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Such a good analogy with McDonalds, I never thought of that one, but it is so true. Tastes great, but about 5 minutes after you've finished, the regret kicks in and you start feeling like garbage. Have you tried exercising at lunch time instead? I really struggle in the mornings to the point that is not worth it, but I use my lunch break to work out and it helps overcome the struggles people generally have in the afternoon (the 2pm yawns etc). Depends on whether your schedule allows it I guess.

So true @Andre2807, I think that is what the majority of people do initially, is replace gaming with something like YouTube. The way I see it if you are replacing gaming with another time wasting activity then you're not really achieving much at all, it's the same outcome or end state, just a different path to get there. It's natural to want ourselves to be distracted by the "horrors" of real life, but why not try to use a positive distraction? For example, I know quite a few people here use learning a new language through something like duolingo to be a positive distraction, I threw myself head first in my study, or something else that will work for you like personal development or fitness. Cam gives some ideas on his youtube channel or there is a PDF of hobbies in his resources section.

What book are you reading?

Mate you're crushing it already. If you combine your self awareness with your willingness to apply tools to improve your life means you're months if not years ahead of many others. I have tempted to go back to gaming while on the move because sometimes that is dead time, but I am worried I will fall into that trap that you mentioned - games are just one tap away. Sometimes it is really good just to do nothing too and watch the world go by. I like your success rent quote. Very very true.

Congrats @Moegli! It's been a long time with its share of ups and downs but I am glad you have made it. I was quite skeptical of you going back to gaming and switching to tracking binges, but I like your graph. You've really thought about this, and it looks like it could work. I guess I found it hard to relate because I just can't be bothered playing games at all. Or watching movies or tv. But everyone needs an outlet I guess. I look forward to following you for the next 180 days!

Well done Moegli! You have come a long way mate!

Welcome mate! You've taken a very important step!

12 Sep 17 Days to go: 216 Days to the marathon: 5 So, bit of a quiet couple of days which is why when I sat down yesterday to make an entry I just could not think of anything. It probably doesn't help I am not running now either so I don't get that refocus/second wind in the afternoon which makes things a bit of a struggle. I definitely feel my legs getting better though, so hopefully all these nagging injuries and soreness I have been carrying for a few weeks will subside before Sunday. The biggest thing that has happened to me really that I am struggling how to deal with is that I think I have been banned from GitHub. Or my IP has. I was running some updates on one of my Raspberry Pi builds this morning and half way through it lost connection and now none of my devices can go to github.com when they're on my home network. As soon as I shift to another network or asked my colleagues to go to the site, no problems at all. I can't think of anything that might cause them to block me unless one of my devices has been compromised and was showing suspicious activity. Anyway it is probably the motivation I need to fix my main computer's problems that I have been putting off while I was focusing on my studies. Which that will have second order effects of encouraging me to go back to video blogging. Just me and my son the next few days so that will be a lot of fun and challenging at the same time. It is a good reality check that I have responsibilities now and I am not the priority, as well as showing my wife that yes I can still look after him. It is also challenging though as it means my productivity goes down a lot as I can't focus or enter the flow as easily due to the amount of distractions, which results in me getting agitated and annoyed. Still zero interest in gaming right now. Even "allowed" myself to join in some multiplayer with a friend online if I "wanted to", but when I sat down at the desk I just couldn't be bothered, there was too many other things I wanted to do, and that is the bottom line. Made up some lame excuse why I couldn't play and went back to spending time with my son. No matter how addicted you are to gaming; there is always something you should be doing. Direct quote from @WintergreenGrin. The power of the detox right there. I think I can officially lift the "abstinance" stance from my mind of games, as they no longer have the grip on me like they used to, which is great. I will however need to deal with the fact I keep blowing this particular friend off when he invites me to play games, I'll just have to be straight up honest with him and say I am not interested anymore. Battleplan for tomorrow 1. Look after my son and don't influence his happiness with my agitation (if any) 2. Fix up my computer problems, which may involve a reshuffling around of my machines. Just get it working, the polishing can come later, over time. 3. Stay emotion free! I have the vibe tomorrow is going to be emotionally charged with a few significant changes at work that people won't be happy with. Need to be the rock that keeps them all calm. Grateful corner I don't believe I will say this, but I am grateful for retail staff today. While I was in the post office (posting some more gaming equipment I had sold and no longer need), there were quite a few difficult customers around me getting emotional about issues that were quite clearly their own to solve. By the time I got to the front of the queue I expected the attendants to be annoyed and short tempered, but they were great. Some of those people, as crap as the job may be, have got the patience of a saint. They don't get the credit they deserve. People seem to have forgotten the ability to be kind. It's free people, don't be frugal with manners.

Good start mate! That is a big step. I bookmarked FreeCodeCamp, that looks like an interesting site that I would like to come back to! I wasn't aware anxiety makes you really tired though, reflecting over the last year it would probably explain why I wanted to sleep so much during the day but seemed fine when it came to the late afternoon. One thing I got from my therapist was don't fight the anxiety feelings, because it just makes it worse. You need to start focusing on why you have got to that point, which will essentially give you the solutions on how to calm down and move forward. Take notes or make a worksheet to help you reflect if you think it would be useful. As for your tabs, why not try emailing them to yourself? They're probably killing your battery life. If you email them to yourself they will stay nice and bold that will remind you that you would like to go back and read them. If you run an empty inbox like many productivity guru's recommend, it will give you motivation to read them as well, or at least ask yourself, is this worth my time or is there a reason I keep putting off looking at them?

Don't dwell on what you will or will not do at the end of the detox - focus on the detox! By the end of it your priorities, goals and motivations will have shifted so you'll need to make new ones anyway.

Welcome Andre! I shudder when I think about how many hours I poured into World of Warcraft, all for nothing, and I was paying them to do it! Glad to have you onboard. The podcast is a great tool and Jason is a relatable host. Another great tool is the Respawn book, or Cam's YouTube channel. He has some great videos to watch if you feel like you are about to relapse or the withdrawals are crushing.

Kalamath Knot sounds like something I might be interested in! I'm a non-fiction educational type of guy. I'll check it out!

Facebook is a cancer. Full of "me monsters". It reminds me that opinions are just like assholes, everyone has one but nobody wants to hear them.

You have such a free and adventurous life @MmmWatermelon, it is at a stark contrast to setting around gaming all day! I bet your stress levels don't even register on the scale! What books are you reading? I really need to get into the habit of reading, but I find it so much easier to listen to audiobooks or podcasts.

Happy Birthday mate! Hopefully it's awesome. And contains birthday sex. Also, @HappyCat I have never heard of a holy potato On an unrelated note, I could really eat some potatoes right now.....

10 Sep 17 Days to go: 218 Days to the marathon: 7 Days until assignment due: 1 (submitted already!) Wow, gone 3 days and my journal is pushed down half way on the second page. That's great! Good work team, I am glad to see so many people being active with their personal development and their path. It had gone a bit quiet last week! Maybe we are still feeling the departure of @Mettermrck. As I was thinking about what other voids the departure of some people have left, I realised we haven't heard from @Tom2 for a while. I hope you're going ok mate. So what have I been up to? Well, pretty much studying non-stop. I have poured some serious hours into my studies and as a result I submitted it a day early. I probably could of sat on it for another day and padded it out a bit more (I was about 300 words short) but I really wanted a day free of obligations that I could spend with my family, which I managed to achieve, and it was great. The little fella was still a bit grizzly from being unwell but it didn't matter, it felt good just spending time with them without having something pressing on the back of my mind. In the afternoon I went and did some gardening, mowed the lawn, trimmed all the bushes next to our verandah and then sawed some branches that were starting to reach over the road. Feeling quite accomplished I have "shut it down" with my running now until the marathon. I ran two days in a row for an hour each for 8km, and I pulled up with a really sore ankle. I can't risk going into the marathon with injuries so I am going to maximise the rest time. I figure I have done a lot of training until now anyway, and if I am not ready by now then I am not going to be ready anyway! I have still got a wet cough as well so trying a variety of remedies to get rid of that. Planning to sleep a lot this week, drink lots of water and healthy food. I am excited and nervous at the same time about the race. I think the last 10-15km is where the real test will come. I am quite tired so not much depth here in my post, sorry, but at least there is no major mind pretzel/knots that I need to reflect upon anyway. Battleplan for Tomorrow 1. Finish preparation for instructing a new course next week. 2. Start the process of sorting out the code for my son's noise maker. He's getting far too addicted to the phone I use to play music for him now so I need to put that away. 3. Build a worksheet from the coaching session with Cam. Grateful corner The online debate. Not sure if I have already used this one, but I really enjoyed it. I am planning to send an email in the morning to the lecturer thanking her for the format. It might come across as a little cheesy noting I have just submitted my assignment but I think it needs to be said anyway.

It takes courage to recognize you had derailed, and want to get back up and give it another go! Walking is a great way to change your environment and still progress things such as learning a new language (through podcasts), building social interaction (by walking with colleagues or call them), as well as by feeling great afterwards. It could also be a way to eat some different food as well depending on your circumstances

Interesting. The only music I really listen to is "study aids" like this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnaaxaAOlPk So I am not sure that will work for me!

You've still got a lot of potential at 24. Imagine trying to fix all of these problems when you're 42. The fact that you have recognised it and are willing to take steps to change your life means you've already got your foot in the door. As you have touched on, I think you need a new focus. Once you decide what that is - and if it is the programming sphere - then jump in boots and all. Keeping yourself occupied and engaged is what is going to help you the most quitting entirely.

Rather than think about it as withdrawals @Zeeko, think of it as nostalgia! You will empower yourself thinking of it in a different mindset. I understand what you mean regarding want to be occupied with no effort. I faced that challenge when I was trying to binge (and still trying to) on productivity. Rather than play games or watch TV though, I called my mates. And not just the mates that you work with or see every day, but people I don't speak to very often. I'd spend a good 15 minutes talking to them, catching up on old times (hello nostalgia), and by the end of it I would feel energetic and ready to go back to being productive or making dinner. Treadmills are great as they are softer on your feet than the pavement, or thats what the physio tells me anyway. The problem is trying to get the right pace for yourself, if you go too slow then your calves and shins will ache. You're through the hardest part of the detox! I found the 20s were the toughest for me and I spent a lot of time soul searching about the purpose of it all. Once you crack into the 30s it's like you have just pulled onto the highway and there is no other cars in front of you.

As in, start listening to music when we get riled up LittlePete? Tell me more.

07 Sep 17 Days to go: 221 Days to the marathon: 10 Days until assignment due: 4 I have begun watching motivational/inspirational videos in order to keep myself on the right path. I downloaded some last night when I was struggling with distractions from my study and managed to squeeze out an extra hour before going to bed, so hopefully that trend continues. I have downloaded a couple of videos of how to stay calm with people so I will keep them handy in case I am struggling with my emotions rather than beating myself up and getting depressed. Switched my training up yesterday and tried the treadmill. The physio indicated I should incorporate one run on the treadmill per week instead of so many out on the pavement to try and ease some stress on my ankle which is still bothering me. It was definitely softer on my feet, but boy was it boring. I could only do 30 minutes before I was so bored I couldn't continue. The great thing about it is you can set your pace exactly to the speed you want, so I set it to 5 minute kms which is faster than I ever run, and I did quite well. I felt great after the 30 minutes. I am going back to the road today though, I need to extend those times out and only doing 30 minutes on the treadmill isn't going to help. Only a few more runs before I start resting for the marathon anyway. Started studying as soon as I woke up again instead of coming on here. I have managed to do 40 minutes before I needed a break and came to my journal. Assignment is coming together nicely, I am trying to work on making it flow and breaking it up into the sections I want to cover before expanding it all out and aiming for the word count. I think I left it a little late to complete it with only 4 days left, but at least I feel comfortable 'sitting with it' and staying focused rather than having to battle gaming. Has anyone seen @Mettermrck? Battleplan for Today 1. Work on my assignment as much as possible. Everything else comes second. 2. Get back to interval training on the road today. Aim for 10+km. 3. Cook some rice and beans. Apparently it is healthy for you with high protein without needing meat or being very expensive. I have the ingredients, now just need to make it. Grateful corner Free apps. I am trialling aTimeLogger today to keep a track of how much time I am wasting outside of study. It is similar to the Study Checker app that @Tom2 uses, so I will compare the reports on completion and see what is better.

06 Sep 17 Days to go: 222 Days to the marathon: 11 Days until assignment due: 5 It's an online debate @Vlad for my university studies. Throughout the semester each student takes a turn leading the debate twice, you allocate yourself a topic and chose a for or against, and then go at it for a week with the rest of the class submitting posts on whether they agree or disagree and why, and you pull them apart. At the end of the debate, I then submit a 3,000 word essay on my findings and addressing all the opposite comments. I've finished leading now, need to submit my essay on Monday and then contribute to every one else's debate. It's quite hectic I have found, but I have thoroughly enjoyed it, it has gone some way to teaching me to not take things personally, as well as really get involved in the course content when people call you out for not knowing the whole picture. Yesterday was a bad day on so many fronts, and the flu is still is still kicking my ass I have discovered. I got a lot of work done by minimising all my distractions, but I still allowed myself to get emotional with some people at work. Again, this makes me feel like two steps forward and one step back. Part of me thinks I allowed myself to get emotional because I was so worn down and wasn't having a great day, and I should have recognised when I had reached that point and gone on some meditation or not reacted to anyone anymore. The other part of me thinks; am I manifesting my resentment for this job into the feelings for one person? Throughout my career there has always seemed to be one person or group that I have hated working with, and now reflecting on it I am wondering if it is because I see them as a representation of what I hate about my job. Why it is them I am not sure yet, maybe because their work practices are closely aligned with what I hate about the job or they are involved with the work I hate. Either way I need to get a grip on it. I did some searching last night on any articles or videos that might explain "why do I hate a person at work", but the only returns I got was "why do I hate people". If I am onto something with this problem, them maybe it has a different name or title that I need to work out. I think I am getting really depressed with work at the moment though. Part of me thinks I need to just count down until the new job kicks in, but thats still 6 months away so the other part of me thinks I need to either sort out this issue or become a hermit. Not really sure if option C is going to solve the problem, it is the method similar to gaming; escapism, pretend the problem isn't there and maybe it will go away. It won't go away you idiot, it will just stagnate or get worse. Bottom line is I need a break. Battleplan for Today 1. No contributions done yet. Slept for 11 hours last night instead as a combination of being depressed and the flu. Need to get some runs on the board here. 2. Do some more research on this thought process of manifesting my emotions on one person. It must be a common thing. 3. Hit the treadmill. The physio says it is softer on my feet with the injuries I am carrying. I am reluctant as it will be hard to regulate my speed and work out where my ideal pace is, but I need to get on with it. Grateful corner Whatsapp. Its such a great free, encrypted service that allows me to send short voice clips to friends. I have a friend that I went to university with ten years ago that is having a tough time with their job as well so we can send short voice clips to each other during the day without having to take breaks as an outlet. Probably should alter these to be more uplifting or affirmations as right now it is a bit of a vent, but I think it is mutually beneficial.

Once you've worked out how to do this LittlePete, let me know! I still haven't figured it out and it is the source of a lot of frustration.