Jeremias

Good on you Sarma! Days will be hardest when you spend longer periods of time in your room so keep that in mind on the weekends, wet days etc.

You've got a really good journal Revit! Good luck with the immigration test

^ I've just read your whole journal start to finish and think this, but I've run out of likes for the day. Keep getting up and you'll never fail Hitaru ^

31/05/2016 Attempt 3 - Day 2 I thought I made a post last Thursday, but it doesn't seem to be here. I have kept track of every day using Onenote and I have a lot written there over the last week, but I guess I forgot to copy-paste it here. I relapsed AGAIN over the weekend, despite having a couple of parties on and various other things to do Since I first attempted to detox approximately one month ago, I have implemented many small improvements in my lifestyle. I have been sticking vaguely to a running plan. I'm on better terms with my family, and I've recently started speaking to my friends each day (for the last week). I've started playing pool more often, and am making small but noticeable improvements. I'm more awake and productive at work due to better sleeping habits. I'm either learning a language or reading on the commute to and from work. Yet, I still seem to have trouble with long (>1-2 hours) periods of time at home. I happily spend each weekday commuting, working, eating and training until the day is over. In between these, I will happily spend shorter amounts of time doing jobs, watching YouTube or playing pool. However, weekends give me more time than I know what to do with. Additionally, I associate activities such as reading, language learning (Duolingo) and posting on this forum with my weekday routine, and I enjoy them less when I try to do them on the weekend. I am against the idea of planning out my time hour by hour, but I think that is what I should do before this weekend even if I don't stick to it Today 8 and a half hours of sleep was not enough this morning, so I should get an early night tomorrowI need to leave work a little bit early todayInterval training Tuesday - Focus on speed and form rather than distance, and finish early if requiredFamily dinner before early night

I feel like your journal emphasises how quitting games is simply the 'tip of the iceberg' of this forum. It's good to hear from you again Dave. I believe that being more positive will pay off for you You give out your positivity and others will more likely give it back to you.

Firstly, I'll point out an idea: the fact that you aren't given a phone or money may seem like a disadvantage, but it may prove to be quite the opposite. You have recognised a disparity between your current situation and the situation that you want: whether that be to do with material things that you want, or the desire to get out and do things outside of home. While it may seem like your classmates are being spoilt by their parents now, it certainly won't be the case forever. The mere act of you working to close that disparity will make you much stronger than if the life were handed to you on a silver platter. If it's money that you want, have you ever considered looking for a part-time job? Unfortunately you're probably too young for conventional jobs at most companies, but I think I got my first one when I was 15, helping out cleaning at a pharmacy. I'm not sure what the situation is like at home but I'm sure some of your neighbours would be happy to pay you to mow their lawns, walk their dogs or clean their pools. You could even deliver newspapers in the mornings. I know it's very easy for me to say and much harder to do, but it may be worth a shot. PS keep it up Paul, you're doing great

Congratulations Kad!

24/05/2016 Attempt 2 - Day 2 Today Had a good day today, as is generally the case when I'm busy all day long. I'm generally being proactive in looking for useful things to do.I went to sleep at 9:30pm last night in anticipation of doing my running training in the morning instead of the evening. Doing this will allow me to run on the road when there are fewer cyclists and drivers awake.I've been eating plenty of carbs and protein to keep my body healthy and prevent injury. I've got my post-run stretching routine down. Avoiding injury/overtraining will be a real challenge whilst attempting to run 5-6 times per week, so I'll be listening closely to my body in case anything feels off.After speaking to one of my old friends who does a lot of running, I may have found a partner for some of my long runs on SundaysTomorrow Flying to another city nearby for work. I should get a solid run in around the lake before heading back home.

23/05/2016 Attempt 2 - Day 1 I relapsed over the weekend. In this post I will recount how it occurred, how I was feeling and how I'm going to move forward. On Saturday 21st, I ran 5km for parkrun at a PB of 20:01 - agonisingly short of my goal of under 20 minutes. I gathering tips from some of the other regulars after I had finished, and more than anything I was excited to come back next week and beat my goal time. Unfortunately, there's only so much you can train each day... After returning home and whipping up pancakes for the family like last week, I found myself at home with nothing in particular to do. If you go back and read the journal entries I made over the last week, you'll notice that I saw this coming and still failed to make any plans After aimlessly watching YouTube for an hour or so, I justified to myself that a little bit of gaming wouldn't hurt. I estimate that I ended up playing around 5 hours on Saturday and 4 hours on Sunday. Observations: Upon restarting gaming, I immediately reverted to my old habits and mindset despite my intentions - there was no middle ground for me in terms of moderation. The act of playing reduced my need to actually make plans for the weekend ahead, resulting in even more free time that I ended up filling with gaming. Clearly, it will take more than 20 days to shake myself free from this behaviour.I stayed up until 11:30pm on Saturday (relatively late for a night alone at home), resulting in not enough sleep that night.I was more moody over the weekend.I noticed my eyes stinging a bit whilst using the computer on Sunday night.More so than usual, I would walk into my room and ignore any mess in preference of sitting down at the computerI'm disappointed more than anything that I have been talking the talk on this forum but not doing what I am telling myself toThe fact that I resort to games whenever I am bored and have already exercised for the day and have no plans with friends highlights that I have a problem. I have very quickly transitioned from having seemingly no time (due to gaming filling all the gaps) to much more time that I know what to do with. The ways in which I have filled this time up to this weekend has been very beneficial. I'm excited more than anything to start a very intense 16-week marathon training plan, but I'm feeling pretty down as I reflect and write this post. I generally set my standards ambitiously high, and am hard on myself whenever I fail. However, this is the longest period of time I have gone without gaming probably since the age of 9 or even younger (I'm 21 now). Re-framing it this way, it doesn't seem so bad. Going forward: Maintain my running schedule.Be more proactive in starting conversation with my friends. I will consider an appropriate daily goal related to this, for example speaking to at least one of my friends each day.Clean my desk and pull out an old plastic model I have half completed as a kid. It can partially and temporarily fill the need for entertainment I have when I'm bored at home by myself.Alternatively, become a master of the pool table if I'm bored at home alone. I'm liking this idea the more I think about it.Make journal entries on weekends.This relapse is a wake-up call. It is clear that I cannot control myself after 20 days, so I must complete the 90 days whatever it takes.

20/05/2016 Detox - Day 18 complete. Hello again. I've had a great working week once again. When I began this challenge, I used the GQ forum as something I resort to whenever I was thinking about gaming. During the week, I would end up checking the forum around 10 times per day, just to occupy myself when I was bored; I now find myself checking the forum once or twice per day. I'm making good incremental progress on the things I'm supposed to be making incremental progress in. I have recovered quickly after my half marathon, and my illness has all but disappeared. I ran 5.5km on both Wednesday and Thursday, and I'm resting tonight in preparation for parkrun tomorrow. I am hoping that I can run the 5km tomorrow in under 20 minutes! As a replacement for reading on my commute to and from work, I am starting to learn Portuguese using Duolingo. The application is free, doesn't use very much data and has kept me engaged from Wednesday to Friday. I can now use reading as a pastime on the beach or on my bed without associating it with my commute to and from work. I still haven't really made plans for the weekend, but I have a lot of friends who I haven't spoken to in a long time so I will be keen to catch up with them over the phone. I made myself a little bit of work for my parents on the side of my main job, so I'll probably get it knocked over this weekend. If anyone has learnt to play guitar to a good standard, I would really appreciate some advice on how to make progress over a long period of time. In the past I have found myself using my knowledge of bar chords to learn basic pieces before giving up when I become overwhelmed with the difficulty of some other pieces. I hope you are all faring well

Good on you. I'm keen to see how it works out for you.

Good on you for starting something new Paulo. Gotta start somewhere

One morning, I was somewhat sleep-deprived as I left for work at 8:20am. I normally need to leave at about 7:50am if I want to arrive by 9am, but my standards of punctuality had been decreasing for weeks. My Mum commented on my lateness with a disappointed tone of voice, which basically led to me saying some mean things that I wouldn't have considered saying if I wasn't so tired and grumpy. There are many, many small things similar to this that had led to this situation, but it became the turning point where I decided that something had to change. The relationship has been on the uphill ever since

Hi Jimyree, I've almost completed Day 16. I'm going to have a bit of a rant here... Firstly, I'm massively impressed that you're up to Day 63 of your challenge, particularly whilst you're not experiencing the benefits of the detox! That says massive things about your commitment to this. I am here to encourage you with all the words I can muster to not give up on the 90-day challenge. I can't say for you, but I can speak from what I have experienced. I grew up playing sports and learning music, and with 3 siblings and a lot of friends doing similar things I always wanted to be the best. I am very lucky in that I have always been a high achiever in whatever I do. I have been playing games since I was 5. I enjoyed games like Dota because I really enjoy learning, improving and most importantly, beating other people in fierce competition. A competition where you have nothing to blame for your loss (or average skill level) except yourself - the game will act exactly as the rules describe, every single time. Dota, like most other games, is one that you can play for hours on end without becoming bored or tired, and the challenges to accomplish and people to beat only grow stronger as you improve. The lack of bounds on my play time ultimately sapped the energy I used to devote to other activities that I also enjoyed, including my sports and my relationships with other people (most notably my family). Over the period of 2 years I got pretty damn good at it, but what do I have to show for it now? Nothing. My family and most friends I have in real life cannot relate at all. I was essentially living a double life of going to class with my friends, and going home as quickly as possible to play games for as long as possible with people I have and will never meet in real life. My real-life friends do not know what I do with all my spare time, and the people playing the game with me don't care about what I do in real life. After quitting gaming, I have used the surplus competitive energy in me to get fit. I had started training before I began this challenge, but I recently ran a half-marathon in a time that exceeded my expectations, and I'm super excited to train for a marathon in 4 months time. It is now the past-time that I devote most of my time to. The constraint is that I'm training so much that I'm almost injuring myself! It is something that my friends and family are interested in. Literally just then (while I am writing this post), a colleague at work walked past me and congratulated me on my time! It feels fantastic I have much more energy available for my family and friends, who I had very much taken for granted. I enjoy work much more as I am not sleep-deprived and constantly thinking about gaming. Have a sit down try to figure out why you like the games that you play. In many ways, life is a game. If you wish, you can spend your time learning, improving and beating other people in fierce competition. The challenges you can accomplish not only grow harder as you improve, but they are also limitless! You can play it however you like. Life is arguably unfair in some ways, but it is also fair in that everyone gets the same amount of time each day. Remember why you started this challenge in the first place. Whilst I enjoyed gaming more than anything and I didn't feel like quitting, I was unsatisfied with the state of my life. I wasn't happy with my parents being disappointed in me every night I ran upstairs to stare at a screen doing something that my friends and family cannot appreciate. Even though you're well ahead of me in the detox, I have felt a huge benefit even after quitting for only 16 days that I felt the urge to share. If someone told me to fill the massive void of time with learning magic tricks, origami and learning Spanish, I would have relapsed immediately. You just need to get off youtube and try to find new activities that fill the need that gaming used to fill in your life. I personally recommend you exercise, be it running, swimming, riding, playing team sports or anything else, but it really depends on you. If watching youtube all day, learning spanish, doing origami and learning magic isn't satisfying you, then keep trying other things. I wouldn't have much fun doing them either. Once you find things you like doing, being consistent shouldn't be a conscious problem You just need to keep looking and pushing your boundaries if necessary. Don't hesitate to post again if you're having trouble. I'm writing this post with a smile spread across my face. There is light at the end of the tunnel. Good luck

16/05/2016 Detox - Day 14 complete. 2 weeks. Eyyy Had a good day. I still haven't made significant plans for the weekend, but I should fare just fine for this week. I'm finding work much more enjoyable than I did before I began my detox. Again, gotta sleep. Seeya

15/05/2016 Detox - Day 13 complete. Today, I ran a half-marathon in 1:35:28, 4 minutes and 31 seconds per km! I'm pretty stoked. That said, it has been my hardest few days yet with regards to the 90-day detox challenge. It has become clear that I normally resort to physical activity by myself or the reading the Game Quitters forum whenever I feel any kind of urge to game. This habit was disrupted by the need to rest over the last few days for today's big run. In my marathon training plan, I have made notes on what I should do in the event that it was raining, or in the event that I don't have enough time to complete my scheduled run. However, I haven't made plans on what I can do to avoid gaming at home when I am bored and unable to exercise (which I haven't been able to recently due to illness). My illness has been a little aggravated by the run today, and with the winter just beginning in Australia there will definitely be more nights where running may not be an option. Thus, I should settle on something that engages me while I am at home; I will think about this over the next couple of days. I have enjoyed reading development books but I think I will take a break from them once I finish reading The Slight Edge. A lot of them repeat similar messages, and I feel that my time would be better invested in becoming a know-it-all in my industry, or whatever takes my interest on the fly. In addition to physically preparing for the half-marathon, I slept for a very long time over the weekend and got boring jobs done. I have cleaned my room in preparation for a possible new hobby. I sincerely would like to thank @Paul, @Cam, @asquerade for the support when I needed it. Keep going strong team!

Hi SuperSaiyanGod, I've just read your journal from start to finish, spanning a period of around 4 months. It's easy to look at yourself and feel like you're back at step 1, but have no fear. We all need to make small incremental changes over a long period of time that will ultimately result in a better big picture. If there's anything I can suggest, it would be to get a job. Make money, even if through a part-time minimum wage gig. Finding positive things to fill your time will eliminate the need to tell yourself not to do things. Half of the problems on your list will be solved. Who is paying for your food and accommodation at the moment?

237 days! Congrats kortheo! I'd better start reading about the things you've learnt

Thanks Paul W're on our way to 90 days and beyond

Awesome tips Cam. I resonate with number 2 - committing to yourself 100% and/or other people has helped me tremendously. Do, or do not. There is not try. That said, understanding why you want to complete the course is important

I wasn't sure where to let it off my chest, so I'll add a quick note here in this journal. I'll be making a full post tonight. I'm feeling very strong cravings at the moment, but I have not relapsed. Some observations: I'm bored on a Saturday morning by myself. I'm not feeling the urge to play any of the games I used to, instead wanting to play board games that have been turned into multiplayer games over the internet. I'm subconsciously trying to justify it to myself - reasons such as "it's just a casual game, it's not competitive" and even the dangerous "I'll only play one" are coming to mind. Watching videos on youtube when bored was a precursor to these thoughts. I've started carb-loading for the run tomorrow, so I have a lot of energy which I have been unable to use due to my illness.I will now take a shower, go for a walk to clear my head, head to the shops to get some things done and do my daily challenge for my accountability partner. I have no plans for tonight just yet, so I'll think about what I can do while I'm out.

Honestly I can't relate at all with the outbursts you're having, but I do recommend this little piece of advice that works really well for me: If you're feeling emotionally irritated, then do something physical (and vice-versa). At the moment you're throwing groceries and punching the wall in response to your anxiety, but try doing as many push-ups you can when you feel it coming. You'll get to a point where you're so tired and you just collapse face-first on the floor

I have a history of talking the talk but not walking the walk. I have decided that it is time to change that bit about me... I really like the idea of pulling it on my parents that I haven't played video games for a 3 months! Thank you @Falky and @Cam, I'm sure it'll be easier when I'm not sick anymore - I'll hang in there until then. 12/05/2016 Detox - Day 10 complete. I've made it through the hard part of the week; more than anything right now I'm excited to run the half-marathon on Sunday, despite not exercising since last Sunday. Doing valuable things at work resulted in a very enjoyable day at work. My accountability and myself have started working towards challenges on a daily basis. This is yet another benefit of the Game Quitters forum that'll help us on our way up. Gotta sleep Seeya tomorrow

You don't need to have a "great deal to note down", just be consistent and use your journal to sum up your actions Congratulations on your week, don't give up and keep it this way. Greetings Very true. Happy to hear you're enjoying The Slight Edge and using your commute time wisely. Let us know if you need any other recommendations! Fine advice indeed, and coincidentally, very similar to what I'm reading in The Slight Edge at the moment. Thank you @Cam Adair and @Piotr. It may sound silly, but I usually try to find a way of enjoying what I'm doing For my work in a wind farm company, I always get excited about the big picture of delaying the seemingly inevitable heating of the Earth's atmosphere. Once this happens, my head generally clicks into gear and I focus on doing the best work I can. I'm sure there are many short-term methods that work for many different people, so keep experimenting to find what works for you. 11/05/2016 Detox - Day 9 complete. I am beginning to find this detox challenging. The initial zeal I had for bettering myself has been somewhat dampened due to my time spent in the house recovering from illness. In Australia, the winter is slowly coming, so I must accustom myself to being caught inside out of the cold weather and finding good ways to spend my time. I will want to invest some money into winter running gear in order to embrace the cold, so I will order it tomorrow night. Things I did well today: Another large chunk of The Slight Edge has been completed on my commute.I feel like reading has become habitual on my commute to and from work now. However, this is an activity I have been practicing since January this year.It has been the inspiration for these dot points describing 'things I did well' and 'things I could improve' which will hopefully reduce the time I spend writing these posts a little bit. The very act of keeping a journal a great way to reflect, regardless of how long my entries are.I held myself professionally at work, and maintained a good attitudeChallenges: I'm justifying my increased food consumption with my sickness. This is fine for now, but I am wary that my diet should reset as soon as possible, particularly with a half marathon in 4 days.My friends have been raising gaming-related topics, and I could take more initiative in starting conversations with other new friends or moving the conversation elsewhere

Congratulations TheJan. I hope you keep your journal up throughout the challenge, I have learnt a lot from it already. Despite not really needing it, I'll try out RescueTime just to see a breakdown of my time spent on the computer - it sounds really interesting! Thanks for the experience and suggestions , and all the best.