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Technoloy is Turning Us into Time Wasters

Posted 07/26/08 at 01:28:15 AM  by Paul Lilly

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How much time each day do you spend playing TF2? Do you find yourself stumbling through the web when you should be working instead? If so, you may have an affliction that requires professional attention, or so claims Professor Joseph Ferrari of DePaul University in Chicago.

"The subject is seen as a joke," said Ferrari. "But the social and economic implications are huge. These people need therapy. They need to change the way they act and think."

According to Ferrari, chronic procrastination has become such a big problem that it needs to be recognized by clinicians. By his own estimates, 15 to 20 percent of people fall into this category, and he says it doesn't matter the person's age, sex, or background because everyone is equally susceptible.

Ferrari isn't alone in his beliefs, and research by Professor Piers Steel from Calgary University claims chronic procrastination has risen sharply in recent decades and now affects one in four people. He says even email notifications are part of the problem, costing the economy $70 billion a year.

Has technology really pushed people to procrastinate more than they ever have before? Post your thoughts below, and do it now - your work will wait.

COMMENTS:9
TAGS: Software, technology, hardware, psychology
COMMENTS
avatarI am a chronic

Submitted by Mighty BOB! on Mon, 07/28/2008 - 1:38pm

I am a chronic procrastinator.  In fact right now I should be doing uni homework instead of browsing MaxPC's website. >_>

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avatarGuilty as charged.

Submitted by Talcum X on Mon, 07/28/2008 - 9:40am

I admit, I do all my reading and posting here while at work.  But I'm not procrastinating.  I do this between auto-entrys, waiting for a confrimation from ( the dreaded O word) Oracle.  As I wait, I brows and look up all the things I cant do at home as I dont get any 'me' time.

**********

Every morning is the dawn of a new error.

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avatarI promise...

Submitted by Queenof1 on Sun, 07/27/2008 - 12:12pm

I'll promise to stop procrastinating starting tomorrow.

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avatarhere's a conundrum

Submitted by Wildebeast on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 8:19am

So, if we find some social scientist doing a study, to pay us to make note each time (and for how long) we fire up a video game or meander aimlessly on the internet   ---are we still procrastinating??  I mean we're being paid to do it, not for doing something else.

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avatarWe do need to change!

Submitted by Bagman57 on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 8:38am

I agree that technology has pushed people to procrastinate more. Put off the things we need to do today when we might get to them tomorrow. I think we think we have to have the latest and greatest and fastest stuff to maybe get more done when we're spending more time with this new stuff.

I also think we're paying more for this new technology which causes us to spend more with money we really don't have. Right now I'm so deep in debt I'm in a panic just waiting for my next paycheck to see how much money I won't have to live on.

Do we really need to txt message? And while driving?

Do we really need on demand movies on our cell phones?

Do we really need our own personel web site?

Do we really need to pay to listen to the radio? Now this one really never made any sense to me.

Are we collectively losing are minds?

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avatarI Pay for Sat Radio

Submitted by nsvander on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 1:07pm

I dont know about you, but I listen to heavy/black metal and I live in SoCal and you can find that on the free to air channels at all.  So I ponied up the $500 about 5 years ago and got a lifetime subscribtion to Sirius Sat.  Its been the best investment I have ever made.  I get to listen to music that I want to listen to, I dont have to listen to 15 minutes worth of commercials to hear 5 minutes worth of songs, and I dont hear the same songs on a 2 hour rotation.

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avataras a self diagnosed, former chronic procrasterbater

Submitted by billysundays on Fri, 07/25/2008 - 11:41pm

as a self diagnosed, former chronic procrasterbater myself and a decade of scant research on Professor Ferrari's theraputic methods, i've learned about the five important steps in behavior modification to a more productive life that i would like to share with those in the maxpc audience who might understand something about what its like to live with this disease. i'll be sharing these steps in segments, though. it taken me forever to type up this comment. but rest assured tomorrow, keep your eyes open, and hold your breathes, collectively. its on my to do list.

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avatarI'm actually going to be

Submitted by nduanetesh on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 6:20am

I'm actually going to be holding my breath while I wait to see how many people don't realize that that was a joke.

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avatarI look forward too it, as I

Submitted by Strongbad536 on Sat, 07/26/2008 - 1:05am

I look forward too it, as I bet that many of the maximumpc readers may have this problem, including myself, but its not terrible, I just enjoy my time while i have a broken leg that could be used for having a more fun summer. 

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