What Do People Do on the Internet?

It’s everywhere, it has invaded every aspect of our lives, and it has brought about a great many changes to the way we live. Simply put, it’s impossible to even consider a world without the Internet today. It may not all be good, but the fact is that it’s here to stay. The web helps us keep in touch with people in other ends of the world; it provides us with new experiences and encounters; and it is entertaining to say the least. So what do most of the billions of people who use the Internet do online?

According to USA Today, the average American spends around 25 percent of their time online, and the top activities on the web in order of decreasing importance are social networking, online gaming, and emailing. Also, the time spent on email and instant messengers has come down (email and instant chat have been rolled into Facebook and other social networks which seem to have become all-in-one platforms for communication) while that spent on watching videos and movies online has gone up (thanks to the advent of torrent file shares and faster Internet speeds).  

Some people do a major part of or all their work online, and for them, the biggest hurdle to achieving their target or getting things done is to ignore the lure of the web. It’s tempting to check mail every few minutes, see if someone has left a comment on your Facebook status or responded to your tweet, play a quick game online in the short break you have, or shoot off a reply to the chat message your friend left seeing you online. The problem with doing all these and much more on the web when you’re at work is that the few minutes you allow yourself often turn into hours, and before you realize it, the whole day has gone by and you haven’t
been productive at all.

Considering the fact that people work and spend time for their personal and social lives, spending 25 percent online on activities that are mostly entertainment-related says something about the irresistible nature of the web. It has us in some kind of a hold, one that we’re unable to extricate ourselves from without suffering withdrawal symptoms and giving in the craving that gnaws at us. Technology today is pervasive, and even if we stay away from our computers, our smartphones lure us to the web with their sleek looks and do-it-all capabilities.

Also, it’s pretty much impossible to isolate yourself from the Internet because if you do, it’s like you’ve cut yourself off from the rest of the world. So the key to making the most of this technology is to use it in moderation, especially for activities that are not really productive and which end up wasting your time and energy without giving you anything in return except a guilty conscience. If you’re able to balance your real life with your virtual one without letting the latter take over the former, that’s when you get the most out of the Internet and its associated technology.
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This guest post is contributed by Cathy Thomas, she writes on the topic of Online Computer Technician Schools . She welcomes your comments at her email id: cathy83.thomas<@>gmail<.>com.