Monitor Your Time Online

A recent telephone-based study by Stanford University found that more than one in eight Americans exhibited at least one possible sign of problematic Internet use. "We often focus on how wonderful the Internet is—how simple and efficient it can make things," said Professor Elias Aboujaoude, MD. "But we need to consider the fact that it creates real problems for a subset of people."

My Internet addiction article also raised concerns among the majority of those who read it. Contrary to what people believe, Internet addiction is a real issue to those who can't balance their online activity with their offline world. I received some very disconcerting emails from very young people asking for help with their out-of-control online addiction. The reality is that unless you have money set aside to treat this addiction, you're going to need the help of family and friends to help you balance out your life. Not what you wanted to hear, I know, but since this condition is not recognized as a psychiatric disorder, insurance companies won't cover treatment expenses.  

With the increasing popularity of social-networking sites, blogging, massive multiplayer online games, online video, wikipedias, and other web sites dependent of an online community, I think it would be wise for everyone to monitor their time online.

MethodShop.com alerted me to a Firefox plug-in that tracks daily online activity. PageAddict.com logs the amount of time spent on each site, and even restricts how much time you spend on the Internet. There is no guarantee that is 100 percent accurate, but maybe being aware of the approximate time you spend online will help you manage your time better.

Do you feel you spend too much time online? What do you do to break away from the computer?

Related:

Are You an Internet Addict?
Is Surfing the Web Really Wasting Time at Work?
Web at Work
Getting (Un)Connected
Work 'Zones': Another Way to Set Limits
Surf at Work to Get Yourself Fired