Your Questions Answered: How to Bring Consciousness to Internet Surfing

Today marks the final post in the Your Questions Answered series. The final question is an excellent one, and deals with an issue that I'm sure we can all relate to -- Internet Surfing. Let's face it, although the Internet is wonderful, it can also be an incredible time suck. I've certainly watched my productivity take a dive thanks to mindless Internet surfing or too-constant email checking. How do you turn it around? I suggest applying wisdom from the Yoga Sutras.

The second sutra of the first chapter of the Yoga Sutras -- Yogah citta vrtti nirodhah -- can be translated as yoga is the focusing of the mind in a chosen direction and maintaining that focus without distraction. Basically, yoga is concentration. How do we get to this state of yoga as defined by Patanjali, you ask? Patanjali actually answers this question in sutra 1.12 -- practice and discipline.

The turn of events goes something like this -- you need a goal to practice yoga. Having a goal, determines what you do or don't do in your practice. Once you practice, discipline comes as a result of the practice. With practice comes citta vrtti nirodhah. Now that you have the general idea, how, you ask, does this apply to the Internet?

I suggest approaching Internet surfing like a yoga practice -- set a goal. Rather than surf randomly, why not set a goal for your time on the Internet? Perhaps you're researching a topic, or your catching up on your favorite blogs (hopefully this one is on your list), or reading the news and/or weather, or reading and responding to email or doing a little online shopping. Pick a goal for your time on the Internet and don't stray from it. Be disciplined about your purpose for being online and set a time limit to achieve your goal.

I manage my time on the computer so I can be sure I'm productive rather than busy. Here are a few tips:

1. Unless you have something critical going on, I suggest NOT checking your email first thing. Instead, do the most important thing for the day first. If you check your email first and get caught up in the day, there's a good chance you won't accomplish your most important task -- or it'll be hanging over your head as you go through your day. So, important task first, then email.
2. Limit your email checking. I am a recovering email addict. Now instead of checking my email every 15-30 minutes, I check it 3 times a day. If you work in an environment where not answering an email is perceived as not working or being attentive, then use an autoresponder to message people about your 3 times a day email checking practice. Believe me, checking a few times a day frees up A LOT of time. Rather than get distracted by emails multiple times per day, you limit all of your email and batch all of the tasks that arise from emails.
3. Limit your Internet time. Set a timer -- seriously. Choose a goal for your Internet exploration (as I mentioned before -- news updates, email, shopping, etc.) and then set a time for how long you're going to spend on the Internet.
4. Use tools to make it easier. Create folders in your email account to keep your inbox clear. Perhaps you have an action folder, a read only folder, an idea folder, etc. You get the idea. Same goes for surfing for information. You can create a Yahoo home page (or a home page from many other sites) on which you can personalize with your favorite RSS feeds. That means that instead of surfing around, you can go to one page that has all of your favorite blogs and media sources. Backflip.com is a great site to help with this as well. Simply register for a free account and bookmark (or, in this case, Backflip) your favorite sites. You can set up folders so you can have your favorite shopping sites, your favorite blogs, and your favorite news sites all in one place. Again, this reduces browsing time and directs you right to the content that you want and is most relevant.

As you practice the above, discipline will follow. Before you know it, you'll find that you have more time during your day because you've eliminated technological time-wasters. Goal, practice, discipline -- it's an excellent formula that not only applies to yoga.

Namaste!

Comments

[john Calabria]

Thanks so much for the very helpful post.

I often check my email first thing, and then get swamped in responding to messages and realize as I'm shutting down the computer that I didn't even get done what
I turned the computer on for.

take care

john

p.s. just posted an article that I wrote for a local yoga studio, it might be good for your beginners.

http://www.yogawithjohn.com/yoga-etiquette/

[Chuisle]

We at TrainYoga received a blog award and in turn we've nominated your blog, too. We love your blog and the work you do in enlightening your readers, so thanks for providing this resource. If you want to accept/read more about the award, we have a post explaining it here. http://www.trainyoga.com/2008/10/trainyoga-receives-its-first-award/