#17: Killing my Youtube habit

Last week, I realized I might have a problem.

Too much Youtube.

It always creeps up on me. I see it coming but do it anyway.

It starts with an innocent thought: “Hey, it’s a long time since I watched some gaming videos."

So I do, and it’s fun.

Then I think: “Hmm. It wouldn’t hurt to install the game and play a game or two."

So I do, and it’s even more fun.

Fast forward 2 or 3 days: I go from watching 20 minutes during lunch to 3 hours spread over the afternoon. Plus, I don’t play for an hour after dinner. I’m hardcore gaming from 5 pm to 2 am.

I suck at moderation.

When I do something, it absorbs me. And that’s even more true for fun stuff like Youtube and gaming. It’s next to impossible for me to maintain a combination of these habits in a healthy way. I fall in fast and deep.

The only way out for me is a total unplug.

So I initiated the total unplug protocol:

• I uninstalled the game
• I sold the iPad mini I used for watching Youtube (it’s damn too convenient)
• I uninstalled the Youtube app on my other iPad (just in case)

I’ve been here before, and I know that the total unplug works best.

Although, there can be complications. There always are complications…

When I sat down for lunch the next day, I realized there’s nothing to watch. TRIGGER! My brain immediately started negotiating the conditions of watching something, anything.

The association of eating and watching something is forged in my brain at this point. I did this for a long time in a relatively healthy way (watching Last Week Tonight or Shut Up and Sit Down for 20-30 minutes and then continuing work).

The total unplug undone this possibility.

I deflected numerous negotiations that day until I realized it’s too difficult. It’s too big of a shock. I already felt tempted. And I knew I probably won’t be able to resist. So I decided to replace Youtube with something healthier.

For a while now, I wanted to watch some Masterclasses on writing and comedy. So I finally had a reason to subscribe, and I replaced pure entertainment with something educational.

Worked like a charm.

But wait a minute…

Did my brain trick me? Brain?

I don’t know.

I certainly binged some Masterclasses I wasn’t planning for. But hey, it’s educational.

Is that the rational me, or are those needs of the Youtube brain again? I’m not sure.

But as long as it doesn’t mess with my work and sleep. It’s fine.

Otherwise, see you in the next week’s episode: Murdering my Masterclass addiction

Have a good week.

Byyye.