I recently got a 24in external monitor for my laptop and I’ve hardly moved my laptop since. I decided at that point that it was for the best to use the laptop as a desktop. I know its odd to use a macbook pro as a desktop, but thats what I’ve been doing for the last few weeks. It’s been working for me; I spend less (slightly) time on a computer that I have in the past.

If I need to do something while I am out I use my nokia n95 on the edge network. I do not even look for wifi, if I am going to do something it has to be urgent enough to warrant EDGE.

This is a huge problem for me, and it’s something I’m actively working to improve upon. I find it takes a lot of discipline to leave the laptop’s potential for use un-utilized.

Put another way, if I take the laptop with me — like you, it sounds like — I’ll manufacture a reason to use it. Just because it’s there, and without regard for whether it’s a particularly valuable use of my time at a given moment.

One simple solution is to just not tote it around with me (although the iPhone tends to replace it nicely as the fiddly distractor du jour).

An embarrassing alternative is to give yourself roadblocks. For instance, since it’s already a best practice anyhow, consider logging-out everytime you close the lid — knowing that it will take you even an extra few seconds might slow down the urge.

Very interested to hear what other folks have to say about this.

If I take my laptop out and about, I will often actually get some writing done. If I stay in my home office with the desktop (a name that’s pushing the limits of the definition given that my “desktop” is a Mac Mini), I will furze (=waste time) doing all sorts of piddly-ass things and not get much writing done.

I actually got more computers to keep from using my laptop as much. When I had only one computer that traveled with me everywhere I would always wind up working whenever it was turned on. If I wanted to check a football score at home and booted up my laptop I would check e-mail, if there was an action needed from the e-mail, I would do it right then despite it was not “work-time”. I now have a desktop at work, a desktop at home, a laptop for work and a laptop for home. If I want to do work from a non-work computer it takes extra effort so I’m not as likely to work.

My situation probably isn’t too common - I have a 24” iMac and an employer-supplied laptop I use for work. I carry it with me ONLY when I have work to do - it doesn’t have any non-work programs or data on it, and the thing is an embarrassment to carry around (a clumsy HP). Unless I’m doing work on it, I don’t even think to bring it to the coffee shop or when I travel.

I moved to the iMac after three years of sitting at a PowerBook. With the arrival of iPhone, I found that most of the things I want to do when I’m out and about - look up little bits of info online quickly, check my email - were now in my pocket, and if I did bring the PowerBook with me anywhere, I’d end up idly dicking around in Photoshop, renaming files, and changing the desktop background.

I don’t travel much for business and my employer isn’t Mac-friendly, so a “work laptop” to me means a dumb machine with only those apps I need to do my actual work.

Should Apple come out with an ultraportable little “satellite” Mac that functioned as a big iPhone, being synced to my home computer, I might be interested. But right now, I’m spoiled by the performance and size of a desktop computer and don’t need a “serious” laptop for work or play.

Zac, I’m considering doing the same thing with getting an external monitor and parking my MacBook Pro.

I’m also thinking about making “laptop-free” zones in my home. For example, no laptops allowed in bed, or in the bathroom. In a way, the laptop-free zones are become work-free zones. Hopefully this will also help in preventing the entire home into one big workspace.

Here’s the real question: who’s willing to get rid of their laptop and work solely on a desktop? I use a Mini as my primary machine, but I also have a laptop that, like you Chanpory, mostly enables me to waste time, pecking at RSS feeds on the couch when I should be spending time with my family or reading a good book.

I certainly don’t need it, because I mostly work out of the house and don’t travel for business. C’mon people, talk me into putting that thing on eBay.

My two computers are a Macbook Pro for work and an iBook G4 for home. Once I get home the Macbook Pro rarely comes out of the backpack largely because oftentimes it is just too much effort to go get it out. (Hey, I’ve got a three year old and one on the way, right now is the time to conserve as much energy as possible.)

The even better hack is the iBook which has a battery that lasts a grand total of 20 minutes when not plugged in. This turns it into a defacto desktop since you can never be sure when exactly the screen will go black. It is an amazing productivity motivator, knowing you need to get what you need done NOW when your notebook is going to crap out in moments.

24inch LCD to go with the laptop.

I’m stuck with a Sony laptop for work reasons, complete with docking station, so I gain ease of plugin and out which defeats the purpose somewhat, but it’s a bit unreliable so that encourages me not to take the laptop around the house unless I’m really moving position.

The really big problem is the same one I’ve had with GTD. My life exists of one context @laptop. That’s where the leisure time is and that’s where the work time is. I’d like to have a work computer and a home computer, but that would negate some of the economic efficiency of working for myself. But of course, that means work and leisure are always bleeding into each other, especially at the keyboard…

To some degree, I’m realising that to cope I need to find something interesting to do, for fun, that doesn’t involve the computer… I’ve made a start, but it’s hard, as stuff like blogs condition your mind and make you bad at reading books or watching TV. And yes, I don’t exercise with my laptop, but it’s the downtime at the end of the day that’s really critical as too much laptop near bedtime definitely messes with my sleeping…

At the beginning, when I buy my brand new beautiful Powerbook 12”, I was always carrying it, everywhere, from home to work, from work to home, and of course in holidays, just in case… and then I buy a Palm TX, and then I absolutely needed to sync everything - especially iCal and Contacts - and of course nothing is perfect. The Powerbook AND the Palm need energy (well, always thinking about the batteries and about the plugs and every little cables and things to carry), the syncing is not perfect, even with “the Missing Sync”… and one day I needed a break ! I just sell the Palm, and begins to re-use an old-fashion paper agenda (http://www.quovadisplanners.com/), and make a Hipster PDA with very little bristol cards. Well, where is my Powerbook ? It stays at home !.. And my next computer will be a Mac mini :-)

I have an iBook G4 (and before that a Toshiba laptop) that used to be my only computer until august 2007 when I got my iMac and it was mostly tied to my desk, I only took it with me to school and there it was mostly used to browse the web instead of listening to the lectures. So after I got the iMac I’ve barely touched it and now I don’t take it with me to school unless I have computer related classes so I don’t have to use Windows :)

I also find the iBook to be to heavy to tote around with me when I go into town (plus wifi is very expensive here in Denmark) and if I need some information I have my Nokia N73 with me all the time. So now I never use my iBook and I like it that way :)

And a cheaper one. Instead of buying a desktop PC, or buying peripherals for your laptop, why not get rid of that wireless router and replace it with it’s old fashioned wired cousin?

I found that buying a laptop didn’t change the way I spent my time at home, but the wireless router sure did. All of the situations you describe at home (in bed, in the washroom) can easily be solved by keeping your access point limited to one or two areas of your abode.

It’s a great convenience to able to watch games on Sunday and watch my fantasy team at the same time from the comfort of the couch, but the cost usually comes at the expense of my family.

What seems to work for me is just to leave the laptop at work when I am not facing strict deadlines (like giving a lecture tomorrow). There are other computers at home, but they are not in the common areas, so I do not use them much.

In addition, it is one thing less to carry in my bicycle, making the ride to/from home more enjoyable.

I have an unhealthy marriage with my desktop! I am looking for a younger model with one of those hot new Intel chips to go out on the town with, or at least to another room in the house. I found being able to check email and Bloglines and do a little browsing with the iPhone from downstairs was liberating. I have a work laptop that I occasionally bring home, but I want a Macbook Pro so I can have all the comforts of Mac and do some dabbling in Ubuntu and Windows.

if you need access to work, get yourself a desktop with VPN access. My experience is that if you have a laptop you treat it as a necessity. In fact, you begin to treat it better than your family members. It goes everywhere with you (bathroom, ahem). You spend more time with it, and less with your human counter-parts. It’s a little like having a Barbie doll or GI Joe. It goes home with you, it goes on trips with you, it has a little house with all of it’s little accessories.

If you must have something, get a PDA and carry that but the goal is zero electronic devices when you leave work for the day. better you should stay a little longer at work and pause or finish what you are doing.

I'm glad that I'm starting to see more posts about disconnecting (or trying to) from the wired world. "Screen Addiction" is a lot more prevalent than many people would like to admit and its f*ing with people's personal lives in many ways as well.

I've recently started a serious of workshops called "humanity 2.0 -where the tech are we going and do we really want to go there?" The first one, in the Pacific NW, was on Orcas island...you can see some pictures and notes over at
humanity2point0.com and the plan is to do one in Seattle next month --my site, www.SparkNW.com, will have details soon.

Personally, I have made the following (not so easy) choices, but it has made me a more productive and happy man:

1)Disconnected from Comcast at home =very happy wife and daughter, and more time/space for me to do real, less distracted, work.

2)Use toolks like MacMinder and TimeOut to help me keep boundaries and take breaks.

3)Talk about it with people and public (some on my blog www.geekingoutloud.com)

Hope that helps!
-Leif

I’m a college student, and I dutifully bought a computer lock to secure my laptop in my room. My laptop is literally locked to my desk, making it just tedious enough for me to not ever bother bringing it to class. Which is good, because I’m distracted enough by other people’s laptops in class. I did bring my laptop to school for much of my second semester of senior year of high school, but that was because I wanted to be distracted.

A recent bout without my laptop—during which I could only check email, surf, and IM on my old iPaq—got me seriusly rethinking whether or not I needed a laptop. As an experiment, I picked up an el cheapo Nokia 770 internet tablet for $140 and have been trying to use it instead of the laptop. Works great, does 95% of what I need, and keeps me from goofing off too much.

Until recently, I was in the same boat. My laptop was a constant companion and got more attention than anything else in my life. It was with me at work, home, vacations, etc.

I didn't realize I had a problem until I accidentally left it in my trunk overnight. Then it flashed on me that I should leave it there instead of retrieving it.

That was a very good night, felt like a vacation.

Since then, I make it a habit to leave my laptop locked up for one night a week.
It's done me a world of good.

If all you need a laptop for is to check your email every hour or so, ditch it for a mobile device. Sometime good enough for the occasional Google-requiring head-scratcher, too.

I have stopped taking notes on the laptop… I use a legal pad and re-type anything that seems important. So, unless I really need to create a mobile office, with research and full writing capability, I leave the thing at home.

I can’t tether my MacBook Pro. We have no spare room in the apartment to set either my laptop or my wife’s laptop (they’re twins) anywhere permanently with external keyboard, mouse or monitor, so we are always computing in our easy chairs (life’s rough, I know). My work laptop stays at work unless needed. I access it remotely most of the time.

While I’m on the home laptop a lot, I find the best way to avoid using it all the time is to have a good book to read. I rarely take it anywhere with me; the times I’m out of the house are rarely times that would offer me an opportunity to use the laptop.

Due to: 1. Tiny Sony laptop, less than 1kg with 6 hours battery time. I leave the house with it tucked under my arm and no cords 2. Mobile broadband card 3. Totally sucked into WoW.

‘nuff said. Look me up on WoW sometime (Nagrand, Alistria ;P)

On a serious note, I’ve never taken my lappy in the bathroom but I used to sprawl out on the rug with it, sofas, beds, you name it. Don’t. It’s really bad for your posture and your wrists and you will end up with rather bad RSI (like I have :(). As much as you might love the mobility of being able to use your lappy anywhere, if you arent sitting at a desk with it invest in something that will keep your laptop and your mouse at a healthy angle like a laptop stable table or lecturn.

I was a laptop-er for years and I ended up going back. I found I just got a lot more work done all saddled-up at a desk. Time away from the desk = time away from working.

I find that the mobility of the laptop is a really good excuse for finding more things to do with the laptop. It’s so much easier to stay up to date with the laptop that you start to find things to stay up to date with: websites, rss, news, forums, blogs, twitter, email, even GTD task management.

My solution is to step away from the laptop (or at least connecting it to wifi). Use it only when absolutely necessary for just one week and you’ll start to find new things to occupy your time with. More than just that, when you do sit back to procrastinate/fiddle with your laptop, you’ll realize that in your absence you really didn’t miss all that much.

Since i stepped away from my computer for a while, I’ve eliminated auto inbox updating, RSS feeds, most of the websites i would regularly visit, and much more. When I find myself wandering aimlessly on the computer to one of these things, I just turn it off and find something else to do.

Why not spend those extra minutes doing something recreational or leisure? Sitting back and staring and obsessing over unimportant information is the equivalent of staring at a blank screen. Go do something less stressful and more productive.

I’ve been forcing myself away from the laptop - and with a lot of the work I do, I like having a few terabytes at my fingertips and multiple upon multiple processors. If I don’t have the terabytes, in general, the iPhone does everything else I need or can do.

However, here’s a question for a question - my problem is is that I feel sometimes to be the most creative I need a change of place - I focus best with distraction - however, that means re-wedding a laptop, which certain people in this house are staunchly against because it’s a deadly rathole.

I remember that I would miss cute girls at coffeeshops, giant red dogs driving down the street (I am not making this up), fires down the street and other of life’s beautiful miscellany.

So, to get rid of the laptop - how to keep the creative, productive juices going? How to make it so that one’s workspace “feels” motivating and creative, when sometimes you have to work with what you have as far as space?

When your wife makes that comment, and I’m being serious, you know things need to change. Technology is changing at such a rapid pace, many of us feel that we need to be constantly connected so we don’t get left behind. At some point you just need to ask if that is the best thing you could be doing with your time at that moment. These days, time with my 3 month old daughter usually wins out and I hope that doesn’t change.

Like Merlin, I’m totally married to my laptop and being online. When I’m away from it for any length of time, something inside me freaks.. like having a cigarette fit.

I’m not sure if it is unhealthy. Plenty of people tell me it is. Other than my iPhone and that wonderful energy inside me that keeps me alive, nothing else gets and keeps my attention.

I can’t imagine living without being online … either via laptop or iPhone.

I’m working away from home a lot just lately and find sleeping in hotel rooms difficult, waking not feeling refreshed to start a new day on site.

Using another Merlin favorite I got into pzizz some time ago and now set it going on my laptop in the hotel room (in the sleep configuration). I wake from an undisturbed nights sleep feeling much better (although still not as well as being at home!)

It did strike me that my laptop is the last thing I see at night and the first thing I see in the morning though!!!