Take This Quiz And We'll Tell You If You Spend Too Much Time Online
- by Rose Moore
- – on
- in Lifestyle
The internet is a magical place, full of cat videos, memes, photos of delicious food, and of course, almost the entirety of human knowledge and history. It's amazing to think that it's only been a few decades since the birth of the internet, and yet it's already become a vital part of everyday life - with most people in the Western world logging on every single day.
Even if you think that you aren't online that much, you may find that the internet has more of a presence in your life than you expected. Whether it's using your navigation system while driving, checking e-mail at work, messaging friends through apps, or just mindlessly scrolling through your Instagram feed, you're probably online for a decent chunk of your day... but how do you know when it gets to be too much?
When everyone is connected, all the time, how can you tell when a little harmless browsing and helpful internet use starts to turn into a bit of an addiction? Do you think you might be a little too attached to your phone, and in need of a social media detox, or are you pretty sure that you only use the internet when you need to, and not because you are getting obsessive about it? Maybe the internet is slowly taking over your life, and you won't even notice until you find yourself unshowered, in a headset, eating Cheetos that fell onto your hoodie... or maybe you should take our quiz first and find out!
Where do you put your phone at night?
When you go to bed, what do you do with your phone? Do you sleep with it tucked under your pillow, not wanting to let it out of your grip for even a second... turn it off their phone as soon as you get home, and ignore it for the rest of your night?
How long before you log on in the morning?
When you wake up in the morning, how much time usually passes before you log on - whether it's checking e-mail or social media on your phone, or actually connecting to a computer. Do you have to know what's going on the moment you wake up, or does it wait till later in the day?
Have you ever ignored someone in real life to check your phone?
Be honest - are you one of those people who will sit with their friends somewhere, and totally ignore them in order to do something online? Maybe you'll post to Instagram, but otherwise put the phone down... or maybe you're spending half the time with them staring at your screen...
How do you stay in touch with people?
For the most part, how do you stay in touch with your friends and family? Do you like to spend time actually talking on the phone or even in person, or do you prefer to text? Maybe you don't use your phone at all, and just use messenger apps for everyone in your life.
Are you online every day?
Think back to the last time that you were offline (voluntarily) for a whole day. From getting up to going to bed - zero internet at all. Can you remember when that was? Or are you logged in at some point every single day, no matter what?
Could you find your way around without Google Maps?
What would you do if you didn't have access to Google Maps? (Or Apple Maps, or any other kind of online map or GPS) Would you be pretty capable of using a paper map, figuring it out, and asking directions... or would you give up and call an Uber rather than even trying?
Do you have an app for everything?
Are you the kind of person who knows that there is always an app for that? Or do you tend to have apps only for the things you use all the time, and just use your browser for everything else, even when there's an app available? Maybe you don't even know what an app is...
How many social media accounts do you have?
When it comes to social media, how many different person accounts do you have? Have you got one favorite site that you stick to, or do you have accounts with a few of the big ones? Maybe you are on everything (with backup accounts for stalking), or maybe you *gasp* don't use it at all?
How do you watch TV?
When it's time to catch up on your favorite shows, how do you tune in? Are you still watching everything on cable, and just recording the stuff you aren't around for, or mixing it up with Netflix? Or have you cut the cables completely, to watch everything online?
Do you have your own internet connection?
What's your internet set up at home like? Do you have your own wifi (maybe just shared with one person, like your partner), or are you making the best of sharing with a whole house full of people? Maybe you don't even have home internet, and make do with free wifi and a work connection?
How would you react if your wifi/data was cut off?
What would you do if you found out that you had no home internet or data for a few hours - whether becuase of a service outage or maybe because you forgot to pay your bill? Is this the kind of thing that has you waking up in a cold sweat, or would you probably not even notice?
Do you carry your laptop around?
When you are headed out of the house, how likely is it that you are going to bring your laptop? Is that something you would never do, or are you always ready to pull out your macbook if there are a few minutes free, no matter where you are?
How many devices do you have connected?
How many different devices do you own that are connected to the internet on a regular basis? Maybe you've just got a couple, like a phone, laptop, or tablet, or maybe your entire home is kitting out with smart gadgets that connect to each other?
Do you drink and post?
When you've had a couple at the bar, are you the one who is going to flood Twitter with drunken ramblings, post too many drunk bathroom selfies, and generally stumble around online like a mess? Or do you put your phone away before you start drinking?
What do you do if you don't know something?
Nobody knows everything, so what's your plan of action if something comes up and you don't know the answer? Whether it is a practical skill like cooking or fixing something, looking for recommendations, or figuring out that thing that's been bugging you, how do you find your answers?
Do you find workouts online?
Time to get fit! Do you turn to the internet to provide you with a way to get shredded, whether that is a fitness app, YouTube workout videos, or online research... or would you never think to log on for that. Surely workouts happen in the gym, not at the computer?
How do you listen to music?
When you want to listen to your favorite tunes, what's your go-to? Are you all about streaming through Spotify and watching music videos on YouTube, or do you have your own digital collection? Maybe you don't do any of that, and still have CDs or Vinyl to listen to instead...
How often do you post to social media?
Whether you have one account or twenty, how often do you usually post to social media? Are you posting, commenting, and adding to your story daily, or are you more of a social media lurker? Maybe you never post at all, or you try and limit yourself to a few times a week?
How many of your friends have you never met in person?
Of the friends that you talk to on a regular basis, how many have you never met in real life? Whether you've met people through forums, online communities, online gaming or social media, how many connections have you made entirely online, compared to out in the real world?
How up to date are you on the news?
When it comes to the news - whether that's global, local, pop culture, or industry - how do you keep ahead of the curve? Are you online so much that you hear everything as it breaks, or are you happy to wait to read about something in the paper or a magazine?
Do you sell things online?
We've covered buying, but what about selling? If you've got some stuff around the house that you want to get rid of, are you going to hold a good old fashioned yard sale on a weekend, or are you more likely to post it to ebay, or maybe to multiple websites to sell it as fast as possible?
Do you plan everything on Pinterest?
Pinterest is the go-to for planning and dream boards... are you the kind of person who has everything planned out there, from your dream home to your wedding to your reading list to your funeral? Or are you not even quite sure what Pinterest is?
Do you have a blog or vlog?
Most people read or watch a few favorites online, but have you ever taken the leap and created your own personal blog or vlog? Maybe you actually run a successful blog or YouTube channel, and blog all the time, or maybe you just aren't quite ready to bare it all online just yet.
Do you go over your data limit every month?
When it comes to using the internet on your phone, how are you with sticking to your data plan? Are you always well under (even on the lowest plan available), or are you just making it to the next month every month? Or maybe you've just given up, and pay overage every single month...
Have you ever walked into someone while on your phone?
Have you ever got so engrossed in what you are doing online, whether it's gaming, social media, or something else, that you totally lose touch with the world around you? Maybe you've walked right into someone on the street, or even worse, smack into a pole? Or is that just something you would never do...
Have you ever accidentally spent hours online doing nothing?
Mindless scrolling - it can plague even the best of us! Have you ever intended to just check on something 'real quick', and then looked up several hours later from a Wikipedia page on the mating habits of giraffes, not knowing where the day went? Or are you shaking your head at the very thought?
Do you multitask while online?
Are you always connected, no matter what else you are doing - whether you are cooking, brushing your teeth, working out, even driving - are you always doing something online (even just listening to music)? Or are you happy to do things without distraction from the wonders of the internet?
How much does slow internet bother you?
How do you feel when you are online, but everything.... is... taking.... so.... long.... to.... load? Whether there's an issue with the server (or, let's face it, with the computer), painfully slow internet can drive someone crazy! Or, of course, you could be one of those people who just shrugs and makes a cup of tea...
Would you ever call a restaurant to order food?
You want to order dinner, because you can't be bothered to cook - how to you get food from your favorite restaurant to your plate at home? Do you automatically go to your favorite food site, try the specific restaurant's site to order direct, or would you just *gasp* call them up and place an order?
Are you a fan of online shopping?
When you want to buy something new, or you need to re-stock, do you head to the bricks and mortar shop to pick it up, or are you happier doing your shopping from the comfort of your couch? Maybe you pick up some items online, but need to hit the shops for others?
Have you ever worked online?
There are so many ways that you can earn money on the internet - have you ever tried working from home with just your laptop? Maybe you do a few surveys or a side hustle for extra cash, or maybe all your work comes from online sources already.
How do you look for a job?
The worst has happened, and you are out of work... where are you going to turn to find your next employer? Are you hitting the pavement with a file full of paper resumes and pens to fill out applications on the spot, or are you in bed with your pjs and job hunting online only?
Do you know all the latest memes?
When a new meme is born in a dark corner of the internet, where are you? Are you right there watching it come into being, one of the first to share it and make sure it goes viral? Or are you more likely to only see the ones that really make it big... if you see any memes at all!
What's the longest you've binge-watched something on Netflix?
Netflix can be another massive time-suck... especially when an entire season of a new show is released, and all you want to do is watch it from start to finish. Have you ever binge-watched an entire season, or even an entire show? Or do you limit your binges to a few episodes at a time?
Be honest - you are online right now, aren't you?
It's the last question, and we've gotten to know each other pretty well by now... so you can tell me. Be honest... you are online right now, aren't you? On your phone, on your computer, maybe taking quizzes instead of working...
