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Howdy! Writing this blog here to talk about my experience last week with my detox/removal of my computer and the internet (for the most part) from my life and how it was/what i thought about it.
This all started out as a real spur of the moment idea on July 3rd, something that just popped in my mind as i got pissed off at myself again for wasting my time on my computer when i feel like there is so many better ways i could spend my free time. But unlike most of my other spur of the moment ideas, this one i actually talked to people about, and now that i had said i was thinking of doing something like it, now i had to put my money where my mouth was, so the next day i planned out everything, laying out this basic list of rules for my detox:
- I would keep my computer turned off and unplugged for the duration of it, only allowed to turn it back on for work/school related reasons (which only happened once)
- I would be allowed to use my phone for texting and calling but beyond that the only other exceptions were for work, checking emails, and setting alarms (also podcasts as well)
- Other technologies, like my CD and Record Player were allowed, as well as my TV and streaming services (as we don't have cable) but youtube was not allowed
So with my rules solidified, I started my detox that night before I went to bed. The first few days were pretty hard for me, even thought about ending the experiment early on that Wednesday. It was hard to adjust to just how much slower time moves when you don't have a dopamine machine to kill your time for you. Consciously using your brain is a lot more work, even if it's something like watching a show (which i did watch a ton of Twin Peaks during this), you still can't just keep going on and on like you can on a computer. But after the first few days or so, it got a lot easier. I spent my time watching TV, listening to music on my players, walking, reading, and writing with an emphasis on using my personal journal more. I honestly got into a real rhythm, to the point that when last Saturday came around, I was almost hesitant to turn it back on, but I've got a lot of people I talk to on here, so I did.
As for the experience itself, the main thing I noticed was honestly just how much better my sleep got. I dreamed a lot more than I have in a while (or at least I had good enough sleep to where I could remember these dreams), and my body fell into a more 'natural' sleep pattern, falling asleep before midnight, getting up early in the morning, 8-9ish. Beyond that I felt a lot more at peace in my day to day actions, I felt more grounded, more sure of myself, detached from the constant flow of information, news, outrage and consumption, my life got a lot more peaceful.
I guess what really frustrates me about my computer/socials use, and I realized this near the end of my detox, was that during my detox every time i chose to do something with my free time it was a deliberate, conscious choice. But every time I go on my computer it does not take much to get sucked into the dopamine loop, going in circles on the internet, on social media, for the next hit, without even being aware of what you are doing for the most part. It pisses me off that I willingly give so much of my time to that, that I don't have the will or smarts to tell myself to stop so often. I've made progress at least, and I hope that this little experiment will help me to continue making progress to beating that addiction, one that feels like it's a much bigger problem for society as a whole than I feel people are willing to admit.
That's all I've got for now though. Love & Mercy.
As for the experience itself, the main thing I noticed was honestly just how much better my sleep got. I dreamed a lot more than I have in a while (or at least I had good enough sleep to where I could remember these dreams), and my body fell into a more 'natural' sleep pattern, falling asleep before midnight, getting up early in the morning, 8-9ish. Beyond that I felt a lot more at peace in my day to day actions, I felt more grounded, more sure of myself, detached from the constant flow of information, news, outrage and consumption, my life got a lot more peaceful.
I guess what really frustrates me about my computer/socials use, and I realized this near the end of my detox, was that during my detox every time i chose to do something with my free time it was a deliberate, conscious choice. But every time I go on my computer it does not take much to get sucked into the dopamine loop, going in circles on the internet, on social media, for the next hit, without even being aware of what you are doing for the most part. It pisses me off that I willingly give so much of my time to that, that I don't have the will or smarts to tell myself to stop so often. I've made progress at least, and I hope that this little experiment will help me to continue making progress to beating that addiction, one that feels like it's a much bigger problem for society as a whole than I feel people are willing to admit.
That's all I've got for now though. Love & Mercy.
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Spikes
Congratulations on taking the first step!! I'm seriously so proud of you dude, it's not an easy thing to do. I've been distancing myself from the internet for, oh christ four years now I didn't realize it had been that long lmaoo. Anyways, sometimes I still catch myself wasting my time on a screen and go like "?? dude what the hell are you DOING" and have to go back to being more strict with how I spend my time.
ConcertZombie
I know that I've listened to the radio and my CDs more often lately, especially while trying to read so I'm not distracted (I’m trying to read more this year). We also no longer have cable, but I've watched the Roku live guide to give that cable effect, which is just so underwhelming compared to streaming/youtube. Even though I’ve spent little time doing so, it’s definitely been so much better in so many ways. It’s something that I want to do more often and keep up with. Life should be so much simpler than it has become.
definitely agree with you on that last bit. Feels like the ease of access to news, information, content, etc. is almost too great today.
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