| What information consumes is rather obvious: | | | | clear boundaries such that if you cross them, |
| it consumes the attention of its recipients. | | | | you know you're at risk of falling into a |
| Hence, a wealth of information creates a | | | | pattern of addiction. And if that ever |
| poverty of attention and a need to allocate | | | | happens, it's time to immediately begin a new |
| that attention efficiently among the | | | | fasting period.5. Let It GoIf you find |
| overabundance of information sources that | | | | yourself repeatedly succumbing to forum |
| might consume it. | | | | addiction or other negative usage patterns, |
| | | | you may decide it's best to simply do |
| - Herbert SimonOnline forums, message | | | | without. At the time of this writing, I no |
| boards, and newsgroups are now ubiquitous. | | | | longer regularly participate in any online |
| These powerful communication tools offer many | | | | forums or message boards. When I clarified my |
| strong benefits. However, forum participation | | | | intentions, I realized my #1 reason for |
| can also become a destructive addiction, | | | | participation was to contribute and to help |
| where the benefits are overshadowed by | | | | people. But using forums as a contribution |
| negative side effects.Here are some potential | | | | outlet was inefficient, since it would too |
| benefits of regular online forum | | | | often lead to lengthy (and mostly |
| participation:* Intellectual exchange* | | | | unproductive) debates. I found that sticking |
| Learning new ideas and refining old ones* | | | | with one-to-many outlets like writing |
| Enjoying community membership* Influencing | | | | articles and maintaining a blog were a much |
| the forum's evolution* Contributing to | | | | better use of my time. Blog comments still |
| others* Making new friends and contacts* New | | | | allow some interactivity, but the time |
| business leads* Keeping up with current | | | | required to manage them is reasonable and the |
| events* Learning about new opportunitiesHere | | | | personal relevance of most blog comments is |
| are some potential negative effects of | | | | extremely high.6. Replace Online |
| excessive forum usage:* Reduced concentration | | | | Socialization With Face-to-Face |
| and focus* Reduced productivity* Chronic | | | | ContactRegarding the social aspect, online |
| procrastination* Increased pessimism and/or | | | | forums are a poor substitute for meeting |
| apathy* Being distracted by endless debates | | | | people in person. While there's certainly |
| and idle gossip* Gradually substituting | | | | some social benefit to forums - many people |
| tribal group think for your own intelligence* | | | | have met their spouses in online forums, |
| Impaired social skills, neglected | | | | including me - it's important to physically |
| relationships, and a weakened social circle | | | | spend time with human beings instead of via a |
| (a consequence of substituting online | | | | computer screen. If you need a new social |
| socialization for face-to-face | | | | outlet, join a local club or association, |
| conversations)* Reduced energy (forum | | | | especially one that meets weekly. I found |
| participation is sedentary compared to more | | | | that when I joined Toastmasters International |
| active social outlets)* Reduced self-esteem* | | | | and began attending meetings and competing in |
| Career and income may suffer (including loss | | | | speech contests, my interest in socializing |
| of employment)* Forum addictionSince the | | | | via online forums fell dramatically. Even the |
| early 1990s, I've participated in many | | | | best online communication pales in comparison |
| different online forums, message boards, and | | | | to face-to-face, belly-to-belly contact.7. Be |
| newsgroups and have experienced many of these | | | | a Dabbler, Not a FixtureAnother tip is to |
| positive and negative effects at various | | | | treat forum participation as temporary. If |
| times. I ran a popular game developer forum | | | | your goal is to make new business contacts, |
| for almost two years, so I've had experience | | | | then dive in and participate actively for a |
| both as a participant and a forum operator. | | | | while, maybe 30-90 days. Make new friends and |
| On the positive side, I've learned many great | | | | contacts, collect private contact info, and |
| ideas, made valuable new business contacts, | | | | then abandon the forums. Continue to develop |
| and even met my wife on a local computer | | | | your new relationships via one-to-one |
| bulletin board system. On the negative side, | | | | communication like email, phone calls, and if |
| I found excess participation to be a huge | | | | possible, face-to-face meetings (such as at |
| time drain (and very addicting as well).Here | | | | industry conferences). Temporarily dabbling |
| are some suggestions for using forums | | | | in many different forums is a more effective |
| effectively and avoiding the negative side | | | | way to build contacts than pushing a single |
| effects:1. Take a Forum FastFirst, if you're | | | | forum far beyond its usefulness.You can also |
| currently active in any forums, go on a forum | | | | use the dabbling method to gather general |
| fast. Stop visiting all forums for a while; | | | | information on a subject. Seek out a number |
| don't even lurk. I recommend a fasting period | | | | of relevant forums and bookmark them. Then |
| of 30 days, with a bare minimum of 14 days. | | | | spend a few hours scanning each forum once |
| This will help you break any unconscious | | | | every six months to soak up the current |
| habits and regain your perspective, so you | | | | wisdom. Whenever you have a specific |
| can intelligently evaluate the role forums | | | | question, pop in and search the forum |
| should play in your life. Otherwise, you may | | | | archives. If searching turns up a blank, feel |
| be coming from a place of unconscious habit | | | | free to post a new message, harvest the |
| and will likely overestimate the value of | | | | answers, and disappear.8. Avoid |
| continued participation. If you're currently | | | | AddictionOnline forums are tricky beasts. At |
| a forum moderator, take a forum vacation, and | | | | the time of this writing, my feeling is that |
| enlist someone to temporarily assume your | | | | ongoing daily participation in any single |
| moderation duties. Redirect the time you | | | | forum for more than a few months is almost |
| would have spent in online forums to | | | | invariably unproductive. Eventually the |
| something positive like exercising or reading | | | | initial benefits like gaining knowledge and |
| books. If you don't think you have the | | | | making new contacts produce diminishing |
| discipline to do this, simply make a post in | | | | returns. And then the negative effects like |
| each forum explaining that you'll be taking | | | | forum addiction set in. Regular participation |
| the next 30 days off, and if any forum member | | | | (even from unconscious habituation) will |
| catches you online, you'll pay the first | | | | still provide some benefits, but the longer |
| person that emails you about it $100. This | | | | you participate, the less efficiently those |
| should give you enough leverage to stick with | | | | benefits are realized.Close cousins of forum |
| your fast.2. Reassess Your Forum Usage | | | | addiction include online gaming addiction, |
| HabitsOnce you've completed the initial | | | | web surfing addiction, blog addiction, email |
| fasting period (and not before), take a fresh | | | | addiction, and news addiction. The common |
| look at your forum participation habits. | | | | pattern is that unconscious habituation |
| Imagine that you just discovered each forum | | | | overrides conscious, clear-headed |
| today for the first time. What are the pros | | | | decision-making. If you ever find yourself |
| and cons of participation? Is this the best | | | | with such an unproductive habit, take steps |
| use of your time, or can you imagine | | | | to reassert conscious control. Use a period |
| something better? If you're using forums to | | | | of fasting to regain your perspective, |
| get specific information, would it be better | | | | reexamine your motives, set clear boundaries, |
| to simply read books, articles, or blogs? If | | | | and find alternative outlets. Manage your |
| you're using them as a social outlet, would | | | | forum usage consciously to serve your goals, |
| it be better to join a local club and meet | | | | and avoid the trap of addiction.Online forums |
| people face-to-face? Looking back on your | | | | can be a powerful productivity tool, but |
| previous pattern of behavior, would you say | | | | self-awareness and discipline are required to |
| you were addicted? Did your usage pattern | | | | prevent them from becoming a pitfall of |
| become unconscious? If so, how do you intend | | | | procrastination.Copyright © Steve |
| to prevent that from happening again?3. | | | | PavlinaSteve Pavlina |
| Clarify Your ExpectationsIf you decide to | | | | |
| participate in online forums, clarify your | | | | Personal Development for Smart People |
| expectations. Whether you intend to use | | | | |
| forums for market research, to make new | | | | |
| contacts, or as an outlet for your humorous | | | | |
| wit, get clear on why you're there.4. | | | | (blog) |
| Establish Reasonable BoundariesTo limit the | | | | |
| risk of forum addiction, set clear boundaries | | | | (articles)Steve is intensely |
| for yourself and write them down. You can | | | | growth-oriented. He trained in martial arts, |
| limit the number of times per week you check | | | | ran the L.A. Marathon, and graduated from |
| each forum, the total amount of time you | | | | college in three semesters with two degrees. |
| spend participating, or the number of posts | | | | He can juggle, count cards at blackjack, and |
| you'll allow yourself to make each week. | | | | make damn good guacamole. Steve is also a |
| Track your weekly usage on a scrap of paper | | | | polyphasic sleeper, sleeping just 2-3 hours |
| to keep yourself consciously aware of your | | | | per day and only 20 minutes at a time. So |
| participation habits. Don't go dark and | | | | chances are good that he's awake right now. |
| succumb to unconscious habituation. Establish | | | | |