Let's face it, you are probably procrastinating right now.
I'll begin by stating that this post was inspired by Hsien-Hsien Lei's new facebook community.
Lets start off with a video on how to procrastinate:
One of the greatest effects of the Internet: procrastination. As we've advanced to web2.0, procrastinators now can produce junk as well as consume it. (Yes blogs too.) To read one blogger's daily procrastination routine, visit David Bradley's longish essay on How to get Nothing Done.
Want to cut down on procrastination, go read this website produced by California Polytechnic State University. Paradoxically reading the damn thing is in itself a form of procrastination.
OK now guilt is starting to settle in. Please leave any tips on how, and how not, to procrastinate. (Yes I'm encouraging you to spend time away from all the stuff you have to get done so that you can leave a trashy comment on my blog.)
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I am writing this comment instead of designing primers. So, Alex I hope you are happy now!
I have a couple of tips, however might warn you, the power of procrastination is so intense, usually even these might not help. But there is still hope my friends... :/
1) I used to check my e-mails ten thousand times a day. And unfortunately, as you all know, time goes faster on the Web. So you suddenly end up spending an hour looking at your gmail inbox with empty eyes. A mighty solution: make a rule, say "I will check my e-mails only 4 times a day". It helped me. A similar rule should be created for RSS reader of course!
2) Do not get a Facebook account, or do not sign up to similar websites. I mean, it is great to socialize but do you really need to beat your friends at that travel IQ game to be able to get a PhD?
3) This is not environment friendly but, for the sake of being away from the computer, print the papers you need to read, and do not even get your computer out of your bag. Do not even turn it on.
4) Actually, sometimes it is best to leave the computer behind (leave it at the lab when you are going home, yes you can do it). To your amazement, you'll be reading that book you wanted to read but never had time for the last couple of months.
I've just spent an hour reading stuff that I'll forget in an hour and writing this comment! :( I'm going back to my primers.
"Tomorrow I will stop procrastinating."
Old quotation, I know, but very useful...
Never put off to tomorrow what you can put off to the day after tomorrow.
Hey, Hsien Lei alerted me to your linking to my How to Get Nothing Done article, which is great, it not only provides me with another excuse not to get anything done while I make this comment, but my "longish" post is now hopefully providing your readers with a great excuse to chuck their to-do-list in the waste basket again.
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