# Less Time Online



## Melinda (Feb 5, 2009)

I have been an internet addict since I was a teenager and in recent years it has gotten somewhat out of control. So this morning I wrote myself a note to tack up next to my computer at my desk. I'm hoping it will motivate me to limit the time I waste online and I wanted to share it with you before signing off.

*Before Going Online Consider/Do the Following: *

X How much time do you want to waste?

X How much time can you _afford_ to waste?

X If you sit here and go online you are more likely to do the following: 
-Overeat (junk food near the computer, not real food) 
-Feel like a failure 
-Be depressed 
-Avoid your boyfriend/avoid other friends

X Write down 3 things that you could be doing other than sitting here on the computer.

X Wasting time online is your drug of choice, and the high is no longer there.

X It is not "taking care" of yourself to spend hours online doing nothing. You're doing yourself a disservice.

X Let yourself have a future, a figure, and friends: STAY OFFLINE!

Hope this works! Good luck to anyone who has a similar goal! We can do it!


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## cybernaut (Jul 30, 2010)

Good luck to you too. I know the feeling of wasting so much time on the computer. Your right it does make me more depressed too. I was able to get out of the house today, and as soon as I stepped outside the depression pretty much faded away. It's July, and college is a month and a half away D:. I pretty much wasted most of May and all of June on it.

*1. How much time do you want to waste?* These days have been getting a bit better especially when it's daytime. I don't want to spend most of my day being on it that's for sure.
*
2.How much time can you * *afford to waste?* Not so much that will cause time to fly by wayyy to fast.

*3. If you sit here and go online you are more likely to do the following: * 

-Overeat (junk food near the computer, not real food) *TRUE*
-Feel like a failure  *TRUE*

-Be depressed *TRUE..especially** seeing crap from the social media/social networking*

-Avoid your boyfriend/avoid other friends. *I don't have any of these, but yes I do become more avoidant.* 
*
*Write down 3 things that you could be doing other than sitting here on the computer.* 
1. Hobbies: learning languages, learning how to cook, going out in general,writing
2. Improving my SA/Reading
3. Catching up with reality and knowing whats going on in the world
4. Spending time with family


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## Melinda (Feb 5, 2009)

Good luck to you raven!

Checking in. I believe I have made progress. I am much more _aware_ of the time I'm wasting these days and the other things I want/need to do besides mess around online. Still need to get better at managing my time, but...small steps, yes?


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## Boring Loser (Oct 21, 2011)

Thanks for this. Staying away from the internet is what I really need to do too.


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## Swagger91 (Dec 18, 2011)

I've been forced to do this over the past two weeks as my laptop packed up and has been in for repair, and I can honestly say it's been the best two weeks for me for a _long_ time. I've been so much more productive, I'm getting involved with some volunteering at my local library and I've even joined the gym. Not having my computer around to waste the day on, forced me to actually do stuff. Even just spending more time reading and watching movies has made me feel better than being in stuck in front of a computer screen all day. I was spending like 8-10 hours a day on here (no wonder it packed in!) and now I'm down to about an hour a day and it's made such a positive difference.


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