From Written By, the magazine of the Writers Guild of America, West, entitled The Last Seduction, quoting Patricia Wallace, the director of information technology at Johns Hopkins University and author of The Psychology of the Internet, about the dangers of spending too much time blogging: “For many people, the Internet can be a big-time drain, especially for people who tend to procrastinate.”
I came across this article via a link from Ken Levine's blog.
Not that I was procrastinating or anything....
Since I'm self-employed, there's no one except me to tell me to stop reading other people's blogs and get back to work. I have noticed that my productivity is not what I would hope it should be some days, especially when I read on too long, chasing link after link. (Of course, my productivity is never what I think it should be... and it's been like this for years, even before I ever heard about blogging... but, you see? I'm already digressing....)
Since some of you who've stopped by here recently are far more experienced at blogging than I, I'd love to hear how you balance blog life... and real life.
I'll hang up now and wait for your answers.
14 comments:
As if we blog too much!
I have to go as I have lots more to read.
I'll be totally honest with you. I haven't found a balance and people have told me that it's easy to get lost in blogging as it is an escape in itself.
I'm still trying to find a balance, but, hey, what can I say, I'm a blogaholic. I'm going to blog about this and ask people to stop by here to leave their feedback. I'll be curious to see what they say.
Will you be my attorney when I am fired for blogging on the job?
(Dr. A should get a cut of your earnings because he referred me to your site.)
LOl that is a good question.. and when i find a decent answer I'll let you know.. good luck...;)
Early night habbit, I should be painting...
the way i see it is this...when you find balance, then you are not a blogaholic :)
seriously, the kids are still well fed and do not smell. the house is kept and somehow presentable. i replaced watching and reading the news with blogging. i also shortened unnecessary, senseless conversations with people, and used that time for blogging, which obviously is more satisfyig :)
Captain, thanks, as always.
Dr. A, you've driven more traffic to my site in one day than I have ever gotten before.
Thanks -- I think. Of course, a lot of today has been spent following some of the new links....
lea, I'm pretty sure you don't want me representing you since I am not licensed in North Carolina. And I couldn't split my fee with Dr. A, even if I could represent you, which I can't, because a lawyer can't split a fee with a non-lawyer in Illinois. (That's supposed to prevent ambulance chasing, you see....)
awesomer mom, that seems to be my problem: I don't seem to be adhering to limits on the times that I can read other people's blogs. But feel free to come back next time the kids are napping. I'll try and blog quietly so as not to disturb them....
may, yours was an interesting blog.... but I think I'd better be getting home because spending all day peeking over here means that I currently am not well-fed. More later, if it should become necessary.
And can anyone tell me why I have to type in word verification when I comment on my own blog?
Well if it weren't for my virtual life.. I wouldn't have a life - as my 12 yr. old likes to remind. And where else can I win a Tomato contest ( ohyea at the Fair- too much trouble - i preferred the online version) and be included in Grand Rounds - an online medical journal. As for blogging or surfing in general, I'm one of the best little time wasters and procrastinators so if it wasn't blogging, it'd be something else. anyway, it's also my creative outlet and we all need that ( I know I could be practicing the piano). When't the next BA meeting?
It's hard to balance the two.
Kids, work, school...
You know the drill.
For me it's getting increasingly harder for me to find time to participate in my great past time of real life.
*oops*
I meant blog life.
later...
it is a difficult balance, and it is addictive. I have to only allow myself x period of time and then I'm done-- otherwise I can lose an hour or more just surfing..
Only an hour?!?
Some people may hate me for this but - my bosses allow me to blog on the job if I don't have any other work to do (which is often). So I do most of my blog reading from work and most of my writing from home.
One suggestion - set a certain number of blogs to read per day so you don't get lost for hours upon hours....
There is no balance. Blogging has taken over my life. It's the truth..I need help!!
I have now started doing a blog run, when I awake at 3:00am and have to use the bathroom. I can't go back to bed or asleep because maybe someone left me a comment and I don't want to wait unril morning to find out!
Seriously, I don't blog if my kids or grandkids are here. I have passed, on some invitations to go places, because staying at home and blogging seems like a better option. But I still go out occasionally. So, even though I am a hopeless blogaholic, I do still have some what of a real life.
Yes, isn't it retarded that we have to type in word verification, on our own Blog?
I don't know how to strike a balance, but if I'm really busy I don't even log on to blogger. I know I don't have the will power to read just one blog or post just one message. Perhaps you need to schedule your blogging hours outside of your work hours.
Mind you, I'm writing this from work right now, so what am I to talk?
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