Do Addictive Things First
This tip may sound counter-intuitive - at least at first. Try to schedule into your week first the thing you are most addicted to.
You may have already been told to lessen your computer time (and increase work time) by using your computer as a ‘reward’ at the end of a work period… complete an hour, day or week of constructive work and you can, then, proceed to the computer for enjoyment after.
There are several reasons why this approach rarely works. Firstly, it reinforces the idea that work is ‘unenjoyable’ (like vegetables), and playing on the computer is ‘pleasure’ (like dessert). To reach a constructive approach to computer use, you want to be slowly breaking down these strict divisions. For example, playing on the computer can, oftentimes, become boring and monotonous - and work at times can be fun.
Secondly, placing your addiction at the end of a period builds up almost unbearable levels of desire. You begin to work, but you can feel little whispy urges to check your email, read gossip, or play an online game. You brush it aside to work, but it returns - only stronger this time. The more you brush it away, the stronger it returns, until eventually you cave in and enjoy your forbidden fruit. The rush is strong, but after it is replaced by self-loathing, and a lower sense of self-worth. With this, you return to work… only to have the cycle continue once again.
Instead of this approach, try the following. Consider how much time you are spending on your addiction. It may be four hours a day, five at night, or whatever it is. Whatever it may be, it is enough that you have identified it as a problem.
Add this up as a weekly total. Perhaps you are spending 26 hours a week on the computer.
Decide that, instead of going cold turkey, bringing this weekly tally down a little will be considered as an improvement. The amount (and speed) that you wish to reduce your hours is up to you, but for this example we will use a fairly drastic reduction - from 26 hours a week to 10.
You are allowing yourself 10 hours a week to indulge your addiction. Well then, schedule this all in one day. Starting 9am monday, you will start playing computer games (or reading online news, or whatever it is). You will continue to do it all day. Monday will be your ’spending time on your computer’ day.
It may help to schedule something on tuesday that is a little like your addiction, only a bit more constructive. For instance, tuesday may be devoted to emails, or work correspondence online, or some other activity. And so on down the week, with the end of the week reserved for the most important, easiest to avoid work.
What often happens when you install such a routine? Firstly, it is great fun. You may grow tired of your addiction after several hours of it, but for most sufferers, they will have no problem filling in ten hours straight. They will be happy. But - importantly - at the end of the day they will not feel guilt. They have set up a plan for their day and they have fulfilled it - easily.
Waking up for their second day, they will often feel less desire to be on the computer than the day before. They have ‘had’ their treat, and they might now feel like they would like a different challenge, or work is deserving of their attention. After such a big session, it has less interest to them. Also - without the cycle of guilt and low self esteem, they feel renewed confidence to start work. Having enjoyable work to look forward to on Tuesday helps this process.
This cycle continues all week, perhaps with the odd, isolated desire to give in to their addiction. Only, when this arises, the person will know they are only a few weeks from having a whole day to play on it. If they like, they can make a note in their diary of the thing they wish to do on their ‘free’ day.
Returning to the start of the week again, the person who does this will often jump out of bed, excited about their day. They will likely do this everyday, feeling empowered each week, more in self control, and enjoying the different types of work they do. And their computer use will be reduced, perhaps halved or more. It may even begin to feed in constructively with the rest of their week.
Try this for a few weeks, and leave your feedback as to whether this approach works for you.
