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The Web's Biggest Time Hogs

by Joshua Fruhlinger on May 30, 2007 at 03:01 PM

The Web's Biggest Time Wasters
Online Forums

Hobbies can be great for relaxation, expanding one's mind, and even meeting other people with similar interests. But enthusiasm for a particular hobby can be problematic when it comes to online message forums.

Today's version of yesterday's once-a-month interest groups, message forums are always-open social settings in which users post opinions on virtually everything from 'Lost' to video games, argue sticky points, and, in the end, waste a whole lot of time. It's likely that most message board addicts spend more time discussing the hobby in question than doing the hobby itself.

According to Steve Pavlina, "Personal Development Expert," online forums can be great for things like intellectual exchange and enjoying community membership, but too much can lead to reduced concentration and focus, reduced productivity, and chronic procrastination. Just one more post. One more. Oh... gotta reply to that one.

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