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Jul 10 , 2022 • 5 min read

How to stop wasting time on the Internet

How to stop wasting time on the Internet
The Internet kills your time faster than anything else. Read on to find out how you can stop wasting time on the internet and remove distractions.

The Internet kills your time faster than anything else. With a single click, you can start watching a movie, check up on what your friends are doing online, and read your favorite blog. It really is a never-ending place of distraction and what we often miss when thinking about the internet is that excessive website surfing works just like every other addiction. It hacks the reward system in our brain and makes us feel unmotivated to engage in real-world activities – socializing, exercise, working – the things that fuel personal growth.

In fact, it’s been proven that internet addiction has a strong impact on stress, depression, time management, and anxiety levels. The question is, how do you stop wasting time on the internet? Read on to find out how you can do this and remove distractions while online.

How do I stop getting distracted on the Internet? 

The best, easiest, and most simple way to prevent yourself from wasting time is to ‘time block’ your access to the sites you waste the most time on. BlockSite allows you to easily block any distracting websites and stops you from procrastinating, meaning that you control your browsing and have an effective method that stops you from wasting your time.

It’s really simple to use. For example, if you’re used to going on Instagram or YouTube when you don’t want to work, block both those sites on BlockSite by adding them to your block list. Then, every time you try and go on there – you’ll be redirected. What’s more? It’s also free and available on desktop and mobile (Android).

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Another option to stop getting distracted is to schedule your time on the internet. We schedule our mealtimes, travel plans, and workouts, so why not schedule your internet time too? Instead of hopping on and offline whenever you fancy, schedule specific times when you’ll allow yourself to surf the web.

Trust us, whatever posts interest you will be there in the morning, noon, and night regardless so it’s not necessary to see them straight away. Make note of your favorite games, social media pages, and news sites, and schedule a window of time to visit them. Just make sure you stick to this schedule.

While you’re at work or school – stopping your study session or workday in order to play online could indicate you simply need a break. Research has shown regular breaks help us prevent boredom while also helping us retain information over time.

BlockSite has a ‘Work Mode’ feature that is based on the Pomodoro Method. The method is simple, for every 25 minutes of working, you then take a 5 -minute break to help maximize your potential each day. Going for a walk, eating, and even just browsing your favorite website can help you relax and recoup energy throughout the day, so this is the perfect opportunity to log onto Facebook for a quick fix.

Going Cold Turkey

For those of you with SERIOUS willpower, how about going cold turkey? It’s probably the hardest of all the options but a ‘digital detox’ of literally going a week or two without access to the internet could be a great start. 

If you feel you are capable of setting a time frame whereby you don’t go online at all for the entire period, you’ll notice how much more mindful, free and light life really becomes.

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How to get rid of distractions

Getting rid of distractions when you have a long ‘to do’ list can feel like really hard work. Often we find ourselves ready to give up before we start and therefore find something to distract us from the actual tasks at hand.

You can control this issue by setting yourself goals. Let’s say you ask yourself every morning: What are the most important things to accomplish today? and give yourself 3 objectives to accomplish every day. Write them down and put the note where you can see it every time you look up from your work. All other tasks should be put on a separate to-do list. You can start those once you’ve accomplished the first three. 

By limiting the number of daily goals you set yourself, you’ll have a clearly defined list of what you need to work on. You’ll work with a greater intention on those tasks and your mind will be less likely to stray.

However, you might want to take into consideration that if you’re having trouble focusing and are chronically distracted, it may be that you’re not engaged enough. Maybe your work isn’t challenging enough and although you feel that you’re working hard, your mind is essentially fighting boredom and looking to fill itself with something more interesting.

Complex tasks demand more of our attention which also means we have less mental capacity to get distracted. As human beings, we need to be challenged in order to prevent boredom. We recommend assessing your workload and looking at what can be changed or added to make it more challenging and engaging. 

Today is a good day to start, try for free
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How can I spend less time on the internet? 

A lot of people believe that adults aren’t capable of learning new things, that the habits we learn, stay with us forever, but science proves differently. It is possible to totally rewire our brains and create new habits.

Spending less time on the internet is down to just that, it’s about creating new, offline habits that aren’t as ‘addictive’ as the Internet. Try spending more time with loved ones, scheduling your ‘online’ time and using tools and applications that can help you at least at the start of the process. 

Training yourself to focus on other things and to avoid wasting time online is tough, so use the tools above to help you get started. Remember, it’s all about willpower – but you can also get a bit of help from BlockSite 😉 Learn how to assert your willpower, add BlockSite into the mix, control your stress and stay challenged and you may just find yourself getting more done than ever before.