Thread: How much time do you waste on forums?

Something I often think about, and brought back into my head by Chinthee's recent departure from this site, which seems to be down to him wanting to do more useful things with his time. And let's face it, we could all be doing more useful things with our time.

I remember reading a quote from Stroll (I think) from years back, to paraphrase "I don't think at the end of my life I will regret not having spent more time on the internet". Quite true isn't it.

Now I know many of you are like me and waste far too much precious time reading or posting on forums. For me it definitely has an effect, and I know I would be in a better position now in life in general if I hadn't spent so much time on TV and TD over the last 5 years.

I even considered asking DD to put me on 'ban' for a month or two so I could concentrate on my work. The problem for me is I work mainly on the net, so it's very easy to flip onto TD and waste another much needed hour or two.

Do you waste too much time on forums?

Has it (and net surfing in general) effected your daily life in a serious way?

Have you considered leaving the forums for good like Chinthee has?

not at all, perhaps an hour or so a week, not even that i would think!

I pull the network cable out of the back of the machine to prevent casual browsing when I am supposed to be working.

Doesn't work if you have wireless.

^ That's a good idea. Unfortunately I have to use the net as well sometimes though, so not entirely practical for me.

^^ You only waste one hour on here a week KW? That's surely not how long you spend on the site every week though is it?

You seem to be on here a lot more.

none. it's all an investment in karma.

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

You seem to be on here a lot.

only seems that way mate, i reckon i maybe look at TD twice a week if i'm lucky...

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

You seem to be on here a lot.

only seems that way mate, i reckon i maybe look at TD twice a week if i'm lucky...

Is that in two 72 hour stretches?

And this week it was yesterday and today, so we won't see KW before next Monday, thanks God...

Originally Posted by melvbot

Is that in two 72 hour stretches?

not at all, I guarantee that i will be offline in 2:07 hours tonight, (unless my laptop battery is a liar)

curses leaving my charger at work! : (

Originally Posted by Bluecat

And this week it was yesterday and today, so we won't see KW before next Monday, thanks God...

Being forced to cut down my time on the net (& TD, obviously) through too much work at the moment & really feel I'm out of touch.

What on earth's going on? Haven't read the Chinthee thread yet. I'll make that my next stop.

Don't you find that after a period of time off the forum, that when you come back to it there's a feeling of "Why are these people all wasting their time (mostly chatting complete bollocks) on here?".

It's no problem to stay away and not post much for a few days then, but it's not long before you get sucked right back in.

I do understand the benefits of these forums, and TD is great don't get me wrong about that. But still, there's a fine line between a normal amount of time having some fun and using the forum so much the rest of your life suffers and I think many of us, and definitely myself has crossed it.

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

Don't you find that after a period of time off the forum, that when you come back to it there's a feeling of "Why are these people all wasting their time (mostly chatting complete bollocks) on here?".

actually no, I feel like I have been missing out on something, like going to the tiolet half way thru a movie or skipping a chapter in a book, just doesnt feel right!

I just log on to forums when I do not have anything else to do, i.e. sitting in front of the TV or trying to figure out why we hate Americans these days, I choose the latest any day...

So, if I miss a few days, I almost feel cheated - like a group of mates have gone out without me & not only did I miss the good night out, but I missed the gossip about everyone

Sounds very sad NR. I am on here a lot because no money to be going out either, but to be honest, there's still several other things I could be doing that are far more productive to my life than reading these forums.

Surely it's not just me and Chinthee with the problem?

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

Surely it's not just me and Chinthee with the problem?

problem, what problem?

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

So, if I miss a few days, I almost feel cheated - like a group of mates have gone out without me & not only did I miss the good night out, but I missed the gossip about everyone

Sounds very sad NR. I am on here a lot because no money to be going out either, but to be honest, there's still several other things I could be doing that are far more productive to my life than reading these forums.

Surely it's not just me and Chinthee with the problem?

I would guess that most of you have a different life to me. I have to stay in most nights with littl'un. I work with dogs all day & much as I love them, they're not great conversationalists. This is where I unwind & have a laugh or a bitch. It's where I 'talk' to adults. It may be sad (I know it is), but it'd be a hell of a lot sadder if my only adult human contact was one-way via the tv or books. I do watch tv & read, but this is interaction - the only type readily available to me at this time. And I'm grateful for it.

I'm on here less than I used to be.

I'm actually at work still catching up on the TD soap opera. But, I agree with NR that one does feel like one is missing out on something if one doesn't get a regular hit.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

Originally Posted by bkkmadness

Don't you find that after a period of time off the forum, that when you come back to it there's a feeling of "Why are these people all wasting their time (mostly chatting complete bollocks) on here?".

actually no, I feel like I have been missing out on something, like going to the tiolet half way thru a movie or skipping a chapter in a book, just doesnt feel right!

Yep when I sign in after a few days away and there's "50 news threads" where do ya start

alteast I get paid while sitting here trying to catch up

Forums are addictive, no doubt about it. I feel a very similar sensation with forums and how I used to feel with smoking i.e. for a day or two you feel a twitch and want to use it regularly, but as the days pass it fades. I'm lucky in that I get addicted to nothing easily, and I can take or leave forums and cigarettes for weeks at a time with no worries. I've been an irregular smoker for 25 years and will never be weak enough to take it up regularly.

I thoroughly recommend that everyone try a week or two away from forums several times a year.

I'm also lucky in that I feel absolutely no desire to use forums to build a social life. That only fuels the slippery slope to addiction in my opinion.

Well, I gotta be honest. I waste way too much time on forums, and it does affect my work.

I've been thinking about it a lot lately, that and my other addictions, smoking and drinking.

I have my own business and should really be doing other things, like marketing, accounts, staff training, routine maintenance, you name it everything, except sitting here reading (mainly) internet forums etc.

I've learnt so much, (business and computer wise) from the internet and forums in particular, (which is why I started reading them in the first instance), and at the moment that's all I do most days, instead of putting all that I have learnt into practice.

Reading this thread about Chintee today has made me think so much more about it, and how it can really get a hold of you.

Great thread!

Seriously TD is the first and only forum I have ever been on or looked at!

Do I get a cash prize?

Better than cash!