Flipping through the latest edition of *GOOD* Magazine (http://www.good.is/) we learned new ways to stop, smell the roses and all sorts of other techniques to slow down and savor every minute.

Only problem is that it took us hours and hours to get through the magazine because our cell phones kept dinging with new messages coming in from Facebook, Twitter and Gmail – a not uncommon experience for us and so many others living in this Web 2.0 world.

Even worse is that we are full blown addicts checking these sites compulsively. Our fingers seem to type f-a-c-e-b-o-o-k-.-c-o-m before we even realize we just checked it 10 minutes ago.

Since we are using all of our natural self-control to stay away from the new Krispy Kreme kiosk on Fayetteville Street, we had to turn to a couple of suggestions *GOOD* gave us to stay focused using some really great programs.

Most notably is a free down-loadable software for Macs called SelfControl ( http://visitsteve.com/work/selfcontrol/). SelfControl allows you to create a list of sites you have particular trouble avoiding and blocks access to them for a period of time you decide. Best part about it? Weakness isn't allowed.

You have no ability to access those sites until the timer chimes zero. Even rebooting your computer won't turn off the timer and you can't even remove the program so you can see that great new tagged photo of you from New Year's Eve!

Another great program built for Macs is WriteRoom (
http://www.hogbaysoftware.com/products/writeroom) which turns your screen into an old school black screen with only a word processor. Turns your computer into a distraction free typewriter!

And, finally, for those who want to jump ship completely from Facebook and Twitter, check out the Web 2.0 Suicide Machine (http://suicidemachine.org/) which can completely erase your accounts so you can spend more time working your way through that novel you always wanted to write ... or even read!