Ever wished you had more time to get work done? Ever sat at the end of a working day and struggled to list your achievements since you fired up your computer that morning?

For those of us who work online it’s often not a lack of time that holds us back but a lack of focus. It’s been said that there is no such thing as time management, because you cannot affect time. Instead it’s all about self management.

This requires focus and willpower, and I can’t beleieve I’m the only one who has read this far without a slight pang of guilt creeping in. The problem is focus and willpower are difficult to sustain.

So many tasks, yet so many distractions.

If wandering off down digital rabbit holes or flying off at cyber tangents is a recurring problem perhaps you should consider some of the software solutions available.

Stayfocusd is a Google Chrome extension that limits the time you spend on websites. Identify the websites you want restricted and the amount of time you will allow yourself to spend on them. Program these details into Stayfocused and once your alloted time has expired your chosen sites will be blocked for the rest of the day.

If you use Firefox LeechBlock is an add-on that works in a similar way.

So that’s the artificial willpower in place, but what about the focus? The danger is that you will eventually rebel against your self-imposed restrictions and deactivate the artificial help.

This is where Timewarp could be a better solution. Instead of brutally ceasing access to a site this Chrome extension interrupts your wayward surfing with a motivating quote, a reminder of how long you’ve been on a site, or by redirecting you to a site where you can be more productive. It’s a gentler approach that gives you the chance to realise where your focus should be and how you should be spending your time.

So if you regularly fritter away your time on Facebook, loiter on LinkedIn, procrastinate on Pinterest, tarry on Twitter, waste time on Wikipedia, or play around on poker sites,(or spend too long looking for alliterations for blog posts) these could be part of the solution.

Do you know of any other solutions that can improve productivity at the computer? Let us know in the comments below.