Would your online habits change if you only had one hour of Internet connectivity a day?

Uh, I’m writing this blog post offline. Why? Because here at the Safari Park hotel just outside Nairobi, Internet access is sold in one hour blocks at 10,000 Kenyan Shillings a block. About $13.

It’s changing my Internet use already. I’ve become suddenly more discriminating about what I read online, what I download to read later, and what I skip altogether.

What I am asking myself is why do I not treat my time as valuable as my money, even when there is 24/7 cheap Internet access at home?

One can always find another dollar, but our hours are finite.

Comments

[Pat]

I know exactly what you mean! When we go on our cruises, they charge $100 for 250 minutes which gives me roughly 45 minutes each day for a week. I check my email, post to my blog, glance over the news, and that's about it. It definitely does not give me time to do any research or explore new things out in the world. It doesn't allow me to really connect with others which I think is very meaningful and necessary to my professional growth. But like all things in life, there needs to be a healthy balance and I try to make sure I have that.

[Paul C]

How true about prioritizing one's time. Having just come back from a six week sojourn, one suddenly sees new options.

[Kelly Posey]

I'd have to say bye-bye to Facebook if I were paying by the minute. Hmm - might not be such a bad idea after all!

[Gwen Martin]

When on a holiday I am not as inclined to spend as much time on-line. Maybe every other day just to check if I have relative information or pressing work notes. Other things can slide. Now when the internet didn't work at home for the first month here in Tunis I was not nearly as happy. Probably more concise tho.

[Olga]

Quote:"One can always find another dollar, but our hours are finite."
I like the topic of the post, but this sentence is flawed. In order to find another dollar (or 13 dollars, as in this post, don't you need some hours, which are finite?
When I go abroad, my internet junkie habits get cleaned up - I only indulge in complimentary wi-fi in certain places. And then it becomes an event! :)

[Doug Johnson]

Hi Pat,

John Wooden once said the two most important words in life are LOVE and BALANCE. How true!

Doug

Hi Paul,

I loved your series on your trip. It opened my eyes to some new places (the California parks) and let me reminisce about some places I've been. Next trip, schedule some time to hike the Grand Canyon. You don't see everything from the rim!

Doug

Hi Kelly,

While I spend a little more time with Facebook than I once did, a minute a day would do me!

Doug

Hi Olga,

I am not sure you need more time to find more dollars - maybe just a re-prioritization of how you spend your work time. But you make an interesting point!

Doug

Hi Gwen,

Given your adventurous nature, I suspect you have your real life/Internet life well balanced! Thanks for the comment,

Doug