computer time for Mom

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  • March 4, 2011 at 4:48 pm
    alice
    Participant

    During my day, I know I spend too much time online…like now! 🙂 I was wondering if any of you had any thoughts about how to limit it.  For us, our computer is in the dining/school area.  It’s very accessible and I can do things online pretty much any time during the day without interrupting whatever I’m doing.  Well, it’s not that checking email is all the disruptive, or looking on here, but I know the time adds up and I’m sure I end up wasting time.  Anyone here limit their computer time to certains times of the day, or have put limits on themselves?  I’m trying to use my time more wisely!
    Thanks!

    March 4, 2011 at 5:02 pm
    csmamma
    Participant

    Great question Alice! Having the computer accessible almost makes it more difficult – especially owning a laptop can create one to lose track of those few minutes here and there throughout the day. The following threads were from awhile back but very interesting discussions about internet time and its usage – thought you might be interested.

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/i-was-a-better-mother-before-the-internet#post-5823

    http://simplycharlottemason.com/scmforum/topic/i-was-a-better-mother-before-the-internet-1#post-17797

     

    March 4, 2011 at 5:04 pm
    Bookworm
    Participant

    I keep checklists of things I need to accomplish.  When I get a certain number of things done, I give myself fifteen minutes to check online or read.  Sometimes I choose to read a book instead.  That works for me.  I do have one set time I get on, right before we start our school day I print off our assignments and spend a few minutes tending to necessary online business, then I just check in later as I have a few extra minutes when I’ve completed a task. 

    March 5, 2011 at 11:32 am
    Heather
    Participant

    Hi alice, I am in the same boat as you.  I use the CM organizer and have a laptop which I used to keep open all day on the kitchen counter to log assignments as the day went on, see what’s next etc.  Others probably print assignments in order to keep from having to do that, but I have to bring my printer to my computer to do that and I don’t like pulling it out every day plus I don’t like using all of that paper…but I digress:)  I found myself spending way too much time and even being drawn to it when no one needed me and I was wasting my day and getting nothing done.  So, this is what I started to do last week which has worked as a dream! 

    The first night I pulled up the organizer and pulled out all of the books scheduled for the next day, tagged them for page numbers using removeable two post-it tabs for each book and placed them in a basket.  The next morning I pulled them out of the basket and placed them on the counter (where I used to have the computer), and as we worked through them I put them back into the basket.  After school, I’ve been letting the children have about an hour to play freely while I log completed work, pull out the next day’s books, check the library site, email and this board.  Then I close the computer and put it away in a drawer.  I am amazed at how quickly academics are completed and how much time is left in the day.  I didn’t realize how much time I’d been spending online “in between” subjects “just for a minute”!  Now I feel like I have “free time” too!

    March 5, 2011 at 12:37 pm
    alice
    Participant

    Thank you for all your responses!  I will read the link you posted.  I think one thing I need to do is have a pad of paper handy so I can write down things I want to do online, as they pop into my head.  For instance, I’ll be doing laundry and wonder how to take pen marks out of clothing…so I’ll get online and look it up.  Before you know it I’ve spent 20-30 min online looking up various things.  That can happen MANY times a day!  If I make a list of things to look up, or people to send an email to or whatever, I won’t worry about forgetting about it when I do have time to get online.

     

    March 5, 2011 at 6:17 pm
    csmamma
    Participant

    Alice, thats exactly what I do – make a list of things to check as I think of them. When I have my computer time, its easier to pull out my list ….however not as easy to just stick with whats on the list – kindof like when I go to the grocery store LOL. I’m working on it!

    March 6, 2011 at 2:18 am
    LindseyD
    Participant

    I try to limit my personal computer time to the evenings, after children are in bed. I do open the Organizer in the mornings to check off completed assignments for the day, and I might check my own e-mail or blog while they’re quietly working on math or copywork. But, I have allowed computer time to become a bad habit in the past, and it’s just too hard to break to do it again! 

    What a great idea to keep a list of all the things you want to look up! I have ideas going through my head constantly and then forget them all by the time I have a few minutes on the computer to myself! ha!

     

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