Device And Internet Addiction - Share Your Techniques And Experiences

[TimStr]

Addiction to communication and internet devices is one of the most common ones, especially for personal developement beginners. It is also one of the most obstructive ones when we start to pursue serious growth of consciousness. Most of us own at least 2-3 machines that offer constant distraction 24/7, which makes serious consciousness work basically impossible. Of cause technology has its upsides and growth is all about balance. So lets find some ways to learn to use our devices rather than being used by them.

I just want this to be a big sharing and discussion thread for step by step practical techniques that help us to habitualize using our devices consciously. So post whatever you've got and discuss what works and doesn't work for you.

Here are some of the techniques, I stumbled upon:

1. batch your communication
   Have designated time slots throughout your day for getting to your communication. This keeps you in a proactive state, rather than in a reactive.
2. have device free time in the moring and evening
   Give yourself some time with yourself at the start and end of every new day.
3. have deliberate intent
   Before you touch your device, connect with what is your good reason for touching it. This gives you some leaverage on the negative force of distraction that your device offers.
4. Get in touch with your feelings
   All addictions root cause is for your ego to find something, to distract you from a feeling or experience, that your ego doesn't want to experience fully. Observe your feeling during your meditaion to get in the habit of allowing every feeling just to be, rather than having to distract yourself from it. Mindfullness meditation is a great way of getting in touch with experience.
5. Technology shabat
   Unplug for one whole day, every week. Shut your devices off satureday night and leave them off until monday morning. This gives you one whole day every week to just be with yourself and the stuff, that is most important to you.
6. Unplugging
   Have a longer period of ceveraly days or weeks without your devices and internet. Retreats are a great opportunity for that.

Here are some videos, that elaborate on these 5 techniques:

• JP Sears - Winning Your Mind Back! Ending Slavery to Devices
• Tiffany Shlain - Technology Shabbat

 

Looking forward to hear about your ways of combating device and internet addiction!

[krazzer]

Turn off all possible notifications.

Worked wonders for me.

[TimStr]

@krazzer

Definately improved my phone habits as well, by turning off notifications. 

Still, I find, that I tend to check my phone and messages way too often and most of the time just for the sake of checking them.

[Joseph Maynor]

We gotta balance everything in smart ways.  If you're growing, that's the test.  Synergy was one of Covey's Habits for a reason.  Ya ever hear of the phrase -- "Two heads are better than one!"  Well, there you have it.  If you wanna be smart, you gotta learn from everyone.  And for that you need to be in an environment where people of all ages discuss ideas.  It depends on what your motive is.  And what you take to be important to your growth at a particular time.  If it's not resonating with you, if you feel too reigned in -- just stay away for a while.  But remember: Keep rules, but be flexible with them too.  Do rules, don't let rules do you!  It's a certain kind of intuitive balancing act.  Use all of your tools to the max!  And give back!  You owe that to your teachers.  Give back what you took and then some!  That's called contribution: and it's a core element of life purpose work.  Contribute to growth -- you'll get it back in spades!  It depends on how far you wanna go in this work.  If you're a deep-diver like me, you'll wanna hit the deepest bottom there is.  For better or for worse!  There's a deep backdrop that you can build -- like the stark-white canvas behind the painting.  There's something to be gleaned from every experience.  Be a sponge -- just wring yourself out every now and again.  That's fine!  That's normal!  Cleanse and renew.  That's healthy.  I've done that many times myself.  That's what life is!

https://www.franklincovey.com/the-7-habits/habit-6.html

Watch:

Watch this one after:

 

Edited October 14, 2017 by Joseph Maynor

[ChimpBrain]

I'll list a few things I've done that helped me personally. Turn off all notifications, turn phone screen setting to black & white, don't take phone with me into the bathroom, don't take my phone to the table for meals, and put kindle books on my phone so when I am on it I'm less tempted by IG or Twitter and more likely to spend that time reading something worthwhile. 

[Nahm]

I have found multitasking is useful. I usually use my ipad while doing cardio, waiting. 

[krazzer]

15 hours ago, TimStr said:

@krazzer

Definately improved my phone habits as well, by turning off notifications. 

Still, I find, that I tend to check my phone and messages way too often and most of the time just for the sake of checking them.

Yeah your own brain is a distraction in itself.

I still have this problem when working and then all of a sudden I want to check out some website (including this one).

I removed all bookmarks to these kinds of websites, and you can also remove apps from your phone, like Facebook.

Of course you can still look them up, but it's less easy.

[Damir Elezi]

This channel is gold. What helps me is to combine it with other habitual patterns I have throughout the day, for example only chook social media and messages right after a meal.