An internet cleanse?

[Jambalaya]

Living alone during these covid times, I do find it hard to tear myself away from the internet. So many juicy bargains and splashy headlines! I don't know about others, but I don't feel it's the healthiest way to live. I miss out on sunny days and good books because of the addictive nature of the internet and 24 hour news, and the opportunity to connect with others from the couch. Much of the time, the day slips away and I haven't got anything, or enough ,done, which is depressing in itself.

I wonder what the mental-health benefits would be of a two-week internet cleanse, apart from using it for work purposes. Has anyone ever done this? I could probably tackle a million jobs from my to-do list.

Maybe I'll try it...I wonder if cold turkey is best? I've tried to not go on it for a day, but I felt a bit empty without the sense of being connected to the outside world. That is scary!!!

P.S. I've got a lovely digital piano just waiting to be played, a jigsaw puzzle waiting to be put together, roller skates waiting to go out...and yet I idle away the day online. It really is such a pity. I really want to stop/cut back, but how?? If I post in the next two weeks, perhaps y'all could all yell, "JAMABALAYA, GET OFF THE INTERNET!" Or do your part by not answering me.

 

[musicloveranthony]

I've done it! I don't have a computer so that was easy to avoid. I use my phone a lot, though. So, I deleted all the social media apps in my phone (didn't delete the accounts, just the apps) to start with. Then I hid the internet app I use on the third page of a folder in my phone so I didn't absent mindedly open it.

I found that doing that for one month really helped me evaluate where I was investing my time and what the rewards were (or weren't) for that investment. Returning to media thereafter felt a lot less stressful. I don't feel the pull I used to to engage with people I don't know, or to argue with people in the comments sections like I used to. Saved me a lot of stress and helped me learn to use social media more healthily. I also realized some of the apps I was using were not healthy for me, so I deleted my accounts entirely.

 

[Jambalaya]

Fantastic, Anthony! So how DO you use social media now? If you don't engage or discuss/argue, what do you do with it?

And a whole month! Whoa, that's hardcore. Respect.

I was wondering how I would get my news. Then it struck me....I could actually buy a newspaper a couple of times a week!

 

[Jambalaya]

Anthony, you've inspired me. One month without the internet except for work and paying bills starts now.

 

[musicloveranthony]

Fantastic, Anthony! So how DO you use social media now? If you don't engage or discuss/argue, what do you do with it?

I mainly just use Facebook, now (and PS since I'm a big gem geek). I shaved my friends list down substantially to begin with. Then when I see people posting things that I want to argue about I either hide the post, or I do the "hide posts from this user for 30 days" feature. I stopped using snapchat and a couple dating apps I used all together. I still read comments on things I'm interested in on youtube, but I scroll past things where I might have previously wanted to argue.

I think the most healthy thing for me has actually been letting go of the need to react or respond to every person who responds to or comments on something I've posted or interacted with.

 

[seaurchin]

I fear I would go into shock, possibly perishing immediately. :p

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

I mainly just use Facebook, now (and PS since I'm a big gem geek). I shaved my friends list down substantially to begin with. Then when I see people posting things that I want to argue about I either hide the post, or I do the "hide posts from this user for 30 days" feature. I stopped using snapchat and a couple dating apps I used all together. I still read comments on things I'm interested in on youtube, but I scroll past things where I might have previously wanted to argue.

I think the most healthy thing for me has actually been letting go of the need to react or respond to every person who responds to or comments on something I've posted or interacted with.

good luck with your cleanse
i couldn't do it, I'd miss the news

i only do the internet for news, a royal jewel thingy (purley for escapism), PS and my Springsteen forum
im very choosie who i get my news from preferring actual newspaper based websites but i of course read links others post ..
i read my hometown Otago daily times site every day because i know and trust them, as NZ's oldest continues daily newspaper and they are also completly interdependent and not in anyway tied into any big media corporations
also when i remember? i like to browse NJ.com just to see what's happening in the garden state

i admit i do indulge myself in the fox app every so often but they also have a lot of rather nice human interest stories and the best 'gator news on the internet and to be honest i cant afford to subscribe to the UK Telegraph

i usually only use u tube for Bruce and i try to never read the comments

oh and brucespringsteen.net of course

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

Fantastic, Anthony! So how DO you use social media now? If you don't engage or discuss/argue, what do you do with it?

And a whole month! Whoa, that's hardcore. Respect.

I was wondering how I would get my news. Then it struck me....I could actually buy a newspaper a couple of times a week!

i really miss an actual news paper but it got too exspensive to air freight the OTD so its no longer available anywhere in the north island

quite a few years back the Wellington evening post (which i loved to read on the train home after work) merged with its sister publication the dominion post which i never liked and the new paper the DomPost, is more Dom than Post
when we first moved here the Wanganui cronical offered us a free trial ...which Gary declined

 

[Jambalaya]

So, the internet cleanse is going well....

Man, it's MUCH harder than I thought it would be. Like, almost impossible so far. OK. Today is a new day. I just need to reply to Missy on another thread, then I'm going to try again.

 

[VRBeauty]

I could really use this. I have more than a touch of ADHD and the Internet is like one big huge rabbit hole to me when I’m not paying attention. And right now - my husband is traveling and I’m in my old home, supposedly organizing and chucking stuff and basically clearing it out enough so that we can decide what to go with it next - we’ll, let’s just say that it’s a whole lot easier to check my favorite news and social media etc. sites. But I do use my phone regularly to communicate with my hubby while he’s away, so it’s not like I can just stick it in a drawer somewhere.

I have two big fears related to my internet usage - the impact on my eyes and on my attention span.

So - I like the idea of an internet cleanse. I just have to figure out what that would look like for me.

 

[bludiva]

Maybe I'll try it...I wonder if cold turkey is best? I've tried to not go on it for a day, but I felt a bit empty without the sense of being connected to the outside world. That is scary!!!

i hear you. i'm way too quick to fill in time with my phone or laptop reading "filler" - stuff that's mildly entertaining or informative but ultimately a time suck.

when i travel i go cold turkey, just checking in for urgent work stuff and to let people know where i am if needed, and the first day is hard, and by day 2-3 i think i'll never waste time like that again! but my resolve only lasts so long once i get back.

maybe limit it to a certain time of day to box it in? i applaud you! give it a go!

 

[Jambalaya]

Ha, well don't applaud me yet - I'm failing miserably so far!

 

[missy]

I use the internet to my advantage and when it stops becoming fun or helpful I remove myself.
But I have never had to do an internet cleanse per se. I have a lot of discipline and if something isn't working for me anymore I stop doing it. I don't need to go cold turkey on the internet because I make it work for me if you kwim. But I can see that for some it might be a helpful reset if you will.


I make sure to get out in the sun and fresh air whenever we can. We cycle as often as we can weather permitting and it helps soothe my soul. We hit 8K miles the other day for the year so far. You cannot do that without being outside cycling as much as possible.

It is a must, IMO, for mental health to get outside and do something active on a daily (or as near daily as possible) basis.

Cycling by the sea. Nothing clears my mind from my troubles better than cycling with my sweetheart by the ocean.

 

[Jambalaya]

@missy, you ARE very disciplined! I really admire that. I know you exercise often and that you're good at resisting junk food. It's so sensible of you. I wish I could be more like that. I have some ADHD as well, and I do wonder if the internet makes people with that feel worse than people without it. The net has an almost irresistible pull for me.

Regardless, being on the internet too much just makes me feel down. And yet here I am!

OK, let's try this again. See you all on 11/25!

 

[missy]

@missy, you ARE very disciplined! I really admire that. I know you exercise often and that you're good at resisting junk food. It's so sensible of you. I wish I could be more like that. I have some ADHD as well, and I do wonder if the internet makes people with that feel worse than people without it. The net has an almost irresistible pull for me.

Regardless, being on the internet too much just makes me feel down. And yet here I am!

OK, let's try this again. See you all on 11/25!

Just so you know I am not perfect. My attention span has decreased a lot since starting using computers and going on the internet. I refused to get a phone or a computer for years and didn't start til 2006 or so on the internet. And since then definitely my attention span has decreased substantially. How much of that is from normal aging and how much from getting onto the internet? My guess is my use of the internet had a lot to do with it. But I get too much benefit from it to stop.

Have a good internet vacation @Jambalaya!

 

[smitcompton]

Hi,

I agree with much of what you say. Its a time waster. But, I don't like all or nothing in life. So, what I devised for myself is to make either a mental or physical list of what I want to accomplish the following day. I try to do that before I go on the internet. I do follow the market and do banking on line, so I don't count those, as I both need and enjoy access to those accounts.

Years ago my brother and his wife had many subscriptions to a variety of magazines. When I went to visit them, I spent much of my visit reading their magazines. It was irresistible to me. I see the internet as much of the same thing. I had very few magazine subscriptions., as I knew I would sit there and read them.
I would just limit myself time wise. You can accomplish things and relax with the internet. That way you won't feel guilty. There are many days I don't use it.

Annette

 

[Jambalaya]

OK, this is going very badly. It's the home-alone thing. I feel like a dimension is missing without the interwebs! And yet there are so many more ways to amuse myself - healthier ways! Exercise bike, music, reading....But here I am!

I think that simply being on the internet makes me feel down. I don't think it's about content. I could be reading an interesting article on National Geographic and still not feel as good as if I' read the physical version. I wonder if the blue light from screens affects some people differently from others.

OK, it's a new day. No interwebs for a month, starting today.

Sigh.

 

[missy]

OK, this is going very badly. It's the home-alone thing. I feel like a dimension is missing without the interwebs! And yet there are so many more ways to amuse myself - healthier ways! Exercise bike, music, reading....But here I am!

I think that simply being on the internet makes me feel down. I don't think it's about content. I could be reading an interesting article on National Geographic and still not feel as good as if I' read the physical version. I wonder if the blue light from screens affects some people differently from others.

OK, it's a new day. No interwebs for a month, starting today.

Sigh.

@Jambalaya have you tried blue blocking lenses? I know some people swear by them. Sending you (((hugs))).

 

[Jambalaya]

@missy - I have, and they're a tremendous help with the eye strain, but I still have this downheartening feeling that my time could be better employed than screen time. I keep thinking of all the skills I could have been learning and practising! I'm finding it really hard to stay away, though. I think the internet is more addictive than I'd ever imagined!

And thanks for the hugs! Back to you!

 

[missy]

@missy - I have, and they're a tremendous help with the eye strain, but I still have this downheartening feeling that my time could be better employed than screen time. I keep thinking of all the skills I could have been learning and practising! I'm finding it really hard to stay away, though. I think the internet is more addictive than I'd ever imagined!

And thanks for the hugs! Back to you!

It is addicting I have to agree.

I did use the internet to my advantage last summer by taking the (free because of Covid) GIA courses and got my AJP (Applied Jewelry Professional) certificate. I spent a number of hours doing that. Fun and constructive. So definitely you can take online courses and widen your horizon while on the internet!

 

[Jambalaya]

@missy Ohhhhh, I saw that, and by the time I had time to do it, they had closed the offer! I was hoping maybe they might do it again, but no luck so far!

Oh yes, the internet can be wonderful. I've made friends IRL via the web, obtained some amazing bargains and some truly helpful information about a wide variety of issues. All the answers are right there!

Which is why it's so hard to tear oneself away! It's great if you can control it, but I definitely need to cut back, An yet here I am!

It's interesting how much harder this is than I thought it would be...However, I have cut out a trashy news outlet that would always upset me. So that's a start.