

Ask HN: How not to be a computer addict? - init0

I'm always sticked on to HN, reddit, Github and my site. I'm turning anti-social and have no intrest to do anything else either my day job as a ruby coder!
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terrykohla
I had this problem and I simply didn't get internet at home or on my phone. I
would access the internet at the office or I'd go to the library (and get free
books/DVDs at the same time) or coffee shops or my parent's house. This forced
me to go out or to do different things at home such as reading books, watch a
DVD (mono-tasking). It forced me to use my computer in creative ways (offline
mode) rather than consuming from the internet (you need to balance these two),
I'd listen to interesting talk radio or music (via radio waves). Blocking all
the information flow from coming into your house will open some room for your
creativity which is suffocated by being constantly bombarded by infinite never
ending amounts of information. In addition, since you're not connected to the
web 24/7, you'll be more selective about what you consume online since your
access will be limited and inevitably will have to be optimized. My solution
is perceived as extreme by many who cannot live without internet, but hey you
gotta learn to know what works for you. Don't forget to exercise!

~~~
init0
"infinite never ending amounts of information" has become my drug :( It's so
tough to go offline!

~~~
terrykohla
It's a form of bulimia.

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dylnclrk
First off, don't get down on yourself about this! A lot of people struggle
with internet addiction, and it's easy to turn it around. It just takes one
step at a time.

Get rid of reddit and HN first, later you can tackle your blog and Github (as
they are at least slightly productive).

If you can break that first impulse to visit these sites, it's a lot easier to
control yourself. But you do need to make sure you're not using proxies or
some other workaround to access the sites and that will take self control and
some reflection.

Reddit: Reddit is nearly a complete waste of time these days. Block Reddit
using your hosts file. I redirect reddit.com to localhost where I host a page
that says "no reddit! get productive".

HN: Let yourself occasionally browse HN as it's not all trash like reddit. Set
up anti-procrastination in your HN user preferences. Make sure to go with the
most extreme settings.

two more tips: * Dont bring your computer into your bedroom. I set the power
of my router to not provide internet in my room.

* As danso said, USE A TIMER!

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vineet
Firstly, lets make sure you do your day job well, and then others will
(hopefully) follow. I do this in two steps:

For interesting articles during work time I always save them for later. This
is usually using Pocket (getPocket.com) but there are other tools. Later I
read them when I am in the mood to read the interesting articles. This way, I
try to limit wasted time.

For when I want to add a comment, I actually plan to only do it 2-3 times a
day, and at most in 15 minute slots each time. This again puts an upper limit
on my time on non-work tasks.

Once you do the above, you realize how much time you were wasting on non-
essential things. And from there, you can take on other fun projects.

~~~
init0
My day job is not affected. I have pocket installed but don't use it much.
Can't restrict myself so easily like you did! :(

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bruceshaoheng
I sticked on to HN,weibo,path too.But i also like coding,product design.Maybe
you relax by travel.

~~~
init0
I also doing coding and I feel frusturated if I don't update my blog with some
intresting code/post :( It 90% technical stuff so far have 450+ articles..

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pasbesoin
Find other things that are more engaging.

Find ways to be more comfortable engaging in them.

Physical activity and (healthy -- no need to be Arnold) strength tend to
promote self-confidence and a sense of well being.

Take some walks -- even if by yourself. Walk in interesting/enjoyable places.

Buy some dumbells and spend 10, 15, 30 minutes a day on some basic exercises.
Depending upon your work environment, you might keep them at your desk and do
a few reps now and then or when you're tired or blocked, anyway.

Don't paint too big a target. Start with small things, and see where it
builds.

Oh, and look at other things that leave you feeling more socially comfortable.
A haircut. Clothing that blends in with the crowd you're approaching. You
don't have to "sell out". Just... nibble at the edges of some of the emotions
that might feed what you're describing as an anti-social tendency.

\-- Your friendly neighborhood hermit (i.e. take this with a grain of salt,
but I have noticed these factors, myself)

P.S. Ok, I'll add: I've had some abusive neighbors that made my life a hell.
After several years, recently they've gotten somewhat better, but I still live
in fear of recurring abuse.

The resulting seclusion has been... a self-perpetuating downward spiral.

It became easy to turn to and hide out in "online". But this did not stop the
downward spiral in other aspects of my life.

Don't let such a pattern set too deeply. The longer it lasts, the worse it
gets, and the harder it is to get out of.

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danso
Make it hard to get on to the social sites:

* Have one browser, your least favorite browser, reserved for your social sites. It makes it harder to switch from your github-viewing/work browsing to HN/reddit/etc because you don't have the ability to comment or track discussions as easily (from the work browser).

* If that's not enough, change your passwords to your social accounts to a random string and paste it into a text file, and then log off your accounts. When you need to log back in, find that text file and copy-paste the password in. This creates enough friction that you can slowly break the habit of compulsively checking social sites when you don't need to.

* Use a timer to work. I like using the iPhone Ambiance app (99 cents), which lets you download from a huge library of ambiant noise sounds, from static noise to train stations, and I set a timer for half an hour in which I do nothing but the current task.

This sounds like small-time stuff but breaking habits _is small time stuff_.
As with coding, don't think of it as "I need to build this awesome web
app/uber-function", think of it as the smallest parts leading to the major
goal.

With habits, especially, it's important to just follow routine until it's
muscle memory. In this case, the routine is: not compulsively/instinctively
checking websites for leisure.

~~~
init0
I feel frusturated if I don't update my blog with some intresting code/post :(
It 90% technical stuff so far have 450+ articles....

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aw4y
Go out!!!

~~~
init0
Need to...very badly.

