--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When you find yourself on the Internet…" description: "\"When you find yourself on the Internet when you're supposed to be writing, you've already lost. It's even beyond procrastination when you end up on the..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png" --- # When you find yourself on the Internet when you're… ![“When you find yourself on the Internet when you're supposed to be writing, you've already lost. It's even beyond procrastination when you end up on the Internet.” quote by Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png) > “When you find yourself on the Internet when you're supposed to be writing, you've already lost. It's even beyond procrastination when you end up on the Internet.” [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Diverting to the Internet while you should be writing means you have already lost focus and momentum. **In simple terms:** Getting distracted online means you’ve already lost your writing momentum. Key Takeaway Avoid online distractions while working. Themes focus productivity discipline Mood frustrated determined Type advice motivational When to use this quote - writing sessions - study periods - creative work - research tasks Key Concepts digital distraction self‑control Questions to Reflect On - How can you structure your environment to prevent online temptations? - What habits can replace idle browsing? A Different Perspective Even brief online browsing can erode deep work, making it hard to regain concentration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beyond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond/) [End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Even](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/even/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Finding yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finding-yourself/) [Internet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet/) [Internet Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/internet-supposed-1327166/) [Lost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost/) [Lost Procrastination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lost-procrastination-5328381/) [Procrastination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procrastination/) [Procrastination End](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/procrastination-end-5328382/) [Supposed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed/) [Supposed to be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-to-be/) [Supposed Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/supposed-writing-1962362/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) [Yourself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/yourself/) ## Related quotes > [I'm supposed to be writing a book, and I can hardly read.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fidrych/i-m-supposed-to-be-writing-a-book-and-i-can-hardly-read/) [Mark Fidrych](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fidrych/) > [When I'm supposed to be writing I clean my apartment, take my clothes to the laundry, get organized, make lists, do the dishes. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/when-i-m-supposed-to-be-writing-i-clean-my-apartment-take-my-clothes/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [When I was younger I was much more polemical and didactic, much less trusting. Inherently my own vision of the world would weave its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eve-ensler/when-i-was-younger-i-was-much-more-polemical-and-didactic-much-less/) [Eve Ensler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eve-ensler/) > [The Internet was supposed to be the great equalizer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bianchini/the-internet-was-supposed-to-be-the-great-equalizer/) [Gina Bianchini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bianchini/) > [Not writing is probably the most exhausting profession I've ever encountered. It takes it out of you. It's very psychically wearing not to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-lebowitz/not-writing-is-probably-the-most-exhausting-profession-i-ve-ever/) [Fran Lebowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-lebowitz/) > [The Internet was supposed to be the greatest tool of global communications and means of sharing knowledge in human history. And it is. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevor-paglen/the-internet-was-supposed-to-be-the-greatest-tool-of-global/) [Trevor Paglen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevor-paglen/) > [Seem to be getting dumber and dumber. I mean we have all this amazing technology and yet computers have turned into basically four figure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hank-moody/seem-to-be-getting-dumber-and-dumber-i-mean-we-have-all-this-amazing/) [Hank Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hank-moody/) > [You're supposed to be writing from experience - experience with people, with reading, seeing some homeless guy on the street and making up some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-plec/you-re-supposed-to-be-writing-from-experience-experience-with-people/) [Julie Plec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-plec/) > [The internet was supposed to homogenize everyone by connecting us all. Instead what it's allowed is silos of interest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/the-internet-was-supposed-to-homogenize-everyone-by-connecting-us-all/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [The internet was supposed to liberate knowledge, but in fact it buried it, first under a vast sewer of ignorance, laziness, bigotry, superstition and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-elton/the-internet-was-supposed-to-liberate-knowledge-but-in-fact-it-buried/) [Ben Elton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-elton/) > [“Cath wanted to work on her own story now. Not the one for class. "Carry on". "Carry on" was Cath's story. Thousands of people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rainbow-rowell/cath-wanted-to-work-on-her-own-story-now-not-the-one-for-class-carry/) [Rainbow Rowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rainbow-rowell/) > [I'm kind of concerned the combined effect, not only Google, all these companies is kind of to make us more boring and that seems…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wu/i-m-kind-of-concerned-the-combined-effect-not-only-google-all-these/) [Tim Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wu/) > [I grew up at the time of Social Realism in Poland, when everyone was supposed to be 'writing for the workers.' But I soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/krzysztof-penderecki/i-grew-up-at-the-time-of-social-realism-in-poland-when-everyone-was/) [Krzysztof Penderecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/krzysztof-penderecki/) > [The Internet was supposed to bring people together, but it's created big divisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-rogowsky/the-internet-was-supposed-to-bring-people-together-but-it-s-created/) [Scott Rogowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-rogowsky/) > [Jeb Bush was supposed to be the establishment candidate, but he didn't catch on. And the extraordinary thing about this Republican primary is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-liasson/jeb-bush-was-supposed-to-be-the-establishment-candidate-but-he-didn-t/) [Mara Liasson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-liasson/) ## More by Noah Baumbach > [There's always some generational-guys-hanging-out movie that is made every few years, I think, and some of them are great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/there-s-always-some-generational-guys-hanging-out-movie-that-is-made/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [It's near impossible to make a movie in black and white in the system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/it-s-near-impossible-to-make-a-movie-in-black-and-white-in-the-system/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I guess I'm interested in people who are very sophisticated in intellectual ways, while being completely off the mark in emotional ones, with huge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-guess-i-m-interested-in-people-who-are-very-sophisticated-in/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [Many of the crew members I work with and continue to work with were friends or have become close friends, and so we keep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/many-of-the-crew-members-i-work-with-and-continue-to-work-with-were/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [Dance is a profession with an expiration date for many people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/dance-is-a-profession-with-an-expiration-date-for-many-people/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I've run into more people walking in L.A. than if I drove. Because you stand out so much if you walk. People from my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-ve-run-into-more-people-walking-in-l-a-than-if-i-drove-because-you/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I love black-and-white movies that are about contemporary subjects.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-love-black-and-white-movies-that-are-about-contemporary-subjects/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I'm always looking for overlooked post-Dylan singer-songwriter records from the '70s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-m-always-looking-for-overlooked-post-dylan-singer-songwriter/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I think sometimes bad behaviour can be liberating for certain people. They need to behave badly to find themselves - to go off path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-think-sometimes-bad-behaviour-can-be-liberating-for-certain-people/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I live in Manhattan now, because, in a way, it was my fantasy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-live-in-manhattan-now-because-in-a-way-it-was-my-fantasy/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I really like my first movie a lot, 'Kicking and Screaming.' I think it's a - I'm very pleased and proud of that movie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-really-like-my-first-movie-a-lot-kicking-and-screaming-i-think-it-s/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I think if we taped a lot of families that claim to be relatively normal, you'd be surprised when you hear some of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-think-if-we-taped-a-lot-of-families-that-claim-to-be-relatively/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [I do like having books on my shelves. I do value that life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/i-do-like-having-books-on-my-shelves-i-do-value-that-life/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [When I meet certain filmmakers, sometimes you sit down and you do have some kind of shorthand. It can be fun to see them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-i-meet-certain-filmmakers-sometimes-you-sit-down-and-you-do-have/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) > [Woody Allen's movies are so much a part of me. I grew up watching them over and over and would read all his comic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/woody-allen-s-movies-are-so-much-a-part-of-me-i-grew-up-watching-them/) [Noah Baumbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) [Explore all 117 Noah Baumbach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/) ## More Beyond quotes > [A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/a-monkey-is-unaware-that-atoms-exist-likewise-our-brainpower-may-not/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [If our species is to survive, our future will probably require outposts beyond our own planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-m-krauss/if-our-species-is-to-survive-our-future-will-probably-require/) [Lawrence M. Krauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-m-krauss/) > [My sister-in-law works for a group that supports orphanages in Cairo. She and her colleagues take care of children left behind by circumstances beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/my-sister-in-law-works-for-a-group-that-supports-orphanages-in-cairo/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Beyond providing some level of scrutiny of Kenyan MPs, we built Mzalendo to demonstrate that there is only so much bemoaning you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ory-okolloh/beyond-providing-some-level-of-scrutiny-of-kenyan-mps-we-built/) [Ory Okolloh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ory-okolloh/) > [The difficulty with poetry is that it doesn't have the life that Shakespeare or Jane Austen have beyond the page. You can't make a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-schama/the-difficulty-with-poetry-is-that-it-doesn-t-have-the-life-that/) [Simon Schama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-schama/) > [Ranked Choice Voting is simple, empowers voters, and rewards candidates who broaden support beyond their base.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-phillips/ranked-choice-voting-is-simple-empowers-voters-and-rewards-candidates/) [Dean Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-phillips/) > [I can tell you beyond any doubt, that my lady is able to control herself and stick to her values regardless of circumstance. Just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-crowder/i-can-tell-you-beyond-any-doubt-that-my-lady-is-able-to-control/) [Steven Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-crowder/) > [“It is the kernel of truth in every story that makes its writing beautiful beyond standards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/psyche-roxas-mendoza/it-is-the-kernel-of-truth-in-every-story-that-makes-its-writing/) [psyche roxas-mendoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/psyche-roxas-mendoza/) > [It is truly vital for the United States to assure that it is not attacked with weapons of mass destruction; to prevent wars in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/it-is-truly-vital-for-the-united-states-to-assure-that-it-is-not/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [There are reasons people seek escape in books, and one of those reasons is that the boundary of what can happen is beyond what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-patterson/there-are-reasons-people-seek-escape-in-books-and-one-of-those/) [James Patterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-patterson/) > [A nuclear-weapons armed Iran is not in anyone's human-rights interests. That is a direct threat to the lives and the livelihoods and the stability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/a-nuclear-weapons-armed-iran-is-not-in-anyone-s-human-rights/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [My beloved dog defied treatment from the best and most expensive veterinarians, holistic practitioners, trainers, and animal communicators. He was simply beyond my ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-katz/my-beloved-dog-defied-treatment-from-the-best-and-most-expensive/) [Jon Katz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-katz/) > [I miss Italy; that's beyond doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-conte/i-miss-italy-that-s-beyond-doubt/) [Antonio Conte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-conte/) > [Even beyond policy considerations, Romneycare was a horrible model to suggest for the federal government because the Constitution does not give Congress the power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-dewine/even-beyond-policy-considerations-romneycare-was-a-horrible-model-to/) [Mike DeWine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-dewine/) > [When you're reaching out to people beyond the scientific community, image does matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-randall/when-you-re-reaching-out-to-people-beyond-the-scientific-community/) [Lisa Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-randall/) [Browse all 1,092 Beyond quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When you find yourself on the Internet when you're supposed to be writing, you've already lost. It's even beyond procrastination when you end up on the Internet.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Noah Baumbach" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-when-you-re-supposed-to-be/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beyond" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-when-you-re-supposed-to-be/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/896/noah-baumbach-4015_beyond_when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-w_1469451.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When you find yourself on the Internet when you're supposed to be writing, you've already lost. It's even…” — Noah Baumbach", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Noah Baumbach", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noah-baumbach/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When you find yourself on the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-when-you-re-supposed-to-be/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noah-baumbach/when-you-find-yourself-on-the-internet-when-you-re-supposed-to-be/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```