Information Diet and a Related Dilemma

Information Diet and a Related Dilemma

We never really set food diet goals at our house, but this year we set some information diet goals. As much as I love technology, it’s sometimes shameful to realize how addicted and dare I say obsessed I can be with it. For 2012 Noel and I set some goals to free up some of our time and help us be more productive.

  1. Limit the number of times a day we check Google Reader.
  2. 90 minute email challenge (Check out this interesting article on Breaking the Email Compulsion.)
  3. Only watch television/movies after household chores are completed and scriptures are read.

So far it’s only been a couple of days, but I already feel like I’m getting more done and we’ve been going to bed earlier. The best benefit though has been that I feel more fulfilled at the end of each day. I think this Mormon Message does a good job of explaining why.

Now after that inspiring message, I have a confession. I’m thinking about joining Pinterest. I know, I know, embarrassing huh? Generally I have an aversion to doing things that are popular. (This is why my grandma is on Facebook and I am not.) In fact, often if something is popular that is reason enough for me not to do it, unless of course I can find some sort of value in the activity or a really good way of rationalizing its value. When everyone started raving about Pinterest I immediately decided it was something I would never try, but as the months have gone on I’m becoming ever more curious and am very, very close to rationalizing my way into trying it. But then there’s the information diet. Would joining Pinterest be the equivalent of resolving to eat healthier, but rewarding myself by downing a box of crackers and a can of spray cheese at the end of each day? I know many of you are on Pinterest. Is it an effective way of organizing information that can thus make me more productive or is it just something that will waste time and make me more covetous? Thoughts?

10 thoughts on “Information Diet and a Related Dilemma

  1. I think Pinterest is great for recipes, crafts, ideas and various and sundry things and I love it! However I’m becoming more cautious and weary of the main page. For example if you’re searching for a specific thing its wonderful but on the main page people can put whatever they want and I’ve seen some very graphic pics up that people deem “artsy” but really its just a nude person. Again I really love Pintrest and have found some INCREDIBLY tasty recipes and fun things to do but be weary of it all…those are my 2 cents 🙂

  2. Your Pinterest question is a good one. Does it add value to my life or just make me covetous…I dare say it is a little of both, but it can be a great tool like Jeannette says if you use it as a tool and not as a I wish I had this…list. Thanks for sharing, it is good for me to think about these things 🙂 Good luck!

  3. I agree–avoid the main page, but otherwise, I love it! For me it saves time (although sometimes after the kids are in bed I’ll sit and browse pinterest for an hour, just to chill–but I don’t have access to a computer throughout the day) because it has completely replaced all the craft/recipe blogs I used to follow. Now I get 99% of my inspiration (assuming someday I’ll act on it) from pinterest. I’m a huge fan, but have to exercise self control once I’m on!

  4. I was the same way….I stayed away from pinterest because I thought that it would make me an addictive and covetous person…I actually dont think it is that cool. The main page has questionable ideas on it which I hate. Anyway, it is a great place to get crafting, cooking and decorating ideas. I am suprised that I havent actually spent that much time on it. maybe 1 hour total and I have been on for 2 months.

  5. I love the information diet idea! To be honest, Pinterest is way worth it to me. I think if you treat it like you do e-mail- just check it once a day- it will be no biggie for your diet. And can I tell you how many new DIY ideas, recipes, craft ideas, etc. I’ve learned from there? You can see my board here: http://pinterest.com/kristinsanders/….

    My rules with Pinterest:

    -Never go to the main page

    -Limit my friends (I am VERY selective about who I follow)

    -I have to “complete” something I find on Pinterest (this is actually easier than I thought because I get lots of ideas from Pinterest! -See my “Did it!” board.)

    I believe Pinterest actually cuts down my web surfing time because I “pin” things I like so when I go back to find something, I don’t have to blog hop until I find that original thing I found. Does that make sense? It’s all in one place. Okay, enough about that!

    Good luck!

  6. I hear you! I was not on Facebook until I became YW Pres and felt I should be “with it” to keep better in touch with the girls (that’s when we finally got text on our phones, too!) But now I’m not in YW and I’m still on FB…sort of…anyway, I have considered Pinterest, but haven’t done it yet, either. I am kind of afraid I would be overwhelmed by so many ideas and projects, and I am slow enough at doing my own small projects. And, I already spend more time on the computer than necessary (is any amount of time “necessary”?) despite setting some limits and such. But I can see how it could be helpful, too. Maybe one day…

  7. Confession: I check pintrest several times a week just to see how many times the projects that I have created and pinned are getting re-pinned. It’s shameless and I do it anyway.

    And I’m on facebook to promote my first child (the blog). You wouldn’t believe how many people follow links from facebook to what I’ve written. So I check my blogger stats an obscene amount of times too.

    Do whatever you want . . . it can’t be motivated by anything less shameless than what I do 🙂

  8. The nice thing about Pinterest is that you can use it for as much or as little as you want to. I personally like using it mostly for saving all my inspiration links in one easy place and to get ideas from my crafty friends.

    I don’t usually repin lots of things because then it would be a time waster for me and it would be super overwhelming. So I limit the ones I look at and repin to things that I really want to remember/find again, or actually think I will do at some point (which I’ve been really good at starting, but not so much at finishing 😉

    So anyway, as a completely selfish reason I would love for you to get a Pinterest account so I could follow you and see all of your cute ideas and projects 🙂

  9. Pinterest…

    I was just like you when I first heard about it. Then, I eventually gave in, because I was unemployed (and childless) and incredibly bored. I have to admit, at first it was not a good choice, because it was all about consumerism for me, and just “want, want, want.” But then just like any other similar product, service, etc, you can choose how you use it. Like Facebook, it can be an incredible time waster, or a way to keep in touch with friends/family who live far away. So instead, I started seeing how it can actually be a great tool for me to be more creative in decoration, especially recipes, and other things such as DIY cleaning, etc.

    Pinterest for me is great because I am not naturally creative, so I need ideas and help from others to come up with things. I think it all depends on how you approach it and use it. I also use it to keep track of articles and websites I like, things I want to do in the community, etc. I hope that helps! Sorry that was so long 🙂

  10. I like your goals. I have the same dilemma with pinterest. I hear people comment all the time that they saw this or that on pinterest. I think it sounds cool, but I very intentionally haven’t joined because I feel like I am already super pressed for time and am trying to limit email, etc., and that I might just be more bummed about the projects I am already not doing. But it does sound really cool. I think that you would be good at actually making the projects/recipes you find. I’ll be interested to hear what you think if you join 🙂

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