How much time on an average do you spend pointlessly scrolling through your Facebook feed for the lack of having anything better to do? Many of us probably read and reread several articles a day without actually realizing it. And switch from our distance learning modules to Twitter or even worse – Netflix.

Our mind itches to watch just ten more minutes of Season 2 of Narcos. Or cats. How can anybody NOT lose track of time while watching viral videos of cats? Social media is consuming our life. It won’t be wrong to say – with high Internet speed comes high responsibility.

We have outlived the age where research meant long hours at the library. Whether we are speaking of students or professionals, we need the Computer and we need the Internet. One hour of focused work can probably help you finish the assignment, but those Buzzfeed videos will just not let you! As a distance education student, you know what exactly we are talking about! With so much material out there, how do we manage to get anything done at all?

This article is directed to all those distance education students who spend four hours on an essay that requires only half an hour because those Pinterest images were way too beautiful.

1. Block those usual haunts of yours:

    

Our computers come with highly advanced tools and facilities. It really isn’t so difficult to change your Internet settings to temporarily block those websites that you spend hours pointlessly scrolling through.

1. Set goals:

    

The only person/thing you can blame for the lack of time and responsibility is yourself. Be your own boss and spend time every day monitoring how much time you waste on pointless scrolling and set goals to reduce it.

1. Eliminate notifications:

    

Notifications are probably the worst killer. If you can’t block Facebook or Gmail, make sure to remove the notifications or mute them temporarily. They serve to be the biggest distraction and that one ‘ping’ can lead to unhealthy time wastage.

1. Segregate your work:

    

Combining work and leisure is one of the biggest mistakes you are making if you waste time on the Internet. Mentally prepare yourself for the segregation of the two and understand that work is work. It might even help to have a work-only computer.

1. Always begin with a purpose:

    

When there’s a task at hand, focus. We all know how easy it is to get distracted on the Internet. So, pay a little more attention on getting your work done to avoid going off topic. Remember that you are browsing with a purpose.

1. Close irrelevant tabs:

    

You are not helping your situation by keeping all the distractions open. It’s best to just keep a couple of relevant tabs open so as to not lead to unnecessary diversions.

Now get back to work! There’s always more to learn and stay current in your field, whether you are a distance education student or not. So we suggest you follow the above tips and get that work rolling.