An old problem has come to the surface again: excessive consumption of digital media, and recently, especially the several hours long YouTube rabbit holes where its affecting my ability to focus on my work. As an entrepreneur this is especially harmful because there's no authority forcing me to work. I'm supposed to direct myself.
I've had the same problem years ago, but I forgot I'm still an addict and the old habit is easy to fall into. Now it seriously needs to change though, because I literally can't afford it if it keeps going on.
In recent weeks I've realized that I need to develop my working methods in order to overcome my shortcomings in being lazy and with poor focus. I adopted the pomodoro technique for time management: 25 minutes of work and 5 minutes of break, repeat. I've also been planning a little ahead on what I'm trying to accomplish during week and the following day. These have improved my work flow but it's still being disrupted by digital media, especially YouTube.
That's why I'm starting a digital detox starting tomorrow where I'm cutting digital media out of my life for 21 days: YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Hive included. Only exceptions are work-related activities and messaging using Whatsapp and television for watching Euro 2021 football. I think I can put TV-series on the list of exceptions too, since they have never obscured my work and it's not an alone activity for me anyway.
Why 21 days? It's because it takes about 3 weeks or so to form new habits, and I want this detox to have lasting results.
The detox is especially directed towards mediums that provide a constant new information that gets you hooked on repeated scrolling or clicking - this is my biggest problem and time sink. I had gotten rid of the habit earlier, but it has caught me again recently. I might be that type of a person for whom it's difficult to find a healthy balance with the quick consumption. If I give it my little finger, it seems to take my whole hand.
What results I'm expecting
Better focus and less stress is what I'm hoping for. Being more mindful where I'm putting my attention. I'm also hoping that other forms of activities will give me more satisfaction since the constant quick dopamine is no longer there.
The challenges
A lot of the work I need to do on desktop at home, which is the reason why I'm exposed to the temptation of YouTube rabbit holes in the first place, and the biggest challenge will be when I'm working on my marketing, since I use Facebook and Instagram for that. Drawing the line is difficult.
So, I'll return here in 21 days, not that I would've been too active here besides voting anyway – automation will take care of it meanwhile I'm gone.
I think making a little (offline) diary of the process would be a good idea.
Later.
