you might be an addict

I'm sure I'm not the only one here who is to some degree addicted to social media. Maybe you'll say you don't use twitter or facebook. But if you're here you use social media. Reddit is social media.

And if you ever for a second cared about how much upvoted your posts are, then you are certainly influenced by social media.

In my case, I'd say my computer usage has grown to a pathological degree. I am neglecting my potential and happiness by going for quick dopamine boosts online. I tell myself that I watch and listen to youtube videos to remain informed. And that's not exactly false. But what's the use of being informed or having the best strategies for any life improvement thing if you don't apply them?

For some this may well be a foregone conclusion. But it's easy to rationalise to yourself that your tech usage is fine. In any case I'm fed up and angry with my failure to make many different life improvements and I think I've been using youtube, reddit, games as a crutch.

Practical way to go cold turkey

  • I am bringing my laptop and smartphone to my brother's house.
  • Will use it once a week for email and business.
  • I'll buy a dumbphone today.
  • I already have an alarm clock. Getting an interval timer for workouts next week (any recommendations appreciated)
  • I'll send a mass whatsapp to contact me in other ways.

Expectations

I am a very creative person and the creativity really hasn't been flowing lately. I expect a boredom and a withdrawal effect at first. It will be painful. I am anxious about that. But I'm also excited. I'll have more time and energy to spend on things that are more important.

In time I expect these benefits:

  • To miss fewer workouts
  • To take better care of myself and my house
  • To find more fulfillment
  • To put initative back into my own hands instead of going into a reactive mindset mode of first checking what's new
  • To be less restless in social situations as my brain is less hungry for frequent dopamine boosts
  • Take better care of social relationships
  • To have more attention and energy for self-improvement
  • Finally start making a dent in the books that have started accumulating

I expect to pay this price

  • stressful adjustment period
  • less access to other people's knowledge/ experience
  • some trouble pathfinding to locations
  • some social adjustments
  • lose some contacts altogether

I don't expect it be a magic pill, but rather like jumping into the water for the first time in a long time. It will be hard. It will be messy. It will be worth it.

I will trial this for a month and then re-evaluate. I decided to write this out since it might be of value to some others. Watching Simon Sinek's video on cell phones is what prompted me into action. This is the last sentence I'll write for at least a week, godspeed to me and all of you.