Tips on Cutting Back Internet Usage (forums mostly)?

[Deleted member 9486]

I'm sure I'm not the only one on here that's struggled/is struggling with internet addiction issues. Forums have long been my bane as I waste hours on them, often getting annoyed rather than having a good time, and it cuts into productivity at work and into hobby time at home (end up wasting time bitching about games, movies etc. instead of consuming them).

What have others done to cut back?

On the forum front, this is the only one I'm currently active on. I have an account on Bluray.com but only post a few times a month at most over there in recent years. I keep that for the movie collection tracking features.

I'm thankfullly not really on Facebook or Twitter (have accounts, but don't post and only check if I get notification of posts from close friends so I don't miss invites to things and what not) and never got into Instantgram or the other platforms.

So for me it's really just forums/this site. I quit GAF (asked for a ban) before the meltdown as I was sick of it, but just ended up spending more time (though still less on Reddit). Now we have this site and I'm here a ton (but at least mostly off Reddit), but starting to feel the burn out and regret the wasted time.

So back to my main question, what have other forums addicts found effective in cutting back? Is there hope or do I just need to ask for a ban and quit cold turkey? I like the site as a source of news, but I lack self control to not get into arguments that just end up annoying me which is silly as someone pushing 40.

If I do decide I just need to quit cold turkey, what are some good gaming news aggregators?

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I personally have never felt it impacts my life to the point where I need to cut back. But my suggestion would be to take the "reading" of forums and change it to books maybe? Or another hobby you can enjoy instead.

 

[Steeped in a Sea of Games]

The age old question. I usually just have to use force of will to walk away. Ditching your phone for awhile helps, physically putting yourself away from computers, etc.

 

[okayfrog]

This is a horrible problem for me. I've found extensions like LeechBlock on Firefox and StayFocusd on Chrome have helped a bit.

 

[It’s Time To Go]

Switch the computer off, phone on silent, go and actually do stuff you're interested in, not just sitting or being bored. Like I go the cinema a lot, and I don't tend to desire to check gaming news or any kind of forums in a dark screen while the film is playing.

 

[Ultima_5]

possibly log off so that you cant participate in the message boards? they're less fun that way,

 

[Brakke]

hobby time at home (end up wasting time bitching about games, movies etc. instead of consuming them).

Click to shrink...

"Consuming media" isn't a hobby. Get a real hobby like fishing or painting or golf or photography. Something that takes some skill, that you can improve on, that requires focus. Something you can't do on the couch.

 

[BossAttack]

I wouldn't survive work without Era, so I can't say I have an addiction problem. I know how that sounds but my work is tedious and boring.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

I personally have never felt it impacts my life to the point where I need to cut back. But my suggestion would be to take the "reading" of forums and change it to books maybe? Or another hobby you can enjoy instead.

Click to shrink...

I do read and have plenty of hobbies. My issues has long been spending to much time on game and movie forums (the latter more so years ago) discussing my hobbies when I should be working or could be playing a game or whatever at home.

Though you still raise a good point as I've been suspicious in recent years that gaming is becoming more of a habit than a hobby and I spend more time discussing them than playing them as I often end up annoyed when gaming. So I'll have to do some reflection on that going forward.

The other issues is just having moved far twice for grad school and then job so my friends are scattered and being nearly 40 now it's not easy making new friends in a big city. And those I have (and my fiance) are more workaholic types and only casually into hobbies and don't care to discuss movies, none like games etc. So forums are a (poor) substitute for that socialization I guess, so that's something I should work on.

Anyway, just thinking out loud.

The age old question. I usually just have to use force of will to walk away. Ditching your phone for awhile helps, physically putting yourself away from computers, etc.

Click to shrink...

That's a good point. I end up dicking on here while playing games a lot as my iPhone and/or iPad are always next to me. I can try putting them further away. I can't get away from the computer at work, but I suppose I could use one of those browser extensions and block this website and others when I need to focus there.

 

[JavyOO7]

This is a horrible problem for me. I've found extensions like LeechBlock on Firefox and StayFocusd on Chrome have helped a bit.

Click to shrink...

Hell yeah on the StayFocusd extension. Helps me stay on top of being productive when I actually wanna be productive

 

[okayfrog]

"Consuming media" isn't a hobby. Get a real hobby like fishing or painting or golf or photography. Something that takes some skill, that you can improve on, that requires focus. Something you can't do on the couch.

Click to shrink...

Do we really need to be telling people "get a real hobby" on a message board primarily for video games?

 

[Zeshakag]

If you don't find the willpower to shut off social media/ the internet, meditating will help you be more mindful about browsing. Meditating brings me out of the gluttonous scrolling and mindless link clicking that one can fall into on message boards.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

"Consuming media" isn't a hobby. Get a real hobby like fishing or painting or golf or photography. Something that takes some skill, that you can improve on, that requires focus. Something you can't do on the couch.

Click to shrink...

Very true. I do miss sports and things like that. At the least I need to get back into running, biking and lifting more. I've been lazy this year, started to get back into it and then got swamped with work travel and then sick for a month after (ear infection, then the flu). Still getting over the cough and then I'll make a serious effort at that. On the plus side I've at least been successful in cutting back on drinking.

I wouldn't survive work without Era, so I can't say I have an addiction problem. I know how that sounds but my work is tedious and boring.

Click to shrink...

I'm a professor so my job is the opposite most of the time since I can choose what research to do etc. To be fair, I have more administrative work post-tenure, some new course preparations etc. that have had more tedious work and contributed to the forum addiction/procrastination at work thing.

Hell yeah on the StayFocusd extension. Helps me stay on top of being productive when I actually wanna be productive

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the recommendations. I'll look into those extensions for sure.

If you don't find the willpower to shut off social media/ the internet, meditating will help you be more mindful about browsing. Meditating brings me out of the gluttonous scrolling and mindless link clicking that one can fall into on message boards.

Click to shrink...

I've never tried mediation. I'll look into giving that a go. Any recommendations on free iOS apps to help a newbie?

 

[Deleted member 9486]

Have kids. Suddenly you don't have time for much.

Click to shrink...

Lol. Nope. Never wanted kids and got snipped over 4 years ago. :D

In terms of time, part of it's just that I got burnt out on work making the push to get tenure so I've been pretty much a slacker on the research side of things for the past year. That leads to lots of procrastination at work and lots of boredom at home (especially since my fiance's office moved and with the longer commute she's not home much before bedtime on weeknights).

I need to do some reflection there and find some new projects to get excited about. Thinking about my issues while reading and writing this thread are making me realize the forum addiction is more a symptom than a problem. I'm just in kind of a rut and bored in life and fixing that will fix the internet problem.

 

[Chozoman]

I'm thankfullly not really on Facebook or Twitter (have accounts, but don't post and only check if I get notification of posts from close friends so I don't miss invites to things and what not...

Click to shrink...

I know it's difficult, but delete them outright. I had mine intact for the notifications and ease of communication, but found that I still checked pretty regularly. I scrubbed/deleted all my social media accounts and it's been a little better. Close friends can call/text.

The only tip I can give you. If they are gone, you won't check.

 

[Mammoth Jones]

I do read and have plenty of hobbies. My issues has long been spending to much time on game and movie forums (the latter more so years ago) discussing my hobbies when I should be working or could be playing a game or whatever at home.

Though you still raise a good point as I've been suspicious in recent years that gaming is becoming more of a habit than a hobby and I spend more time discussing them than playing them as I often end up annoyed when gaming. So I'll have to do some reflection on that going forward.

The other issues is just having moved far twice for grad school and then job so my friends are scattered and being nearly 40 now it's not easy making new friends in a big city. And those I have (and my fiance) are more workaholic types and only casually into hobbies and don't care to discuss movies, none like games etc. So forums are a (poor) substitute for that socialization I guess, so that's something I should work on.

Anyway, just thinking out loud.



That's a good point. I end up dicking on here while playing games a lot as my iPhone and/or iPad are always next to me. I can try putting them further away. I can't get away from the computer at work, but I suppose I could use one of those browser extensions and block this website and others when I need to focus there.

Click to shrink...

I hear ya about the friends for sure. I'm 37 and man. I don't even hang out like I used to. I'm just so tired from the commute during the week (About 20 hours a week total commute time) that I don't wanna do anything when the weekend comes but chill on the couch, and netflix and chill with the wife lol.

And in regards to kids: I didn't have much time the first year. But now she's in daycare. I got time. It's money that's the bitch LMAO...

 

[Deleted member 9486]

I know it's difficult, but delete them outright. I had mine intact for the notifications and ease of communication, but found that I still checked pretty regularly. I scrubbed/deleted all my social media accounts and it's been a little better. Close friends can call/text.

The only tip I can give you. If they are gone, you won't check.

Click to shrink...

As I said, those aren't an issue. I almost never look at the feeds on Facebook or Twitter. Honestly, I was never a fan of social media and just joined for friends/family.

I have like 5 people on each I have set to notify me (mainly just Facebook) when they post things and I glance at those. But these aren't heavy users so we're talking just a few notifications a week and often of events they're going to/interested in going to and looking for people to meet up.

It's really just forums (and this one in particular) that are my problem.

I hear ya about the friends for sure. I'm 37 and man. I don't even hang out like I used to. I'm just so tired from the commute during the week (About 20 hours a week total commute time) that I don't wanna do anything when the weekend comes but chill on the couch, and netflix and chill with the wife lol.

And in regards to kids: I didn't have much time the first year. But now she's in daycare. I got time. It's money that's the bitch LMAO...

Click to shrink...

Oh I can't really complain on those fronts. We do have some great friends and usually hangout once a week or so. But it's just concerts, movies, dinner and drinks etc. The issue is more those friends don't share my hobbies so conversations are just about work, politics, social issues etc. which is great. But there's that void of not having someone to talk games, movies etc. with. Honestly, my issue is probably just needing to get over whatever pathetic need I have to discuss those things. I mostly have with movies, just need to with games. Other's opinions on those things mostly just annoy me as I've gotten older (which is why I quit the movie forums I was on for years).

Thankfully my commute is short (15-20 minutes each way). My fiancé's is 45-90 minutes each way depending on traffic since her office moved which sucks as she's beat like you and not home much during the week. It's definitely been a strain and we'll move closer to her new office next fall when our lease is up. It will make my commute worse, but I can work at home more and hope to find a place where I can take the subway (there's a stop near my office, but none near hers). We're pretty well off financially to, so I'm really just being kind of pathetic whining about being bored and addicted to forums. :(

 

[Deleted member 14900]

I like the snowball effect of just getting started. Prepare your work, assignment, chores, errands, etc. before you go to bed. Make a list of them. Start on one of them as soon as you're up and able to be productive. The most difficult one helps. Also meditation, as someone mentioned.

 

[Deleted member 22651]

I'm very keen to procrastination myself. Since most of my paperwork is done on my personal computer I use a browser extension - WasteNoTime (MacOS/Safari) - to block access to most sites during a my work hours. WasteNoTime also tracks how much time I spend online and in what websites. That can be a eye opener. I also don't keep any games or movies on my computer (and phone), only music.

In addition I use OmniFocus to list and prioritise my to-do's. Having a actual list of tasks to accomplish in front of me usually gets me back to work.

 

[FeistyBoots]

Post less threads on forums asking how to post less on forums. : D

 

[Violence Jack]

I'm usually on here during work for the most part. I'd say go do something to better yourself. Take up cooking classes, look to join a gym, read more, etc. I used to be in your shoes when I first joined GAF like 5 years ago. Thankfully, I had friends and a girlfriend who pulled me away and got me to be more social. Now I have a son and barely any time to do anything but attend to him while having an hour or two for gaming time.

 

[Squarehard]

 

[Deleted member 11157]

Buy a widget to keep your fingers busy.

 

[Deleted member 13091]

Remove it from your favorites so you have to type in the address. The extra steps may reduce the regularity of your use.

 

[RoninChaos]

Part of it, for me, is that sometimes it takes too much mental energy to play games or do a lot of shit after I'm done with work, do things with family, etc. so it's a lot easier to pop on a forum, make a random post and move on to something else. It doesn't help that so many games seem to want to be the only game you play, so a lot of the time I can't muster the energy to even bother.

When I was younger I had plenty of time to play most anything and hang with friends. Now I work like a dog and I'm fucking exhausted all the time so I don't play much these days. I just think it's just something that happens as we get older.

 

[TitanicFall]

Disable your ad blockers and you'll use the internet less frequently.

 

[Psxdad]

Personally, I think the trick is to fill the time you cut back with productivity. Doesn't have to be something important, it could be doing more of your hobby. Once you get used to accomplishing more, it is harder to go back. For example, I tried reducing my internet usage some this year and ended up reading 26 books and beating 31 games, which is well above what I normally do (especially books).

 

[Deleted member 9486]

Part of it, for me, is that sometimes it takes too much mental energy to play games or do a lot of shit after I'm done with work, do things with family, etc. so it's a lot easier to pop on a forum, make a random post and move on to something else. It doesn't help that so many games seem to want to be the only game you play, so a lot of the time I can't muster the energy to even bother.

When I was younger I had plenty of time to play most anything and hang with friends. Now I work like a dog and I'm fucking exhausted all the time so I don't play much these days. I just think it's just something that happens as we get older.

Click to shrink...

That's very true. My solution there should just be less gaming and internet, more TV/movies/reading when too tired. A big part of my issue is I really need to just scale back my gaming. At 39 and tired/stressed a lot it just shouldn't be my main hobby.

Disable your ad blockers and you'll use the internet less frequently.

Click to shrink...

I've never used ad blockers. Also moot since this site is my current problem addiction wise and is ad free. :D

Personally, I think the trick is to fill the time you cut back with productivity. Doesn't have to be something important, it could be doing more of your hobby. Once you get used to accomplishing more, it is harder to go back. For example, I tried reducing my internet usage some this year and ended up reading 26 books and beating 31 games, which is well above what I normally do (especially books).

Click to shrink...

That's definitely a great point and something I'll give a go.

 

[RoninChaos]

Yeah, lately I've cut back a LOT on gaming and have just been reading. Whether it's a few chapters a night in a book, or a few issues of a comic, it's all I want to do after staring at a screen all day. I think the big thing is to be engaged in whatever you're doing, even if it's passive engagement like watching a show.

 

[Windrunner]

This is something I have wrestled with for much of my life. I've only recently been able to shake the addiction without ditching my internet habit entirely by keeping myself busy with other things and going to bed early and getting up early. When I have an abundance of free time (some weekends) I find myself slipping.

 

[Bjones]

Just find other things to do. Go to public events. Movies, theater.

 

[Assisted Living Dracula]

If you want to cut back on posting or quit getting into silly arguments that really don't matter whatsoever, think long and hard before you post something. You may read something that raises your ire and you want to respond to it, but if you sit back and think about it for a few seconds you'll realize that it's not worth the effort to even wade into because it's all just going to be a big ass mess in the end with zero benefit to anyone. The fewer conversations you're involved in, the less time you spend on the board.

Also the ignore feature works really, really well if there are some posters you just can't resist responding to since you don't need an extension for their threads and replies to disappear from the board.

As for the rest of it, you just have to find things that stimulate you mentally more than the internet. Unfortunately, once our brains start expecting new stimuli or input every 5-10 seconds like the internet gives us, it's hard to slow down and focus on slower-paced activities.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

This is something I have wrestled with for much of my life. I've only recently been able to shake the addiction without ditching my internet habit entirely by keeping myself busy with other things and going to bed early and getting up early. When I have an abundance of free time (some weekends) I find myself slipping.

Click to shrink...

Yep, I definitley need to break the habit and find other ways to keep busy. Like you it's been an issue (somewhat on and off) for me for a large portion of my life. I got on forums back in the N64 days when I was probably 16 or 17 and have been on them since (39 now). It's hard to break 20+ year old habits, but also really pathetic to think of the hundreds of thousands of posts I've made across various sites over that span. :(

If you want to cut back on posting or quit getting into silly arguments that really don't matter whatsoever, think long and hard before you post something. You may read something that raises your ire and you want to respond to it, but if you sit back and think about it for a few seconds you'll realize that it's not worth the effort to even wade into because it's all just going to be a big ass mess in the end with zero benefit to anyone. The fewer conversations you're involved in, the less time you spend on the board.

Also the ignore feature works really, really well if there are some posters you just can't resist responding to since you don't need an extension for their threads and replies to disappear from the board.

As for the rest of it, you just have to find things that stimulate you mentally more than the internet. Unfortunately, once our brains start expecting new stimuli or input every 5-10 seconds like the internet gives us, it's hard to slow down and focus on slower-paced activities.

Click to shrink...

Good points. The first is something I've been working on and is the first thing I'm going to try before going to the extreme of asking for a ban and staying away for good. I'm going to try to just read threads about games that interest me, avoid any arguments and only post if I have something helpful to add or just want to chat about the game I'm playing. No more off topic forum, no more console war threads, sales threads, social issues threads etc.

The ignore feature is great. I've always used it heavily on forums I've frequented and this one has the best ignore feature I've seen s once you don't even see the persons posts, other people's quotes of them etc.

I definitely agree about the internet ruining attention spans. I constantly find myself grabbing my phone or iPad when watching shows, sports, or during loading screens on games. I need to start putting those out of reach when doing those things, and dropping games, movies and shows that aren't engaging me enough to give my full attention. I got a PSVR and love that—very immersive and with the headset on I can't be checking my phone or iPad so I'll make some effort to use that more and try to get back in the habit of focusing solely on one thing.

 

[AcidCat]

I definitely agree about the internet ruining attention spans. I constantly find myself grabbing my phone or iPad when watching shows, sports, or during loading screens on games. I need to start putting those out of reach when doing those things, and dropping games, movies and shows that aren't engaging me enough to give my full attention.

Click to shrink...

Man my ex wife used to do this all the time and it drove me nuts. I guess I can't really give advice though 'cause I don't have this problem, when I get home I set my phone down and then pretty much forget about it. I think it's something you'll just have to force yourself to practice to develop new habits. Set your phone somewhere so you can hear if someone calls/texts you but not where it's within easy reach and force yourself to just pretend it doesn't exist for as long as you can.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

I think it's something you'll just have to force yourself to practice to develop new habits. Set your phone somewhere so you can hear if someone calls/texts you but not where it's within easy reach and force yourself to just pretend it doesn't exist for as long as you can.

Click to shrink...

Yep, I definitely need to start doing that. Hell, I even have Apple Watch so I can look at texts on that and see if it's a call I need to answer (most are just robo calls as most people just text me).

As above, I need to do that, focus and drop things that aren't holding my attention and re-evaluate what types of games, shows, sports and movies I spend time on and whether I enjoy those things as much as used to or need to cut back and find new hobbies.

 

[Vadara]

"Consuming media" isn't a hobby. Get a real hobby like fishing or painting or golf or photography. Something that takes some skill, that you can improve on, that requires focus. Something you can't do on the couch.

Click to shrink...

Are painting and writing not hobbies because you can do them from a couch? I write from my bed, even!

 

[Venatio]

Stop posting. Seriously. I only start to refresh this site (or the old one) like a madman once I post something, because then I'm part of the conversation and I want to keep it going. If I'm just lurking, I spend way less time on here.

 

[Deleted member 3815]

Try this method, everyday set a side 15 minutes and in that 15 minutes try to refrain from using the internet outside of work purpose and after 15 minutes is up go back online and each day increase it by 5 minutes and before you know it you will have a cycle where you are spending more time away from the internet and doing the thing you want to do.

"Consuming media" isn't a hobby. Get a real hobby like fishing or painting or golf or photography. Something that takes some skill, that you can improve on, that requires focus. Something you can't do on the couch.

Click to shrink...

Well done you just discredited reading as a hobby, which is a form of consuming media and can be done on the couch.

"Get a real hobby" my arse.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

Stop posting. Seriously. I only start to refresh this site (or the old one) like a madman once I post something, because then I'm part of the conversation and I want to keep it going. If I'm just lurking, I spend way less time on here.

Click to shrink...

I definitely need to cut back on posting as I do that too. If I wasn't posting at all I might as well quit though as I don't find just reading forums very entertaining. Few worthwhile posts and there are better sources for news. So if I can get the posting and refreshing in check by early 2018 I'll just request a ban and swear off forums.

Try this method, everyday set a side 15 minutes and in that 15 minutes try to refrain from using the internet outside of work purpose and after 15 minutes is up go back online and each day increase it by 5 minutes and before you know it you will have a cycle where you are spending more time away from the internet and doing the thing you want to do.

Click to shrink...

That's a good idea. I could probably do an hour once or twice a day. I'm not addicted to the point that I'm on it all the time, I already usually have a few hour stretches here and there that I'm not on it at all or much. Just not lately as I've been sick,and then my fiancé been sick and it's winter break so not going into the office etc. so my recent post history is especially crazy.

 

[KennyL]

This worked for me.

Follow @ResetEraNT and @NESbot_OT on Twitter and don't visit main site directly.

I started doing this last year with neogaf and found myself more and more satisfied by just seeing new thread titles until pretty much stopped visiting main site. Also keep yourself logged off.

 

[Inugami]

It's never badly effected my day to day life... But if I wanted to combat it, I'd see hard time limits for myself and set alarms. It's simple, but so is time a strong around your finger so you don't forget something.

Then the excuse of "time going by" is gone.

I'd also make myself a plan for what to do with my time. If you have plans, is harder to go "just 5 more minutes" over and over again.

Plan for walks, meal times, grocery store, etc anything to get you away from the source for a bit.

 

[adso]

I had this problem with other sites in the past and I found that certain sanctions had an effect. First I deleted any browser bookmarks to the site, then I set my browser so it only uses bookmarks for URL bar suggestions:

This makes it so you have to manually type "resetera.com" and hit enter every time you visit. That delay is actually pretty significant, because most of your visits here (assuming you're addicted) are mindless bookmark clicks that wouldn't happen if you had to take the time to type it in. You can do this for all time-wasting sites (Facebook, Twitter, et al) and add a bunch of bookmarks for nice productive sites (The New Yorker, Pocket/Instapaper, maybe a tutorial for 3D modeling or whatever).

Also log out on all devices except the main one you visit the site on (which for me is my gaming desktop). For example my phone and laptop are signed out, so I can't post from there. Although I browsed there occasionally anyway (which wasn't a big deal), being signed out dissuaded me from visiting constantly from those devices like I used to.

 

[Brakke]

Well done you just discredited reading as a hobby, which is a form of consuming media and can be done on the couch.

"Get a real hobby" my arse.

Click to shrink...

I set clear criteria for what a useful hobby is in this particular context of a dude who is anxious about how easy it is for him to get distracted by the internet.

It's extremely easy to swap a phone into your hand when you're reading a book at home. Not so if you're out gardening or whatever.

 

[bjork]

Get into a forum-sanctioned ban bet, and when you lose and can't interact, you'll find you care far far less.

 

[Deleted member 9486]

Get into a forum-sanctioned ban bet, and when you lose and can't interact, you'll find you care far far less.

Click to shrink...

Lol. I wouldn't bother with that. I'm going to try some of the tips in this thread (and any more that come) as there's some good ideas here. That will be part of my New Year's Resolutions, and if I'm failing by the end of January I'll bump this thread to say my goodbyes and request a ban. I think I can keep off other sites as I've hated all the other forums, Reddit etc. I've vistted in recent years.

 

[Deleted member 19813]

I guess I'm addicted to this forum, but I do t think it effects my life.

 

[natjjohn]

If dont have self-control, would do what you did before and ask for a ban for the immediate future. Then if possible, seek mental health assistance if truly think a problem.

 

[bjork]

Lol. I wouldn't bother with that. I'm going to try some of the tips in this thread (and any more that come) as there's some good ideas here. That will be part of my New Year's Resolutions, and if I'm failing by the end of January I'll bump this thread to say my goodbyes and request a ban. I think I can keep off other sites as I've hated all the other forums, Reddit etc. I've vistted in recent years.

Click to shrink...

If you make it a resolution, it won't stick. Ask for like 3-4 months ban and then see where you're at when it's over. You might come back and find you only need to check it once/twice per day and you're good*

*spoken from experience, spending 12h per day on a forum at one point and reducing it to almost no time now.

 

[Darth Finky Spunky]

No harm done browsing forums huh but if you really want a tip, dedicate a certain area in your schedule just for forum browsing. I myself set a timer, because it is hard with such easy access, hell if forums were in the form of a newspaper I'd probably only read them once a week over coffee.

 

[dead souls]

Well, if I knew how to do that I'd do it myself. I waste way too much time on the internet.