Cutting down computer time.

You may remember this post from my personal blog back in December. Since then I've really tried to cut back on my computer time and take more advantage of the time I have after my little girl has gone to bed for more productive activities. Of course, I still love to spend time blogging and Facebooking and all that, but I try to do it a little more constructively now.

One way I've done this is by getting rid of my Google Reader subscriptions. I know, gasp! Some of you are probably thinking, "How on earth... or Why on earth?" But for me, I felt like it's one way to help me establish some self-discipline in my life.

Whenever I would check my e-mail, which I do a couple times throughout the day, I would automatically click on the Reader link, which would automatically lead me to spending way more time than I planned on the computer at that moment because so-and-so had a new posting or whatever, which would lead me to foregoing cleaning up or dishes or quality time with my daughter, and at the end of the day I would wonder why my home was still a mess! I still have links to my friends' blogs, but now that they are only linked on my blog, I catch up on them only when I really mean to and really want to spend that much time doing so. I don't get trapped, if you will, into doing it out of habit just because I was checking my e-mail. So, if I seem to be lacking in reading your blog or leaving a comment, just know I still look at it occasionally, just not like I used to. But that's OK.

Now instead, I'm using spare time (if there is such a thing) reading books, catching up on my dishes so I don't have to in the morning, talking with my husband (when he's home) and planning out our weekly activities and meals. Basically, I use this time to just do whatever I want to do that helps me feel a little bit more relaxed, organized and fulfilled as a wife and mother. And it really does make a difference in how my days turn out.