How do you curb Internet addiction ??

[disneydoc]

I need some help to control this addiction & want to know how do you guys control it in case you find yourself lingering on the Forums or in general on the Internet.

Many things I do on my Laptop which are quite useful like ...Banking, Investments, emails, use google & Youtube to find what & how about things in general and the list goes on & on. I do check up on various Forums but then I find that it absorbs hours like a Sponge.

I realize the Internet is becoming more & more essential to deal with things & with the world in general but as I do not have to move out of my couch physically, at the end it leaves me with a feeling I did not get much done.

I have recently retired & that may be adding to this, my wife thinks I am with my Laptop lot more, Digital Time is getting more at the expense of homan interaction. I see all the time people engrossed on their Smart Phones any chance they get, one consolation is that I only rarely do any thing other than talk & text, use GPS on my Iphone.

Any thoughts on this ??

 

[CM]

disneydoc wrote:

Any thoughts on this ??

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I think you came to the wrong place for advice.  

I spend a silly amount of time on internet forums and I suspect there are many more like me (and you) on this board. Still, if it bothers your wife maybe you should take her out to dinner or a show more often. (My wife hasn't complained yet.)

[hightower]

LOL, you've definitely come to the wrong place to ask about internet addiction!  It's like you just walked into a bar and asked for help with quitting drinking.

However...I often feel that my life would be better if I could somehow limit myself to only a small amount of time on the internet each day.  Which sounds like I just answered a CAGE question (Do you ever feel the need to "Cut Back?").

I have noticed that when I travel and have no access to the internet (which often happens on our backpacking trips), that I'm calmer and more relaxed, better able to focus and more in the moment the whole time.  My wife has noticed the same thing.

I've actually considered giving up my phone except for while I'm at work (I have to use it there) and limiting myself to say 1 hour on the computer at home per day.  Haven't tried it yet though.  I'm weak.

[Dr. Mom]

I made a New Year's resolution a couple of years ago to limit my time reading and responding to financial issues.  Studies show less involvement in your portfolio can actually improve returns.  After that year, I treaded back but limited how I spend my time.  I don't feel the need to read everything anymore.  Clickbait titles and lists get passed over (Sorry, WCI) in favor of meatier articles.  When I do read the less meaty stuff I try to do so when I am on the treadmill or elliptical.  When I read the forum I look for posts or responses by Hatton or a couple of others and mostly respond to the ones that hit a personal chord with me.  Yours did as my daughter wrote a paper on internet addiction in college long before it was a recognized issue.  Try my resolution idea and remember it takes 6 weeks to make a habit. Good luck and Happy Holidays!

[Hatton]

I am honored Dr. Mom.

[djohnflatfeecfp]

It takes concerted effort.  Are there any activities you can take up where you are just disconnected?  Like swimming?  I know a few people who love to swim because it is basically their only quiet time and they treat it like meditation.  I like to hunt and one of the places I go has no cell signal except in the cabin. It is one of my favorite times of the year because I am forced to have no connection.

[Craigy]

It's tough.  But definitely worth pursuing.

For lent I've given up facebook a couple times and it's definitely helped out a lot.  I don't really miss it.

But time spent there ends up getting spent elsewhere (here is a big one).

[Hatton]

This is a good topic.  I have been off fb since before Thanksgiving.  I did not want to see all the food photos.  However I missed for a few days that one of my friend's husband had died of ALS.  I found out in time for the funeral.  I sometimes get ideas reading these financial blogs.  I always bought personal finance books prior to this.  I like the interaction.  Sometimes I read a post because of who started the thread or who is posting.  I don't think I would of started a DAF if I had not read about it on POFs blog.  This blog would of been useful to me when I started my practice and I would have done some things differently.  Disneydoc there are worse addictions than financial forums.  If this is your problem then you are handling retirement well.

[Zaphod]

hatton1 wrote:

This is a good topic.  I have been off fb since before Thanksgiving.  I did not want to see all the food photos.  However I missed for a few days that one of my friend’s husband had died of ALS.  I found out in time for the funeral.  I sometimes get ideas reading these financial blogs.  I always bought personal finance books prior to this.  I like the interaction.  Sometimes I read a post because of who started the thread or who is posting.  I don’t think I would of started a DAF if I had not read about it on POFs blog.  This blog would of been useful to me when I started my practice and I would have done some things differently.  Disneydoc there are worse addictions than financial forums.  If this is your problem then you are handling retirement well.

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Definitely think its important to try and limit it to quality interaction. You can over do that still of course. Dont have facebook, and have never missed it since deactivating, its been great. We have an instagram but I dont really check it, my wife will post stuff every now and then, but I find nothing changes if I dont look.

Most this place and twitter, and several other blogs to read an occasional article. Thats much more than enough.

[The White Coat Investor]

It's an issue for sure. It's even worse if you have a job/business that is primarily on the internet.

Here's a few ideas:

Take an internet sabbath- no getting on the net for any reason for a day or even a week.

Take an email vacation. Just don't check your email one day or weekend.

Set an alarm when you get on. When the alarm goes off, get off.

Don't get on the internet first thing in the morning, when you're most productive. Save it for late evening.

Help other members of your family by encouraging them to get off when they've been on for a while. You can just nicely ask if they're doing anything useful or just wasting time. It's okay to waste time sometimes, but limit it.

Automate financial processes so you don't have to be on the web to do them manually.

Engage in a hobby or other pursuit you enjoy that doesn't leave you as much time to be on the internet.

Recognize that urge to check your phone or your website or your favorite forum for what it is- addiction. Just like an alcoholic, you have to take proactive steps to treat that addiction. Unlike an alcoholic, being a teetotaler isn't an option. You've got to figure out a way to be a moderate user.

[DMFA]

The White Coat Investor wrote:

Take an internet sabbath- no getting on the net for any reason for a day or even a week.

Click to expand...

As my friend Walter says...SHOMER SHABBOS!

[G]

The White Coat Investor wrote:

It’s an issue for sure. It’s even worse if you have a job/business that is primarily on the internet.

Here’s a few ideas:

Take an internet sabbath- no getting on the net for any reason for a day or even a week.

Take an email vacation. Just don’t check your email one day or weekend.

Set an alarm when you get on. When the alarm goes off, get off.

Don’t get on the internet first thing in the morning, when you’re most productive. Save it for late evening.

Help other members of your family by encouraging them to get off when they’ve been on for a while. You can just nicely ask if they’re doing anything useful or just wasting time. It’s okay to waste time sometimes, but limit it.

Automate financial processes so you don’t have to be on the web to do them manually.

Engage in a hobby or other pursuit you enjoy that doesn’t leave you as much time to be on the internet.

Recognize that urge to check your phone or your website or your favorite forum for what it is- addiction. Just like an alcoholic, you have to take proactive steps to treat that addiction. Unlike an alcoholic, being a teetotaler isn’t an option. You’ve got to figure out a way to be a moderate user.

Click to expand...

I like those suggestions.  Batching time when I get onto the computer works best for me; I also have a new goal to not be on the computer at any time my daughter is home/awake.

When I was a kid, I'd get into an encyclopedia to look up something quick and then still be there an hour later.  Needless to say, now being an older kid, the internet has been both a blessing and a curse!

My phone is usually off.  I don't have FB (my wife does and keeps me updated about important stuff that might be found there).  Nor do I have twitter, linkedin, instagram, snapchat. The lack of social media is undoubtedly a detriment to my other endeavors, but I'm willing to take that hit at this point.

[disneydoc]

- Thank you guys for chiming in, reading the various inputs has been helpful, yes I want to get it under control,  I am feeling a little relieved that I am not the only one.

A little about my Laptop/Iphone/TV activities -

- I have never been on these - Face Book, Twitter, instagram, snapchat.

- I do not watch TV daily except the Local News about twice a week or on rare events  like Presidents Address to Nation........

- I usually go on these on Laptop - Vanguard, Bogleheads, Early-retirement, Amazon, Mint, Youtube, a Vegetarian Diabetics site, CNN, & recent addition is one we are using WCI

- On the Phone I go on Whatsapp (I lied earlier), I do not listen to Music.

- Listen to News & Talk Radio Channels in the Car & in the background at home.

 

Thanks Dr Mom, Jim & others for some helpful ideas for me to try, please keep them coming.

I will start with -The NO Laptop in mornings

 

Thank you guys

[Hatton]

Well I hope you keep,posting on this site.

[wideopenspaces]

You are definitely not alone. I have a few patients that I've worked with on this. The thing that I think is most useful is creating a routine/schedule, just like you had when you worked. So we sit down together and literally write out a daily schedule that they can post on the fridge. We put in meal times/prep, showering/dressing, exercise, chore time, running errand time and down time. So you give yourself permission to watch TV or get on the internet, but you limit it to whatever you feel is a reasonable amount of time-say 60 minutes twice a day. Set a timer and when it goes off, the computer/phone/tv goes away. If you find you are really struggling with this, I think seeing a therapist can be helpful too. The transition to retirement can be a tough one and it's important to figure out what you want this chapter of your life to look like and then to make it happen. You don't want to let time and life just wash over you, until you wake up out of an Internet haze, several months or years later and realize you haven't done anything meaningful in a long time. Good luck, I'm sure you'll figure this out!