Waste Time the Right Way with Some of the Best Websites on the Interne
Everybody has their own personal collection of go-to websites which they are likely to check on a daily basis, or at least whenever they get the chance. Let’s face it, we all waste a ton of time online, whether we mean to or not. We may as well embrace it and get everyone on the same page by highlighting some of the best websites for procrastination and time wasting which are available.
As a self-employed freelance writer, amongst other pursuits, I find that not only is procrastination inevitable, it’s also a helpful tool for freeing the mind from writer’s block. I’m more productive if I willingly waste 15 minutes every now and again – just 15, sure – then if I insist on continuing to stare at a blank screen unsuccessfully without pause.
If your personal vice remains fantasy sports, Facebook, online forums where you all-too-rigorously debate your favorite television show, hobby or team, or simply the ESPN.com’s and CNN.com’s of the world, that’s fine too. Do your thing.
What follows here is my personal best of list – 7 sensational websites for daily procrastination. Do with them what you may.
Best Websites for Wasting Time, Procrastination and Harmless Entertainment
The Chive – TheChive.com
Though many of have tried, there can be only one The Chive. Billed as “Probably the Best Site in the World”, the Chive is largely based on image galleries and general internet hilarity and amusement. Frequent features include “Daily Afternoon Randomness”, showcasing dozens of crazy or funny or weird photos, “Best Links on the Internet”, a compilation of stories and galleries around the web, and much more.
It’s certainly directed at the male demographic – so if you don’t want weekly photographic updates on the merits of yoga pants, for example, it may not be up your alley – but make no mistake about it, there are tens of thousands of loyal Chivettes out there, too. Keep Calm and Chive On, folks.
Cracked.com – Cracked.com
“America’s Only Humor & Video Site Since 1958” draws you in with spectacular lists filled with unbelievable events, statistics, pop-culture moments and much more. For example, a few of their most popular stories from the past year include “The 20 Most Secretly Brilliant Stupid Criminals”, “7 Insane Easter Eggs Hidden in Movies and TV Shows “, and “The 6 Most Horrifying Lies The Food Industry is Feeding You.”
Clearly they have a formula that works, and they stick to it. The real time wasting comes not from reading one or two articles, but from being lured into checking out all the other recommended articles you haven’t yet seen, and thereby spending hours reading their meticulously researched and compiled lists of things you never thought about or realized.
imgur – imgur.com
Imgur.com is a proven winner for procrastination and all-around entertainment. Take it from someone who once resisted its lure, only to now be forced to anxiously wait for new images to appear on an all-too-often basis.
The site, which is closely intertwined with Reddit and its community, is basically one large gallery showcasing some of the best images from around the web, from funny shots to omnipresent internet memes, to shocking or beautiful photos, and yes, plenty of cute dog and cat pictures. Half the fun is in reading the comments below the images, as well as upvoting or downvoting the images and the comments.
Hot Clicks – SI.com/extramustard
This is the only destination listed here which is not its own website. Hot Clicks, which is found in the “Extra Mustard” section of Sports Illustrated’s website, is “where pop culture meets sports.” What that means for you is twice a day compilations of funny links, weird sports occurrences, photos and videos, and other amusing time wasters.
Ongoing features include the always enjoyable Lovely Lady of the Day, as well as frequent video references to things such as on-air news mishaps, or crazy sport’s announcer calls. For all of the sports news that is neither sports nor news, go here, once at about 11 in the morning for the AM edition, and a second time at about 5 in the afternoon for the PM edition.
Astronomy Picture of the Day – apod.com
This is a NASA website, officially found at apod.nasa.gov, which each day picks one image of the universe to highlight and explain, whether its a close-up of distant galaxies taken by Hubble, or a unique weather occurrence on Earth taken by a lucky witness.
With only one picture per day, you might not think that the site has much procrastination potential, but think again. Each picture’s explanation links out to a wide range of additional photos, features and websites, which can keep you clicking and browsing for quite some time. You can always simply continue to browse past featured photos as well. This may be the only website listed here in which you can waste time while also learning and feeling intellectual. That’s what we call a win-win where I’m from, folks.
Some eCards – SomeeCards.com
Some eCards is a hilarious, huge and constantly updated collection of free eCards, all of which are basically small cartoon images with funny catchphrases. You can browse around on just about any topic, from relationships to holidays to whatever day of the week or time of the year it is.
Whether you want to send free eCards out to your friends or simply enjoy the latest collection, it’s a quality destination. You’ll be surprised at just how accurate these funny eCards can be, and how many of them may apply to yourself or somebody you know.
The Oatmeal – TheOatmeal.com
The Oatmeal features original comics and drawings on a wide range of topics, generally in the form of one large, multi-frame image which you scroll through to continue reading. The site garnered massive mainstream attention from its SOPA protest, but has been producing hilarious comics for quite some time.
Best hits include “Cat vs. Internet”, “Dear Sriracha Rooster Sauce” and “At the Gym”, amongst dozens of others. You’ll find yourself laughing out loud, a lot, and being unable to resist the allure of the additional comics you haven’t scrolled through yet. In fact, while writing this article I had to pause to read four or five new comics.
Procrastinating while writing about procrastinating… I’m living the dream.
This article was first published by Jake Emen on Yahoo! Voices on March 3, 2012
