Day 3: It's a myth!

Today I choosed to study in libary. People say it's a distraction free zone. That's a myth! For me it's easy to start wandering around without even recognizing it. There is all the knowledge of people and all questions I ever asked myself shoot back into my head. I might look the answers up here, but I have to focus. I need to study. I need to control myself.

Day 3: Paper media tell you, that electronic media are evil.

Day 2: You Have To Try This!

I don't miss it anymore.

Today I didn't miss media anymore. Ok. A little. But it doesn't suck that much anymore. My conclusion: Real life is better! I didn't think about the internet that much, because I wanted to continue my nice activities I started yesterday.

There were some situations, when it's hard to decide whether it's a waist of time, or if it is my real life. I wanted to make some research on how to write a good blog, therefore I had to read other blogs. It's hard to stay focused on the 'how' instead of recognizing the content.

I am still suffering for the relaxing impact of TV. I want to shut off my head for 20 minutes and listen to bullshit. That gap maybe should be closed by communication with people. Unfortunately I have a long-distance relationship. At university is still vacation, so no fellow students are around. Today the door bell rang and a guy asked me to talk about god. After I sent him away I actually considered if I should have talked to him. Thats sounds like a boring cliche, but it actually happened. (some sentence about destiny or god ... I don't want to write it out, because it would be the next cliche).

Day 1: No more media

I made a cold withdrawal. The first thing, that comes to my mind after setting the challenge is, that I have to block all the bad websites. But no. Stop. I was not really addicted. The Goal is to change my lifestyle by changing my priorities.

There was a moment of silence. I couldn't find any activieties, that are not forbidden. So I shut down my computer.
But still I didn't start to do my urgend work. I continued procrastination. I simply didn't have the energy to do what has to be done.

In the night I couldn't fall asleep. After reading for one hour my eyes were too tired to go on, but my brain didn't consider to let me sleep, althrough I sleep very good normally. During the night I was a little concious from time to time: I was dreaming about my new challenge. I was dreaming about all the things I can't do anymore. But even in dream I already realized, that they are forbidden now.

This morning I woke up, but didn't stand up. I didn't know what I would do after I get up. So here starts the real challenge: I need to figure out, what I really want to do. Of course I have watched many TEDs, I have read many motivational books, so I know my priorities. They are 1. my studies 2. my business and 3. learn Chinese. The first one of these is my obligation, the other both are hobby. Now I need to figure out, how to do that all day long. How to start to be productive from morning to evening.

It feels good to do the things I really want to do. I did something for all my three deals. But I think it's dangerous. Doing business or studying chinese feels important, it makes me feel smarter, but it is not as urgend as my university exams. Maybe I would have studied more without the challenge. After waisting some time on the internet I would feel bad and think I have to study now. But after stuying I don't have a bad feeling, that tells me I have to study.

So after I was busy for many hours it was knocking-off time. There was a new challenge born. How can I calm down and enjoy my evening without media? I thought about any possible exceptation from my rules, but I stayed strong.

At the end of the day I find some conclusions: Without media I was much more creative. Normally I am a very introvert person (thats why I write my lonely blog), but today I was looking out for people and gave double as much greetings as normally. It's hard to find pleasure without media. I started to drink alcohol and smoked, what is not a daily part of my life.

Day1: The advantages and disadvantages stay in balance.

Challenge: No more media

I will conquer my time back !

 

I spent another day with a browsergame. Browsergames are on my black list since about one year. I have a list, which I call 'My concentration checklist'. Everytime, when I need to seriously focus on something I will check it. It starts with - Get the back of the office chair upright - followed by - Tidy up the desk. There will be about ten more steps to get a proper enviroment.

Most time of my days I spend on internet. I guess most of the people do so. I am pretty sure all students in Germany show that behaviour. (Of course there are also the nerds, the sports addicted and some novel readers)

None of my goals is to watch series all day alone in my small dormitory room. I am not aiming to be the best Farmerama player every. The piles of unread books will be thrown away one day.I don't want to be too busy to meet my family anymore, because I have to research one more unimportant issue.

I want to use my time for my real goals. Goals, that are only in my head. Goals, that are not changing every week, because I read up some new topics on internet.

 

So this is my attempt to escape: a challenge. For 21 days I don't want to misuse media anymore. I want to adapt the rules from Tim Ferris 4 Hour Work Week to my challenge.

 

• It's not enough to use the information for 'something'. It needs to be immediately and it has to be important.
• No newspapers, magazines, audiobooks or radio programms with informative content. Music is allowed at all times.
• No news sites on the net.
• No TV, films, series, YouTube.
• One fiction book, that might be read one hour before sleeping.
• One non fiction book, that has to be read to the end and worked out before taking a new one.
• No surfing on the internet, except it is necessary für a Task, that has to be finished on this day. Necessary means necessary and not 'Nice to know'.

I hope this will safe me several hours every day.