What are your strategies for spending less time online?

[TooMuchTimeOnline1]

I know this sounds a very simple question, and I'm sure I'll get replies saying 'just don't pick up your phone, iPad, etc', however I just don't have that self control or level of concentration anymore before the internet came into my life.

Pre Internet, I had so much more time, to read books etc, and my concentration span was great! I'd also be way more productive.
Please give me your tips and tricks for managing and decreasing the time spent online. I'd be very grateful 😊

I can't help,I have just been reading a book but only because the battery died.
My main fail is looking at it before I go to sleep.I am thinking of getting a separate alarm and then leaving it downstairs at night.

Yes, I waste so much time before bed on my iPad. This isn't the time I see used to spend reading. I used to read 2/3, sometimes 4 books a week. Now I read about 6 in a year. It's so bad, as I used to love reading.

I just waste so much time on the internet that could be better spent .

There is software you can download, pay for most of them, which will stop access to whatever programs you choose and when you want.

Throw away your charger.

Remove the apps from your phone
Buy a magazine or easy to read book with short chapters so you can pick it up for a few minutes when you need a distraction

The only thing that's worked for me is leaving it downstairs at night. It's when I wake up in the Morning that's my danger time-I can get lost for an hour on my phone and was even getting to the phone by where it was making me late for work occasionally.
The only problem is that I am
Often on call for work and then I need it by me as otherwise I wouldn't hear it.
DP takes it downstairs with him when he gets up (before me for work) on those days.
It's ridiculous that I have to do this :(

We had a power cut a few weeks ago, pretty much a whole day, it was alarming how much I got done around the house 😖😂🤷🏻‍♀️

It’s like chewing gum for the mind...

Thanks my for your suggestions. I'll give them all a try as I'm desperate to regain some time to do something more constructive.

Annie, similar to you, we moved house last year. BT had messed up our internet installation set up date, even though I'd booked it all weeks in advance. I had no internet for 3 weeks, I then had it back for 2 days, and a thunder and lightning strike got the box, and had no internet for 2 weeks again 😂 Can honestly say that I felt happier during that time without internet. But once you have it there again, it's so difficult to control usage, despite me knowing it's having a negative impact on my life.

How long do you spend on the internet/on your phone and iPad per day?

I'm contemplating deleting apps from my phone and getting DH to change my password I need to download them as I regularly delete apps from my phone but then put them back again! Zero willpower!

I’m the same. This is my plan:
-Get a proper alarm clock. Leave phone downstairs at night.
-Set a specific ring tone for school, DH and DM. Leave phone in bag at work. Only answer calls from them during work (non are likely to ring unless it’s important)
-Download some really good Kindle books, and make my kindle my default tech when I sit down on an evening
-Set advise a specific time of day to do school/house/family etc admin, not try an deal with it as it comes in.

I removed Facebook etc from my phone a month ago. With the children around in the day I realised I’m less likely to pick it up as it’s bulky (compared to phone) only to look on evenings. I make sure kindle is downstairs once kids in bed, that what I pick up first. Recently notice I frequently forget to check social media in the evening. It’s great.
I’m back to reading a book or two a week and clean house.
Was bloody hard and stillvsometime struggle and find myself checking emails for no reason. I’m also more like to text a friend when I’m out and about now instead of mindless scroll......

Irony is that everyone commenting on here is on their phone/tablet 😂🤦‍♀️

I’m terrible though. Always on it in work, even when I try to go cold turkey in my bag. Plus, when DH and I DTD this morning, we were both on our phones within 5 minutes of finishing.

Now that’s sad!

Having a broken screen.

I'll get round to fixing it, but until then it's frustrating to work round.

So my pile of 'I must get round to reading these properly' magazines has almost vanished

Definitely leaving the phone and iPad downstairs, and not bringing them up to my bedroom. I think that will make a huge difference, even though it is a small step !