30 Day Challenge - Social Networking/News aggregator Fast

[fuzzypickle]

Hi All,

I've been spending way too much time "drinking from the firehose" of information that is getting blasted my way from twitter/facebook/digg/reddit etc. I estimate I spend 2 hours per day on these sites, and don't have anything to show for it.

So for the next 30 days, I will not view any of these sites. Hopefully this will give me time to work on my pet project - learning the python scripting language

My challenge starts now!

[lifetimelearner]

good luck

[fuzzypickle]

Day 1.

First day - success! I did catch myself automatically typing in the urls that I normally waste time at, however I consciously stopped myself from completing the url.

As a result I spent a good two hours working on expanding my python knowledge. I have an idea for a simple program that would make life easier at work. We use a web based timecard type program for billing our hours to customers that is very slow, tends to lose your work in progress and generally everyone hates it. I plan on writing a desktop app that will allow me to enter timecard info and then at the last moment export it to the format that I can upload to the official website.

I'm a total newb when it comes to python, so first I am learning the language, and then I'll learn GUI programming with wxPython.


I suspect I will have a lot of trouble when I go back to work, I have trouble focusing and find myself on these websites constantly.

[fuzzypickle]

Basically the same as yesterday. Spent my computer time working on my python app rather then surfing. Still caught myself going to those timewasters but quickly shut them down.

[fuzzypickle]

I sat down at the computer this morning and without thinking, was at reddit and already reading the top story At least I closed it, before I would spend 45 mins or more going through stories, and then reloading the main page to see whats new, and wasting even more time.

Took me a minute to realize what I had done. Closed the story mid read and got back to work I want/need to do. btw, I am on day 32 of toolstolife.com. I find this program amazing! I don't know why I never hear about tools anywhere - if Steve hadn't done a podcast with them I wouldn't have heard about them.

My python app experience is progressing. Started playing with the GUI library and learning how to design a simple gui. I have a vision for a first version that I should be able to produce fairly quickly (a week or so).

Thanks for reading!

[fuzzypickle]

I spent a little time on these sites today, I went there because I wanted to for enjoyment, not out of habit. Anyway I spent a short amount of time (<10 mins) before spending the morning with my wife and son.

Anyway now at the computer and I'm going to continue working on my python learning.

Until tomorrow...

[fuzzypickle]

Back at work today... no facebook and no news sites! I found I actually got work done during the day and could leave for home at a decent time, rather then the late hour I would normally stay to because I felt guilty for wasting time during the day.

[fuzzypickle]

Yesterday good day, stayed off those sites all day, got lots of work done. Did not get anytime to work on my pet project.

I'm feeling pretty good. I haven't really paid any attention to current events (ie Gaza strip) and I think it has helped my mood. Before I would read every link about every story coming out of a current event and it would definitely effect my mood.

[fuzzypickle]

Still staying away from these sites! After only a week, I don't really feel the need to checkin on these sites at all! I've spent my extra time focusing on work though, haven't had much time to look at my python hobby. I found a python users group meeting in town next week, I'll be going to that.

[fuzzypickle]

Still haven't spent more then 10 mins per day on these problem sites. I've found that checking in here definitely reminds me of what I'm trying to do.

As far as my python project, I've had a breakthrough in understanding wxwidgets, the python GUI library I'm using. I anticipate being able to use this to make a bunch of smaller utility apps that will help me during the day to save time.

[fuzzypickle]

Still going on this, I can't believe how much more I'm getting done. The hudson plane crash thing would've occupied me for the whole day. I didn't even hear about it until the next day!