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I am inclined to agree with the others than a technological solution is not likely what you need. The trick is to segregate these areas mentally, so that you a
by retrac 6y ago
I am inclined to agree with the others than a technological solution is not likely what you need. The trick is to segregate these areas mentally, so that you are acutely aware of when you are "on forbidden ground". The "rubber band" trick has been mentioned here already, and it's based on helping to re-enforce that awareness. Technological solutions can help do this. Timer apps that give you a regular notice to "GTFO THE PHONE FOR 15 MIN NOW" for example, are building the same kind of awareness, just as a software tool to do so.
In my case these bad habits predate the iPhone's existence. What we call phone addiction now was the "Internet addiction" of 15 years ago. Some strategies that have helped me, I think:
One: The phone never comes to bed with me. It never comes out in real-life social interactions either.
Two: During the day I keep it physically separate from me if possible. In my drawer at work. Just on the table on the other side of the room here at home right now. Checking it requires physically standing up and walking over. More likely this will percolate up into conscious awareness.
Following from that, stand when you're on the phone. Don't sit down and slump and relax.
Three: Purge all the dopamine-ticklers. In my case, if you'll excuse the bluntness, that means: No Twitter or other clickbait feeds. No outrage-driven news. No porn. No hookup apps. No endless-browsing online shopping.
Hell, even Hacker News warrants some caution. You're just such a rewarding bunch.
And this is not just on the phone. In all of my life. As a general mental cordon sanitaire. I cross into the quarantined zone often, I must admit, but the key is to be aware, to have a niggling sense of unease, when you're in the danger zone. Check your dosimeter regularly and have a planned exit.
- throwaway_kufu 6y ago>tand when you're on the phone. Don't sit down and slump and relax. I like this and though I rarely talk on the phone, when I do the vast majority of the time I pace back and forth. Even at the office I’d close the door and do the same. Never thought about these actions at all until now. Maybe somewhat related growing up my older brother used to do push-ups (usually 20) every time he opened the refrigerator. Watching that day in and day out while he was in high school left a lasting impact on me. No doubt it is odd, but I’d do push ups in all sorts of situations, for example playing disc golf if I had a really bad throw, I’d drop and do push-ups. Maybe something OP could do every time the phone opens, just don’t look at it like a punishment, rather something healthy that helps build discipline and genuine thought to your actions. Plus inevitably it will open the door to openly discussing it with others.
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- piou 6y agoInterrupting the way you flow into the negative activity is a great idea. I used to spend hours playing two simple online games (Generals and Slither) compulsively, to the detriment of sleep, work, and relationships. Something that weaned me off for a while was going to a conference where I didn't have my regular laptop with me, but a new one; because the laptop felt different, I didn't feel compelled to play, and even when I got back in town, I stayed off the games for a while. But I started playing again. I realized that playing was just a very very compelling habit, so I beat it with another habit: when I felt the desire, I'd go to one of the games' websites, hit the start button to join a game, then logout immediately and close my browser, multiple times. At first just 5 or 10 times, but sometimes 20 or 30 times in a row in rapid succession, enough times to get really bored doing it. So my advice, if you can make it work: whenever you think about using one of those sites, go to the website, login, logout immediately, turn off the phone, then turn it back on and repeat. 10-20 times, beyond the point where you get bored. Repeat this daily for at least a week or two.
- WrtCdEvrydy 6y ago> No porn. No hookup apps. No endless-browsing online shopping. But... why even have a phone if you can't buy random shit online?
- HDMI_Cable 6y agoHonestly, nowadays I only use my phone to call people. I don't use Amazon because I want to be frugal, and online shopping is the antithesis of that.