Do you find ICQ to be a distraction?

[Sly_RJ]

I'm thinking about leaving ICQ off during "non-business hours". Even when I'm not talking to someone over ICQ it seems to be a distraction just sitting there open and alive. It must be a mental thing. I know that when I stopped opening up AIM every morning I got more work done, now it's been months since I've used AIM and I email those people I need/want to talk to instead of checking my list every 3 minutes to see if they're online.

Any input?

[AndrewKanuck]

Any IM system is a distraction - I find myself having to hide them when something urgent needs tending too; and sometimes even music will distract me if I haven't slept enough

[PrivateIvy]

I started shutting down ICQ when I'm working and I only open it up when I need to contact someone. Too many people just want to chit chat...





Ivy

[gornyhuy]

Same, I just hang out on 'invisible' most of the time. Kind of like screening your calls with an answering machine.

[Sly_RJ]

I've actually been sticking to N/A for over a year now and it has helped, but there still seems to be some mental stigma when it's open and running. I feel like I need to check it every now and then just for the hell of it, or I delay starting something because I'm expecting a message from someone.

Think I'm about to shut it off. Will turn it back on in the morning. Anyone need hosting just email me at [email protected]

[ProjectNaked]

Who's ICQ, Sounds like a prick!

[zentz]

turn it off

[NaughtyAlysha]

I've been leaving it off more and more lately. Too many people just want to have small talk.

[Alex]

No, i need it on all day.

Not a lot of people deal through email so they use ICQ and i need it to be on, it helps my with business

[The Heron]

Only when I am trying to jerk off...

[fr8]

Its who you talk to that makes it a distration I think. If you regulate who you talk to when your on it then you should be ok.

[AlienQ - BANNED FOR LIFE]

Absolutly...

[sickkittens]

I guess it's kind of a distraction. I find myself clicking on it for no apparent reason.

[Doctor Dre]

It is most of the time but it's part of this business :P I wouldn't work without it

[Zerof8]

it just gets annoying sometime.
Uh o
knock knock

[phogirl69]

I get messages from weird people or "bots" all the time... I don't even know if it's a person or a bot, but just weird people from countries like Turkey and Russia just msg me out of the blue.. and I just automatically put them all on ignore. One weirdo even asked me "What are you doing tonight?" and I was like "WTF, Do I know you? If I don't know you and it's not business/webmaster related, pls don't talk to me."