MORE ON TIME WASTERS AND STICKING TO THE LOW INFORMATION DIET

Last week, I was suggesting that establishing a low-information diet was one thing to do in an attempt to address time wasters http://4hrwwproject.wordpress.com/2010/02/22/time-wasters-and-the-low-information-diet/ . If you remember, going on the one-week media fast was a first step. I turned off my news channel notifications (including the weather channel) and used Google Fast Flip for my 5-15 minute fix each day. This was particularly useful as I could both look at headlines (which weren’t all that interesting except some Olympic updates) and search any particular topic I was looking for to get some information about all in one window. I did not at any point ‘surf’ to find out some newsworthy story, which definitely saved me some wasted time.

Beyond the media fast, Ferris discusses 2 more important pieces to really addressing time wasters and remaining on the low information diet. 1) Work on establishing a new habit, before you delve into looking up Internet information, reading through texts, manuals and reports ask yourself if what you are looking for’ will definitely be of use right now for what I need to get done on an immediate task and is it truly needed right now’. Double check that it is also important. Ferris makes an excellent point that information all by itself is quite useless unless it is applied to something that is immediate and important. Preparing to far in advance just for the sake of being ready is a scenario that Ferris covers in the book and that I must admit I am quite guilt of. I have such a need to prepare and have everything in order to far ahead of events, project meetings or project work, I will review client documents and project information, only to have to re-read again at a later date closer to when I actually need the information.

The good news

Since I am able to identify a time waster that I do and it is also something I repeat fairly often, I am excited about making the change so that I do not spent time on things too far in advance thus, having to repeat later. This should make a fairly significant impact for me over time.

The second point is also very important and is call the ‘Art of Nonfinishing’

This has come up for me specifically when reading a fiction book or watching a movie, the story or presentation is just awful to me but I feel compelled to finish reading the book or watching the movie simply because I started it. This is likely related to hearing once too often as a child that I never finished anything, my attention was too short and although I started things with such great enthusiasm, I wouldn’t necessarily complete them. Now as an adult, I often feel it’s wrong not to finish something I started. However, if you are reading a novel, an article or watching something on television that isn’t good just stop. I think learning the Art of Nonfinishing is especially important for cutting down on wasting work time but even more precious are when it happens during sparse down-time. If you’ve finally wrapped up work for the day, feel good about what you’ve got accomplished and can put the work day behind you, do not spend the free time on anything that doesn’t bring you some relaxation, enjoyment or entertainment.

Boring and Unproductive

To do anything other than learn and practice the art of non-finishing will necessitate you spend time on things that are either boring, unproductive and perhaps both. This is surely not the path to freedom, abundance and peace, so the take home message today is cut down on Internet surfing, searching and absorbing too much information that is not necessary and important right now along with learning how to stop spending time on something unproductive or unpleasant just because you’ve started it.

Next blog we are going to talk about interruptions….

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