| The greatest productivity boost was to get rid of internet altogether at home (say goodbye to Comcast) and work only at the office. Also, I downgraded my phone service plan and switched to 1 GB limit/month on the data plan. I also recommend getting rid of cable TV. I became more efficient at work, with clear goal in mind that I had to finish my daily work in order to meet my hard-set deadline of 6pm. I was able to really focus and concentrate with greater intensity, since I couldn't do more work at home. There were also other unintended benefits. Not having internet at home allowed my mind to be free from "distractions" at home. At home, my mind was still engaged in the work-related stuff. In order to switch gears and to unwind, I was spending time on Youtube and mindless entertainment, but more often, I was vegging out and becoming an internet couch-potato. Now, I tend to spend more time with the family, and I am able to focus on people and not technology. I am free from the burden of FOMO. I am thinking more clearly and creatively. I have more time for hobbies and side projects. If I really needed to Google something , I'd use my phone for quick search (again, being limited to 1GB limit so I didn't get side-tracked). I can't procrastinate by going on the net and getting lost in endless research. And since I couldn't be online while at home, I was unconsciously building good habits. I am reading more books (and buying more paper-based books instead of e-books/Kindle books). I am writing more, journaling more, and getting more exercises and working out. I'm also sleeping better and no longer have insomnia, probably due to limited screen time in the evening. I also became more selective of the type of entertainment, preferring quality over quantity, and elminating my binge-watching. Instead, I watch movies on Bluray/DVD and is a much better viewing experience. I recommend Netflix (snail mail service, not the online version). During weekends, I have an excuse to go to a local coffee shop with good coffee and fast internet connection. For dealing with urgent issues that come up during off-hours, I can use my pre-paid LTE hotspot (Karma). I also use my phone less, and now I use it mostly for maps, weather, and email. If cutting the cord is not an option, an alternative is to set the parental control on the wifi router and use time restriction to block internet during evening and on weekends. Also having good set of tools AND having mastery over them are important, but that's another topic. |