the beginning of the day, God seems to "order my steps" and I seem to accomplish more on those days than ever thought possible.

[marty60]

Feedback can be a problem. People tend to get angry if you don't stay and answer for hours on end. But, I don't mind getting answers the next day or several days for that matter.

I have developed the habit of just checking for the little red notice. If none I continue with my day.

[Samwise]

Bookmarking

[hispanarepublicana]

, has anyone come up with a plan for managing his FR-time

It's called a husband and a gift for speed reading.