May 19 2008
Firefox–the new distraction generator
The always excellent Paul Graham just published his latest essay… on distractions. Nothing very surprising–the internet is tricky because it’s necessary yet distracting–but as he observes, the key is simply visibility.
I tried the Firefox Time Tracker extension but it was small and unobtrusive. Now I recognize I am 50% split between consumer and producer. So I work to create a lifestyle that ties them together. And I regularly evaluate major timesinks: Bloglines, Twitter, Facebook, and surfing.
I also build moats–low-tech ways of inserting pauses into daily life. I discovered these when my laptop crashed at 2 am, and I’d simply go to sleep rather than reboot it. When my laptop was working, I wouldn’t unplug to fall asleep. When it crashed, I realized my work could wait until morning. Now I try to create pauses. I don’t always unplug from Firefox after a pause, but it refocuses me.
What are your moats?
Like this? Try these:
- The 21 questions my friend asks me every night over the phone
Questions for which I’ve heard neither concise nor comprehensive answers…
Why Corporations can’t use money alone to tempt smart young folks…
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Funny enough!
the same thing happened to me last night.
at 2 am, my laptop crashed and I saw it as a sign to STOP working and to go to bed.
hmm,. what is it with 2 am ?!?
[...] Firefox–the new distraction generator The always excellent Paul Graham just published his latest essay…… [...]