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Given the similarities of information consumption and habits/addiction, have you tried going cold turkey for a day, two, a week? Realistically a week should be

by RGamma 5y ago

Given the similarities of information consumption and habits/addiction, have you tried going cold turkey for a day, two, a week? Realistically a week should be nothing in the grand scheme of things. During that period you could replace the time you would use to watch videos, play games, etc with anything that doesn't involve consuming information. The goal would be to become bored once again and that way regain control over one's attention in order to be able to apply or withhold it intentionally, kind of like how it used to be when there was no internet and no digital devices surrounding you 24/7. Then, when control over attention is established, you could work from there, no longer being so torn towards that passive entertainment (in disguise). Good luck :)

quietthrow 5y ago
Thanks for the concern and the luck. I would say I don’t have a addiction. Sorry if it came across that way. By most common standards I am already a outlier I feel. I don’t do social media, news or mindlessly browsing in general. I don’t watch tv either. I mostly read some books and may be an economist article here and there during a week. Online consumption might be 2-3 hours per week at the most in extreme cases. Mostly is 5-10 mins a day. I guess for me I feel I dont produce anything (at work ) or in personal life. Personal life is mostly playing a what seems like a perpetual catch-up on “life chores”. In that sense may be I am in a rut and need to do something “productive” (for myself). Like literally and metaphorically. :)
- RGamma 5y ago
  That clarifies it and I've been feeling the same way for quite some time. Intrinsic goal-directed motivation seems hard to come by and being productive in complete vacuum unrealistic for most. Perhaps it would be a good start to seek companionship with those already involved in something that feels worthwhile to you. Now there's several cool online communities (thinking of FOSS projects or speedrunning) but those might be too shallow depending on the depth of the engagement you can muster. There's also the possibility of IRL involvement there with meetups or such. And this could be a window to something more, who knows? Smaller interest groups also form in the context of universities, although whether you become aware of them or get access depends on specifics. There might also be non-tech communities near you, perhaps gardening, miniature trains (big in Germany) or model engineering to which the above also applies. I find that being in your head all the time like it is with science/technology can become burdensome so how about a more "physical" pursuit for a change? Sorry if this self-evident. It's difficult to assess from afar and I don't have first-hand experience which I realise you were asking for, but I guessed this is better than no answer.

by RGamma 5y ago

quietthrow 5y ago

Thanks for the concern and the luck. I would say I don’t have a addiction. Sorry if it came across that way. By most common standards I am already a outlier I feel. I don’t do social media, news or mindlessly browsing in general. I don’t watch tv either. I mostly read some books and may be an economist article here and there during a week. Online consumption might be 2-3 hours per week at the most in extreme cases. Mostly is 5-10 mins a day. I guess for me I feel I dont produce anything (at work ) or in personal life. Personal life is mostly playing a what seems like a perpetual catch-up on “life chores”. In that sense may be I am in a rut and need to do something “productive” (for myself). Like literally and metaphorically. :)

RGamma 5y ago
That clarifies it and I've been feeling the same way for quite some time. Intrinsic goal-directed motivation seems hard to come by and being productive in complete vacuum unrealistic for most. Perhaps it would be a good start to seek companionship with those already involved in something that feels worthwhile to you. Now there's several cool online communities (thinking of FOSS projects or speedrunning) but those might be too shallow depending on the depth of the engagement you can muster. There's also the possibility of IRL involvement there with meetups or such. And this could be a window to something more, who knows? Smaller interest groups also form in the context of universities, although whether you become aware of them or get access depends on specifics. There might also be non-tech communities near you, perhaps gardening, miniature trains (big in Germany) or model engineering to which the above also applies. I find that being in your head all the time like it is with science/technology can become burdensome so how about a more "physical" pursuit for a change? Sorry if this self-evident. It's difficult to assess from afar and I don't have first-hand experience which I realise you were asking for, but I guessed this is better than no answer.