There's no lack of ways to waste time.


Though web-surfing is a wonderful way to convince ourselves that we're doing something productive when all we're really doing is passing the time, it's not the only way. I'm frequently more than happy to devote much more time than is called for on touching up a graphic I've prepared for a presentation. Even though the graphic will be visible for only a few seconds and nobody will notice a few wayward dots of color in the background (or something similar) I'll plunge into the touching-up task with a vengeance, devoting perhaps an hour to something insignificant. The same is true for cleaning up the code on a page, even if I'm the only person who notices there's a problem. Three years ago I quoted a favorite passage from The Phantom Tollbooth on this phenomenon.



Go to: Now. Right now!