“Keep Unread” could be my undoing
October 21, 2009
That “keep unread” option on Google Reader always seemed like a good thing until I started abusing it. (Isn’t that always the way it is?) I wanted to keep everything from My Money Blog, or whichever blog I was skimming, unread because it’s all useful information. It became the electronic equivalent of filing paperwork: I’d open something, note that it was interesting, and then Keep Unread so I could deal with it later.
Voila! I made Google Reader three times less efficient! Not only do I only skim the post the first time ’round, I’m not acting on it and saving it for later. While I skip around Reader not doing anything about the interesting post, I’m wading hip deep in Read-but-save-for-later posts. When I finally get ’round to dealing with them, I’ve got a huge stash of posts that need attention.
*Shame on me!*
No real promises, but I’m trying to keep the clicking of “Keep Unread” under control. I take a second to think about whether I really need the information, or if I truly plan on using it. Or commenting, even. If I wanted to comment on it, just go do so. If not, read and move on.
It’s amazing how easily a new bad habit can form without conscious thought. I wonder if that’s how MOST bad habits start?
I use the star, share, share with note and email functions on Google reader to keep my head organized with information I need or don’t need.
Hm, I really should start using the other functions.
I do this too, and I think the biggest problem is that the articles that I *actually* want to read get lost, and I only end up reading the short, silly articles that take less time. Combine that with the fact that google reader marks as read everything after 30 days. I think I need to work on a new method.