Days Free of Fic: 0
Longest Streak: 1
Current Subscriptions: 9
Current History/Bookmarks: 9
Todays Steps:
- Quitting Fic: Deleting Browser History and closing Loop Holes
- Moving Forward: A Helpful Tool
I’m definitely in a depressive swing towards the end of this week. Its not as bad as it can be but my motivation to change and fight hard things is waning day by day. Energy is being doubled to try to stay focused at work and fighting off the desire to read some fic is almost quadruple energy and about 50% success and winning the internal argument.
I am worth doing the hard things for is my daily statement.
Again though, I know its worth the fight and I keep reminding myself of that constantly. I am worth doing hard things for. If I had to do something I didn’t want or found hard to help a friend of a family member I would do it no question. Think of yourself as a friend. You are worth doing hard things for, just by nature of being a person. You don’t have to do anything else to deserve it.
Step 4: Deleting Browser History
Our goal with this is to create friction. This is not one where any sweeps should be done, but instead a true clear.
- Go into your browser history. If you aren’t sure how to do this, google it. But its worth knowing how to do.
- Into the history search type in “archive” or “fanfiction”
- Press ctrl-A to select all (if you are on a laptop or start checking if you are on a phone)
- Press Delete
- Put on some music and repeat until no other results come up
OR
- Go into history
- Find the delete history button (in chrome this is Delete Browsing History)
- Check the box for All history
- And clean your whole history
Good for You! This a great. This will increase fiction by making it harder to type in the start of your platform and get suggestions to go straight there.
If you need to make things harder you can google blockers (ie freedom) that set it up so you can’t access a site. A lot of these are paid so it can be hard to sustain but doing a short term to start might be enough. If you have suggestions for extensions and apps please link in the comments below.
Step 4: Helpful Tool
Okay, thing are getting more serious both in the sense that easy access is continuously being removed but also stress builds the longer you go.
My moving forward for this week is getting a pocket notebook. For me, I choose to go physical because my goal is reducing screen time in addition to tackling the fanfiction addiction but a notes app would work as well.
There are several things I will be tracking in my notebook:
- Things I Like List
- I want to pay attention to the things in my environment I like, want to spend more time on or want to add to my life.
- When do I reach list
- This one is going to be focused on what am I doing when I reach for my phone to read fanfiction so I can figure out what strategies can be implemented
- ie Reaching during a work break has different options than if I am reaching on a Saturday or in a waiting room of a dr office
- I don’t want to list
- This is list of things that I’m finding myself doing that I don’t want to be using to replace my time
- One of the things thats come up for me already on this is reading KU. KU books I think hit a lot of the same triggers and vibes of fic so I’m likely going to eliminate that as well
- What am I feeling List
- Similar to the when do I reach, I want this list to track what I am feeling when I am trying to reach for fic. What feelings am I trying to avoid, numb out, etc.
- This list will be vital for therapy and conversations to help make sure I have coping strategies
- Coping Strategies
- This list is similar to the what I like list, except it going to be more about what strategies I will be using to handle the feelings instead of just things I like and want to fill my life with.
- Mental health can be so painful to address sometimes like isn’t part of it.
What lists do you think you’ll track to help you break free of your addiction?
Take another step. Just one foot at a time. You got this – Mels
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