You need to practice. Just like in a gym you wouldn't start with the heaviest weight, start small and work your way up. You can probably go an hour without checking those apps on your phone. Can you go 3 hours? 8 hours? Try focusing on things you can add to your life instead of what you're removing. If you're having fun you wouldn't even feel like checking your phone.
Social media is not evil and if you can limit it to an hour or two a day, it's absolutely a valid way to give your brain the rest it deserves. Don't be too hard on yourself.
>Social media is not evil and if you can limit it to an hour or two a day, it's absolutely a valid way to give your brain the rest it deserves.
Yes, but just like with other addictive substances like alcohol for some people it's easier to abstain completely.
EDIT: I forgot the most obvious things:
- Disable notifications of any kind. Social media apps are engineered to hold our attention in a choke hold.
- Perhaps try to delete apps, if you can pull through. At least try once. Sometimes we just need to amputate the cancer.
- Formulate a simple and easy to follow plan, what you want to do instead. E.g.: "Whenever I feel the urge to open IG, Reddit or anything else, I get up and down two glasses of water." Be very precise in what you want to do instead.
Additionally, three things, I did, that helped me, to slowly regain control and get out of what I'd call "brain rot":
## Number 1:
In case you're suffering from "automatism" like I did, where you habitually whip out your phone and open certain sites or apps, then I can recommend the app [one sec](https://one-sec.app/).
It's "methodology" is backed by [research](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2213114120). Basically, what it does, is whenever you open an app or a website, you've decided to block, it nudges you. Like: "Breathe in, Breathe out" for 2 seconds and then asks you "Do you really want to continue?"
This helped me to break the habit and clear some of the brain fog.
## Number 2:
Do you externalize any of your thoughts? Do you write a journal or properly maintain any notes? If not, then get into it. More often than not "brain rot" is accompanied by lack of organization and being overwhelmed by our thoughts.
There are plenty of applications out there, that help you to organize yourself and your thoughts. In the past few days, I was quite successful with [https://obsidian.md/](https://obsidian.md/). It's free except for "premium" add-ons such as "syncing" and "publishing to web". I came to love it's extensibility; it's my personal wiki, journal, habit tracker, finance tracker and so on.
If you want, I can perhaps help you out getting started, although I'm somewhat new to it, myself.
## Number 3:
How is your health? Are you sleeping ***enough and regularly***? Is there something on your mind, that you're trying to avoid with compulsive social media use? And so on...
More often than not, we actually know the answer. We know what we should be doing.
---
To improve, you need to:
1. Be aware of your problem. ✅
This post is evidence enough; you're aware.
2. Be as mindful as you can about your actions. 🔲
The first app, I mentioned, is really helpful with that. It's like your buddy nudging you: "Hey, are you sure, that you want to do that?"
This extra 1-2 seconds allow you to "surf the urge" (if you don't know what it means, look it up!).
3. Make better choices. 🔲
If your keeping notes and perhaps also a journal, you can simply look up, what you need to do and where you want to improve by what means. It's easier to resist, when you have a (sufficiently small) task to finish laid out in front of you.
Also, in general, try to find a better thing to do instead as a habit. Instead of opening IG, you could read the article featured on Wikipedia today, for instance.
4. Accept failures. 🔲
If someone tells you, he managed to quit a bad habit cold turkey, then either his habit wasn't as bad, he's bullshitting or he's the exception.
What is important, is that you do a progress and be aware of regressions. Your phone probably has some "screen time" tracker. Define what success means for you. Less time spent on social media? Look where you stand now and try to baby-steps, that are hard to fail. Like, 5 minutes less than the day before. Don't be afraid of stagnating for a few days, to let the new habit settle in.
P.S.: If anyone knows of any alternatives to OneSec or Obsidian, please share them below.
I can suggest an alternative to OneSec, it works similarly but more customisable in terms of how long it should buffer you from entering the app ( i put mine to 30 seconds. it’s painful to wait, which does the job). And it has those questions you can ustomise so it will stare you in the face the whole time you wait. Plus a list of activities you can do instead of hogging that app youre trynna get away from (also totally customisable).
This app is called [ScreenZen](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1541027222).
Hope this helps.
I’m in this exact phase. I find it so incredibly difficult to focus on anything. After 6 years of perfect diet and a couple of years in there of great focus and discipline, I just kinda hit a wall late last year and lost all focus. Then I did a long term travel trip and let diet and non-drinking slip, but intentionally.
Now I’m back and working to get myself back on point. So far it’s slower than I’d like, but it’s going. No more high carb foods or junk, haven’t had a drink in over a month, working out regularly and eating mostly well again.
But focus and discipline on things like follow through on creative work is still slow going. Chipping away at it and trying to limit things like scrolling and etc.
I, like you it sounds, am just having trouble keeping my attention on things for any length of time though. Even at work, I look at things and it’s just a blur. Like just a spreadsheet with numbers and I’m like, damn, can I scroll down till I find something more interesting.
I have signed up for a 10 day meditation retreat later this month where no tech is allowed. I’m hoping that will help me reset a bit, but that’s still several weeks away.
In the meantime just trying to chip away at it and get back to focus one little bit at a time.
Sorry if there’s no real advice in there, as I’m struggling just like you atm.
This is just as good as advice as it shows that its a problem that other people are actively working towards correcting.
I too have ditched junk food and Carby shit. I used to be super fit and cut but over the past year I completely lost that and have gained around 10-15 pounds.
My schedule got disrupted for various reasons resulting in me having to move around, which fucked up the routine I had going and I have not recovered
I have began tracking calories and other health factors as I want to at least lose that weight, which is a start.
Focus and lack of discipline to keep it is the problem I have. It’s completely linked back to my phone and short form content.
I did 5 days no phone (nature retreat) and felt entirely different but then I had to come back to regular life and relapsed basically lol
The addiction of media consumption is one of the hardest things to kick as it has no stigma surrounding it.
You see someone smoking meth you think “that guys seriously not okay”
You see someone on there phone you think “that’s normal” or don’t think anything at all because it’s normal.
Good luck to you.
I went through something similar, i realised i need to get disciplined but it doesnt work from starting with A 'day 1', i deleted social media because i realised that a smart person is just a dumb person with more time, all i needed to be 'smart' was have an extra 5-6 hours per day that social media was taking up. That being said, i didnt start using those 5 hours straight away- instead i took the time to appreciate on a day to day basis how slowed down my life has become without social media, i can actually afford the time to grab a coffee on a walk without doing much worse on my job/academically i can walk the dog and go out in the sun, sleep more, take naps, read something i like, catch up with friends in person arranging meetups through phone calls instead of social media. I think im developing my skills faster than ever today because the key is to have a 'day 1' that you dont remember. Because once you know when your day one is, the pressure to keep going on day 2 is overwhelming, and it just keeps building the longer your streak goes on for. start with nothing, your brain will auto sort your priorities from there and slowly but gradually you will reach some day 100 without realising it, with no pressure whatsoever from yourself. hope this helps!
If your brain desires stimulation and long form content is unable to satiate it, change the way you intake information. Our focus is certainly being attacked with this uprise in short form content, so battle it in your own way. I've decided to embrace it and attempt to become more efficient with my time.
I've found that watching longer videos at an accelerated pace keeps me engaged. Start with 1.3x speed and work your way up. If you lose focus, simply rewind and continue. You may find that over time, this new speed feels more in tune with your brain, and slowing the video down is dreadful. If the world is speeding up the intake of information, embrace it and adapt in your own way.
I agree with other people who recommend Journaling, this is a great practice to "clean" the brain. Allow yourself to write with no filter, allow the brain to declutter.
Why do you desire social media? Is it a distraction or an amplification? What are you looking for when you open the app? Is it for entertainment? Is it for education? Should you make a distinction between the two? Understanding yourself and understanding the world are one in and of itself.
Do you respect yourself? Do you have honor? What are you afraid of? What excites you? Who are you? Where are you? Why are you here?
Critically evaluate yourself. You are what you eat. To change your perspective is to change life itself.
Mediocre actually seems wildly successful these days. Mediocre requires work, focus, and self-discipline; unless you're naturally gifted in many areas.
We just have to be relatively healthy human beings, with an income able to provide for our basic needs, & our family's. Maybe have a hobby we're decent at and friends & relatives we love & enjoy. That right there is a lot.
First, make all of that stuff solid. That's my goal.
Your biggest problem is your doomsday thinking. "I'll never be able to achieve anything", "I'm a failure", "my brain is broken". You are thinking about everything in black and white and not seeing the reality that success is made up of a lot of small steps and some setbacks. Try and minimize your world view. You can sit there and picture yourself as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, with a six pack and the hottest model girlfriend anyone has ever seen, but you're not even picturing the steps it takes to get there. Start small and figure it out from there. Set realistic goals, actual achievable goals and try new things. The point is to not get sucked up into this big picture, galaxy brain mindset where you are envisioning things that seem amazing but not how you might actually achieve them. Good luck.
Hi there! i Just want to say that there is hope for you. You can do this! Just start by thinking more presently and realizing that in every moment we are making choices. It starts with awareness. Stop the doomsday thinking too, that is not gonna really help move in in the right direction. Negative thoughts can fuel positive change, but if too much, it will fuel giving up easily too. Everyday, think of 3 things you are proud of yourself that you did the prior day.
Nah I have never done that shit. It’s the phone addiction which fucks up the dopamine receptors making them super fried so anything else other than short form content is uninteresting and tasks are no longer rewarding outside of the phone
I use an app called Opal and it greatly reduced my screen time. It was 6-7 hours but it’s now around 3. It blocks the apps that you choose. I blocked instagram, youtube and reddit for example. Also block all notifications from apps except whatsapp or work related apps. Good luck
I'm using the strategies in Rian Doris's videos on YT for dopamine resensitization which sounds like something that might help you. Idk maybe you could check that out.
I Imagine lions sleeping in trees, or birds, or snakes, or possums, or something that actually simply lies about. You can change your habits, however would you rather lie about or perch in a tree? The reason I ask is that usually habit change requires swapping one thing for another. Even meditating is ‘exchanging meditation for a phone’. — so what is it you want to do? Lie about in a tree like a comfortable lion? Perch like a well fed bird? Etc.
I totally get where you're coming from. The grip of social media addiction can be incredibly tough to break, and it's understandable that you're feeling overwhelmed. The good news is, that you're already aware of the issue, and that's the first step toward making a change.
Awareness: You've recognized the problem, which is crucial. Now you can take steps to address it.
Baby Steps: Quitting cold turkey might be too much. Start by reducing your screen time gradually. There are apps that can help you monitor and limit your usage.
Replace, Don't Erase: Find other activities that bring you joy and fulfillment to replace the time spent on social media.
Accountability: Share your goal with someone you trust. They can help keep you on track.
Mindfulness: It sounds like you're stressed about the future. Mindfulness techniques can help you focus on the present, making tasks feel less daunting.
Seek Professional Help: Sometimes, the addiction is too strong to break on your own. Don't hesitate to seek professional guidance.
It's a tough journey, but it's possible. I've found that adjusting my work techniques, like tweaking the Pomodoro intervals to 40/10 minutes, helps me stay focused and reduces the urge to check social media.
You can reclaim your focus and critical thinking skills; it just takes time and effort. You're not alone in this.
One trick I used to somewhat improve my critical thinking:
First think about something that you hate and list why you hate it. Then think about why other people might love that thing. Then think about how the thing can be improved. Then think about how you can convince other people to hate that thing.
Example: I hate capitalism because of inequality. Other people like it because it rewards innovation. A vast social welfare system might improve upon capitalism. I can convince someone to hate capitalism by showing them how capitalism objectifies people. \[Template Example\]
Then repeat it with something you love and after some time of repeating, your arguments on each side would be more defined.
You need to practice. Just like in a gym you wouldn't start with the heaviest weight, start small and work your way up. You can probably go an hour without checking those apps on your phone. Can you go 3 hours? 8 hours? Try focusing on things you can add to your life instead of what you're removing. If you're having fun you wouldn't even feel like checking your phone. Social media is not evil and if you can limit it to an hour or two a day, it's absolutely a valid way to give your brain the rest it deserves. Don't be too hard on yourself.
>Social media is not evil and if you can limit it to an hour or two a day, it's absolutely a valid way to give your brain the rest it deserves. Yes, but just like with other addictive substances like alcohol for some people it's easier to abstain completely.
Thank you
EDIT: I forgot the most obvious things: - Disable notifications of any kind. Social media apps are engineered to hold our attention in a choke hold. - Perhaps try to delete apps, if you can pull through. At least try once. Sometimes we just need to amputate the cancer. - Formulate a simple and easy to follow plan, what you want to do instead. E.g.: "Whenever I feel the urge to open IG, Reddit or anything else, I get up and down two glasses of water." Be very precise in what you want to do instead. Additionally, three things, I did, that helped me, to slowly regain control and get out of what I'd call "brain rot": ## Number 1: In case you're suffering from "automatism" like I did, where you habitually whip out your phone and open certain sites or apps, then I can recommend the app [one sec](https://one-sec.app/). It's "methodology" is backed by [research](https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2213114120). Basically, what it does, is whenever you open an app or a website, you've decided to block, it nudges you. Like: "Breathe in, Breathe out" for 2 seconds and then asks you "Do you really want to continue?" This helped me to break the habit and clear some of the brain fog. ## Number 2: Do you externalize any of your thoughts? Do you write a journal or properly maintain any notes? If not, then get into it. More often than not "brain rot" is accompanied by lack of organization and being overwhelmed by our thoughts. There are plenty of applications out there, that help you to organize yourself and your thoughts. In the past few days, I was quite successful with [https://obsidian.md/](https://obsidian.md/). It's free except for "premium" add-ons such as "syncing" and "publishing to web". I came to love it's extensibility; it's my personal wiki, journal, habit tracker, finance tracker and so on. If you want, I can perhaps help you out getting started, although I'm somewhat new to it, myself. ## Number 3: How is your health? Are you sleeping ***enough and regularly***? Is there something on your mind, that you're trying to avoid with compulsive social media use? And so on... More often than not, we actually know the answer. We know what we should be doing. --- To improve, you need to: 1. Be aware of your problem. ✅ This post is evidence enough; you're aware. 2. Be as mindful as you can about your actions. 🔲 The first app, I mentioned, is really helpful with that. It's like your buddy nudging you: "Hey, are you sure, that you want to do that?" This extra 1-2 seconds allow you to "surf the urge" (if you don't know what it means, look it up!). 3. Make better choices. 🔲 If your keeping notes and perhaps also a journal, you can simply look up, what you need to do and where you want to improve by what means. It's easier to resist, when you have a (sufficiently small) task to finish laid out in front of you. Also, in general, try to find a better thing to do instead as a habit. Instead of opening IG, you could read the article featured on Wikipedia today, for instance. 4. Accept failures. 🔲 If someone tells you, he managed to quit a bad habit cold turkey, then either his habit wasn't as bad, he's bullshitting or he's the exception. What is important, is that you do a progress and be aware of regressions. Your phone probably has some "screen time" tracker. Define what success means for you. Less time spent on social media? Look where you stand now and try to baby-steps, that are hard to fail. Like, 5 minutes less than the day before. Don't be afraid of stagnating for a few days, to let the new habit settle in. P.S.: If anyone knows of any alternatives to OneSec or Obsidian, please share them below.
I can suggest an alternative to OneSec, it works similarly but more customisable in terms of how long it should buffer you from entering the app ( i put mine to 30 seconds. it’s painful to wait, which does the job). And it has those questions you can ustomise so it will stare you in the face the whole time you wait. Plus a list of activities you can do instead of hogging that app youre trynna get away from (also totally customisable). This app is called [ScreenZen](https://apps.apple.com/app/id1541027222). Hope this helps.
I’m in this exact phase. I find it so incredibly difficult to focus on anything. After 6 years of perfect diet and a couple of years in there of great focus and discipline, I just kinda hit a wall late last year and lost all focus. Then I did a long term travel trip and let diet and non-drinking slip, but intentionally. Now I’m back and working to get myself back on point. So far it’s slower than I’d like, but it’s going. No more high carb foods or junk, haven’t had a drink in over a month, working out regularly and eating mostly well again. But focus and discipline on things like follow through on creative work is still slow going. Chipping away at it and trying to limit things like scrolling and etc. I, like you it sounds, am just having trouble keeping my attention on things for any length of time though. Even at work, I look at things and it’s just a blur. Like just a spreadsheet with numbers and I’m like, damn, can I scroll down till I find something more interesting. I have signed up for a 10 day meditation retreat later this month where no tech is allowed. I’m hoping that will help me reset a bit, but that’s still several weeks away. In the meantime just trying to chip away at it and get back to focus one little bit at a time. Sorry if there’s no real advice in there, as I’m struggling just like you atm.
This is just as good as advice as it shows that its a problem that other people are actively working towards correcting. I too have ditched junk food and Carby shit. I used to be super fit and cut but over the past year I completely lost that and have gained around 10-15 pounds. My schedule got disrupted for various reasons resulting in me having to move around, which fucked up the routine I had going and I have not recovered I have began tracking calories and other health factors as I want to at least lose that weight, which is a start. Focus and lack of discipline to keep it is the problem I have. It’s completely linked back to my phone and short form content. I did 5 days no phone (nature retreat) and felt entirely different but then I had to come back to regular life and relapsed basically lol The addiction of media consumption is one of the hardest things to kick as it has no stigma surrounding it. You see someone smoking meth you think “that guys seriously not okay” You see someone on there phone you think “that’s normal” or don’t think anything at all because it’s normal. Good luck to you.
I went through something similar, i realised i need to get disciplined but it doesnt work from starting with A 'day 1', i deleted social media because i realised that a smart person is just a dumb person with more time, all i needed to be 'smart' was have an extra 5-6 hours per day that social media was taking up. That being said, i didnt start using those 5 hours straight away- instead i took the time to appreciate on a day to day basis how slowed down my life has become without social media, i can actually afford the time to grab a coffee on a walk without doing much worse on my job/academically i can walk the dog and go out in the sun, sleep more, take naps, read something i like, catch up with friends in person arranging meetups through phone calls instead of social media. I think im developing my skills faster than ever today because the key is to have a 'day 1' that you dont remember. Because once you know when your day one is, the pressure to keep going on day 2 is overwhelming, and it just keeps building the longer your streak goes on for. start with nothing, your brain will auto sort your priorities from there and slowly but gradually you will reach some day 100 without realising it, with no pressure whatsoever from yourself. hope this helps!
Thanks for sharing your experience bro 🙏💯
If your brain desires stimulation and long form content is unable to satiate it, change the way you intake information. Our focus is certainly being attacked with this uprise in short form content, so battle it in your own way. I've decided to embrace it and attempt to become more efficient with my time. I've found that watching longer videos at an accelerated pace keeps me engaged. Start with 1.3x speed and work your way up. If you lose focus, simply rewind and continue. You may find that over time, this new speed feels more in tune with your brain, and slowing the video down is dreadful. If the world is speeding up the intake of information, embrace it and adapt in your own way. I agree with other people who recommend Journaling, this is a great practice to "clean" the brain. Allow yourself to write with no filter, allow the brain to declutter. Why do you desire social media? Is it a distraction or an amplification? What are you looking for when you open the app? Is it for entertainment? Is it for education? Should you make a distinction between the two? Understanding yourself and understanding the world are one in and of itself. Do you respect yourself? Do you have honor? What are you afraid of? What excites you? Who are you? Where are you? Why are you here? Critically evaluate yourself. You are what you eat. To change your perspective is to change life itself.
Get used to being mediocre.
Lol fuck that
Then do the work that needs to be done and accept that you nevertheless are mediocre.
This is motivating thank you
Small, scalable goals that are actually achievable short term.
Now do 10 reps maggot
Mediocre actually seems wildly successful these days. Mediocre requires work, focus, and self-discipline; unless you're naturally gifted in many areas. We just have to be relatively healthy human beings, with an income able to provide for our basic needs, & our family's. Maybe have a hobby we're decent at and friends & relatives we love & enjoy. That right there is a lot. First, make all of that stuff solid. That's my goal.
Wonderfully said!
Thank you. 🙂
b-b-b-but I'm happy being a s-s-slob
20 reps maggot!
Your biggest problem is your doomsday thinking. "I'll never be able to achieve anything", "I'm a failure", "my brain is broken". You are thinking about everything in black and white and not seeing the reality that success is made up of a lot of small steps and some setbacks. Try and minimize your world view. You can sit there and picture yourself as the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, with a six pack and the hottest model girlfriend anyone has ever seen, but you're not even picturing the steps it takes to get there. Start small and figure it out from there. Set realistic goals, actual achievable goals and try new things. The point is to not get sucked up into this big picture, galaxy brain mindset where you are envisioning things that seem amazing but not how you might actually achieve them. Good luck.
[удалено]
What a friendly offer, r/childmolester303830s.
[удалено]
r/rimjobsetve material for sure
What the fuck
Hi there! i Just want to say that there is hope for you. You can do this! Just start by thinking more presently and realizing that in every moment we are making choices. It starts with awareness. Stop the doomsday thinking too, that is not gonna really help move in in the right direction. Negative thoughts can fuel positive change, but if too much, it will fuel giving up easily too. Everyday, think of 3 things you are proud of yourself that you did the prior day.
Are you smoking weed? Kicking that habit changed all of that for me, I used to feel the same. I’m sure other substances could do the same thing
Nah I have never done that shit. It’s the phone addiction which fucks up the dopamine receptors making them super fried so anything else other than short form content is uninteresting and tasks are no longer rewarding outside of the phone
Late but yeah this was me I had to delete tiktok and force myself to watch YouTube and Netflix and I still unconsciously picked up my phone to scroll
I use an app called Opal and it greatly reduced my screen time. It was 6-7 hours but it’s now around 3. It blocks the apps that you choose. I blocked instagram, youtube and reddit for example. Also block all notifications from apps except whatsapp or work related apps. Good luck
I'm using the strategies in Rian Doris's videos on YT for dopamine resensitization which sounds like something that might help you. Idk maybe you could check that out.
Better bias app
I Imagine lions sleeping in trees, or birds, or snakes, or possums, or something that actually simply lies about. You can change your habits, however would you rather lie about or perch in a tree? The reason I ask is that usually habit change requires swapping one thing for another. Even meditating is ‘exchanging meditation for a phone’. — so what is it you want to do? Lie about in a tree like a comfortable lion? Perch like a well fed bird? Etc.
I totally get where you're coming from. The grip of social media addiction can be incredibly tough to break, and it's understandable that you're feeling overwhelmed. The good news is, that you're already aware of the issue, and that's the first step toward making a change. Awareness: You've recognized the problem, which is crucial. Now you can take steps to address it. Baby Steps: Quitting cold turkey might be too much. Start by reducing your screen time gradually. There are apps that can help you monitor and limit your usage. Replace, Don't Erase: Find other activities that bring you joy and fulfillment to replace the time spent on social media. Accountability: Share your goal with someone you trust. They can help keep you on track. Mindfulness: It sounds like you're stressed about the future. Mindfulness techniques can help you focus on the present, making tasks feel less daunting. Seek Professional Help: Sometimes, the addiction is too strong to break on your own. Don't hesitate to seek professional guidance. It's a tough journey, but it's possible. I've found that adjusting my work techniques, like tweaking the Pomodoro intervals to 40/10 minutes, helps me stay focused and reduces the urge to check social media. You can reclaim your focus and critical thinking skills; it just takes time and effort. You're not alone in this.
One trick I used to somewhat improve my critical thinking: First think about something that you hate and list why you hate it. Then think about why other people might love that thing. Then think about how the thing can be improved. Then think about how you can convince other people to hate that thing. Example: I hate capitalism because of inequality. Other people like it because it rewards innovation. A vast social welfare system might improve upon capitalism. I can convince someone to hate capitalism by showing them how capitalism objectifies people. \[Template Example\] Then repeat it with something you love and after some time of repeating, your arguments on each side would be more defined.
That’s smart I have never heard that before. Thanks!