BooksandTrees

I'm dealing with copious amounts of boredom recently since not studying and I don't want to do hobbies that require brainpower since my job is very analytical.

Something I struggle with is doing stuff after work. Most of my hobbies are creative and it's nearly impossible to just do that for a couple hours after working 9 hours. I've been thinking about why that's a problem. It's because I need some sort of release both physically and mentally after work. I think that's why porn and video games become such a common outlet after a long day. So what can replace those? I think it depends on how I'm feeling. If I'm feeling restless and jittery I propose exercising right after work and then showering to clear the mind and body. If I'm exhausted then I propose a small nap and then decide after. I also think it's important to make sure I'm hydrated and have a healthy snack after work that's under 200 calories and little sugar to avoid a spike and crash in energy. I can decide on creative hobbies or routine hobbies after. It's easier to masturbate and play video games but they've not served us well and I need some stability now that I'm not studying anymore.

What's got you going to porn even though you're in a relationship? I noticed my pirn usage dropped to historic lows for me since building a relationship.

Thanks. I just get motivation by thinking of something I find to be annoying and think of a way to make it overly dramatic and use cartoons to portray it in a funny way to make light of a situation. Then I'll want to draw it. I just started looking at reference images for the characters to draw so I'll do that this week.

I played boardgames last night and enjoyed it. I've come to the conclusion that I was able to write my stories very fast because I enjoy thinking about them for days before I write. So it gives the impression that I effortlessly wrote the story but in reality I brainstormed for weeks. I was getting frustrated with drawing because i couldn't naturally draw what my characters would look like. This was stressing me out and making me think I hated this hobby. What I'm gonna do is start scrolling through reference images on what I want characters to look like and then make a character profile. Then I can have a real idea for how I want characters to look like. I was starting to wonder if creative hobbies weren't for me.

I've really faced some cravings to play either runescape or NHL. I'm not sure what it is. I think I enjoy the drums and animation but they're very engaging. I think I just want something laid back to do that's still fun. It's a little frustrating.

That happened to me and I took some time away from here but I came back. It happens.

I played the drums again and this weekend I'll do some drawing and animation. I'm excited to get more familiar with this process so it's not as daunting every time I want to do something creative without feeling like I'm sitting for a test.

Unfortunate but true.

I had a good day at work today but was tired afterwards so I just laid down and watched tv after work and ate dinner for about 2 hours. I then played the drums for about half an hour or longer and had fun. I was very tired after that so I'm laying down again. I have some anxiety because I want to animate right now but I spent all day on the computer and it's pretty tiring to use it again afterwards. This is why I'm happy to be playing the drums and exercising. I can get away from the screen a bit and relax. It's a little frustrating though because I'd like to animate on weekdays. I think it's just recognizing when to do it. Like today I started work late so I ended with late. Tomorrow I'll end earlier so maybe I can animate a bit before my girlfriend comes over. I don't have to do everything every day. Those days of chasing 99 stats are over. Just living life is important.

@Ikar might have suggestions as well.

@Cam Adair Any other thoughts?

I'm sorry for the issues your son has had and I commend you for your parenting. That is not easy. I've been on this website for years and every single person I've seen who has tried to moderate their gaming or screen time has fully relapsed within weeks and completely failed at overcoming their addiction. I strongly suggest discussing the power of this addiction with his doctor because I feel unless he's severely autistic, like the children who NEED to listen to music all day for example or else they become uncontrollable no matter what, then I'd not allow it. Even if you got him to play in moderation the cravings would fester and he'd find ways to play for hours at a time. If he's just doing the detox to reach 90 days and then game again then the detox did nothing and he's going purely off of willpower. It took me 180 days to stop craving every day and after 3 years of not gaming I still encounter triggering situations that I was unaware of and face a craving. I'm sorry to sound cynical but I don't think doctors relate gaming to the same style of addiction as gambling, drugs, drinking, sex, and porn. But it is. I suggest doing research with your son on what his cravings are, why he likes to game, and figuring out ways to substitute gaming. I gamed out of loneliness, tracking progress on stats, escaping bullies, hiding from parental abuse and neglect, and having a sense of control in my life. I replaced it by doing therapy, group sports, professional organizations related to work, being more involved at work, and building friendships through hobbies.

I managed to exercise for 1 hour and then play the drums for 30 minutes. I had so much fun. It was the first time I've played in a year and missed it. I stopped because I got stressed learning something new, a common issue for people who quit video games looking for a new hobby. But I enjoyed it. One of the other things that is a trigger for me is redundant tasks at work. If I'm doing something with load times it will make me want to play runescape or pokemon go because they're somewhat afk games. But I know that will be bad so I don't do it. I remember the brain fog and exhaustion it gave me and I enjoy the mental clarity I have. Solutions I've had are little exercises, stretching, podcasts, dancing to music, and partial journaling like right now. I don't read or anything that takes up brain power because I think physical movement provides energy and prevents tiredness and boredom which also are 2 huge triggers for gamers.

I did some painting and animating this weekend. It was a lot of fun. I'm starting to get more comfortable with this software and it's becoming less stressful to initiate when I decide to do it. I made it a point to spend 1 to 2 hours a day on each this weekend. I wasn't as productive after lunch at work today because I was tired but I had a productive morning and realize it's hard to be engaged for 8 to 9 hours straight without an addictive quality like gaming or something. I plan on resting a little bit tonight then figuring out something to do whether it's the drums for 30 minutes or drawing or just exercise. I'm tired now but still 6 hours before bed so I am certain I'll be less tired once I let myself relax.

Sobriety to me is the freedom of emptiness in my mind. No more brain fog, no more excessive tiredness, and no pull towards needing to feel stimulated. The ability to be present and not needing to do anything until you've decided to do it. Openness.

Thank you! We've all got the ability to endure! It just takes a careful mix of understanding ourselves and our environments and allowing some forgiveness and patience intertwined with discipline and attainable goals.

I feel better tonight. I was sick today and it had me dealing with cravings and withdrawal which is annoying but understandable. I stayed firmly on the couch and rested. I meal prepped tonight and then set up some new office equipment with the new energy I recieved. I'm exhausted again but it's almost bed time anyways.

Glad things are going well!

Sorry for late reply but you can always write in your diary and I will reply to help.

Sobriety is my sanctity. The pain of cravings is a reminder of the pain addiction causes. Stay strong and stay free.

I have to find the right balance between enjoying my hobby after work and doing too much after work. Although I like my new job, I don't really like having a boss all of the time and that kind of stuff. It motivates me to work on my cartoon but I don't want to turn my cartoon into a second job either. It's hard to just work on my cartoon without ruminating about how it could make money in the future and I could finally quit engineering. Maybe I'll do what I did with studying and say 1 thing at a time and stop planning too much.

I spent time with my friends tonight and had a great time. I really am grateful for doing that. I'm gonna wake up tomorrow and just make the best of the day. I'm gonna do some drawing tomorrow maybe. I definitely agree. I used to try the non solutions and they just lead to failure. Let me know how your pursuit goes.

I've been pretty depressed today. I don't think it's for a major reason. I think it's because I'm tired after all of that studying and it's hitting me now. I also had a slight lull at work because I finished all of my projects and was bored. I kept hitting snooze this morning and just got so groggy and can't shake it. It makes me want to cancel my plans for today but I know I'd feel bad if I did that. I'm gonna stay strong today and just wake up at a better time tomorrow. I also haven't done that pomodoro thing this week and it's noticeable. I've had a lot of support from my girlfriend and I'm grateful. What a wonderful person she is. I've also been animating again so be on the lookout for a short cartoon next month!

The test went much better than before. I think I dominated the first half and did ok in the second half. I'm praying for a miracle here. I really hope I pass. It's so crushing to not pass. @WhoCares I think the Pomodoro technique really helped me finish that final push. It also helped me at work. I think I'm going to take this week to relax and next week I might start doing the pomodoro technique with learning the drums and animating. Just 1 day each per week.