Good morning, all. I have a gift for you, trusting that I am not the only person out there who could use this. It’s really not my gift, I’m one addict helping another here. I have a love/hate relationship with the computer, especially now that I have this super-fast and accommodating MacBook that bows to my every whim. Difficulty is, I really do like using my computer for writing. There’s a purist in me that would like to write with only legal pads and Uniballs. And I DO write with legal pads and Uniballs. But sometimes when an idea, a story, a dialogue gets going in my head, the fastest way to capture it without blunting the flow is on my computer.
The difficulty is that I am weak, fickle and given to distraction. In a word, human. I will go to Facebook, I will go to Twitter, I will do anything but dig in when there is a snag in my thinking, a hard spot to work through. And as Word, where I write, is all of two clicks away from Facebook or Twitter or whatever other instantly gratifying bit of candy is out there, I have difficulty with self-control. The first step to getting help? Admitting you have a problem.
My friend Andrew Osenga was kind enough to tell me about a little application called Self Control. Self Control will block what you ask it to, for as long as you ask it to. Websites, email accounts- it’s beautiful. Add whatever you need to your blacklist. So, if I have hopes of a two hour writing session, or at least an “I will face the writing and stare it down and flirt with it and make a mess and Lord willing create something worth salvaging” session, I can open Self Control, block my problem sites, and set the slider on the little timer to 2 hours. There’s a great article on the details here.
Once you’ve set it, there’s no going back. Truly, it’s a weight off my shoulders. I am self-employed, and have very few outside enforcements overseeing my life. There is a lot of freedom to this. However, my freedom from outside structure is limited by my lack of internal structure and self control. I admit it, I need some help. No need to enter my online confessional, just reach out and click on this offer of a tiny measure of help.
If we end up with more songs, more stories, more good work out there in the world as a result of this, my blog post will have not been in vain.
Oh. My. Word. I so badly need this. I have articles to write every week for a Thursday deadline. They are short and *could* take less than 90 minutes total. I usually take 3-4 hours because of, ahem, all the things you mentioned.
I think really I should set it to block my whole blasted computer for most of the day and then all the social sites at night.
Sigh.
And thanks!
I SO need this application - thank you!
hm. so do you think there is an application like this for other real life situations? oh wait. thats fruit of the spirit. darn
And maybe community? Which is to say, something outside of myself that helps me see and monitor my patterns, actions. I know this isn’t quite where you’re going, but I’m trying to find a good parallel in non-cyberlife that functions like this thing. What are means that the Spirit uses to give me the gift of self-control? I use a timer to help me clean my house in little increments, for example. Yes, maybe that’s it! I set the timer for five or ten minutes and do nothing but clean house then. A lovely help until my heart and brain grow more like they should.
um.. yes this is exactly what i need.. a self control button.. do they make it for life? i’d like one attached to my head.. that helps with time management too…
Awesome! Too bad your blog (and many others) will end up on my block list though:)
what a great tool! i need this one desperately :/ thanks for sharing, katy dear
Ooooh boy. I am definitely going to use this - thanks Katy!!