Forum Addiction

[Yynatago]

I've recently noticed myself growing more and more addicted to forums. This time last week I've never frequented any forums of any sort. But on October 31st, a new particular set of forums were released upon the Web that I can not seem to leave alone for more then 9 hours (I like my sleep!). Has any got any suggestion on how I can curb this addiction!?!

[falcon]

Nice to see I'm not the only one! Just spent a couple of hours catching up on all the posts made before I registered. Oops

What I try to do is set aside half an hour to an hour every day, or every other day to go through my email, the rss feeds of all the blogs I read, and any forums I'm currently a member of.

Looking at how popular this place is already though, I'm not sure that's going to be long enough anymore!

[confu]

Take off-weeks!

I have done my 4th lately (not in a row), and it became less a problem everytime.

Very important is, to fill the new time you got with other activities (not similar ones ;-) ).

[eduard]

Addiction is a serious bussines and i think Steve didn't said to much about how to cure it!!

[eduard]

there are so many buttons...

[Nancy Lebovitz]

Here's a Steve Pavlina article about using forums effectively and non-addictively.

[Trina]

Originally Posted by Yynatago

I've recently noticed myself growing more and more addicted to forums. This time last week I've never frequented any forums of any sort. But on October 31st, a new particular set of forums were released upon the Web that I can not seem to leave alone for more then 9 hours (I like my sleep!). Has any got any suggestion on how I can curb this addiction!?!

Get yourself a significant other (or a friend) that will kick you in the nether regions when you get out of control.

It worked for my husband. :P

[JeffS]

Indeed, that was the main reason I had to think twice before volunteering to moderate. I've never gone completely off the deep end in a forum, but there are a couple that have definitely served as procrastination-helpers...whenever I think I need a break, hit that bookmark and I'm lost to the world for thirty minutes.

Steve's article on this is great--the main thing I have to ask myself is: "why are you reading/participating in this forum?" If you don't have a good answer, get the heck out. If you do, try to limit your participation to what is necessary to reaching whatever goal you have for being there. In most cases for me, the goal is keeping up with news, so I don't participate, I just scan topics, and five minutes later, I'm out. Here it's different, but I imagine there will be plenty of threads I'll feel comfortable skimming or skipping altogether.

[MercuryLime]

I had the same problem a couple years ago. I think the best way is to just ride it out - eventually, if you're like me, you'll just naturally start spending less and less time on the forum.

[michael.shearer]

This will probably be my second forum that I visit daily. I like my small doses of daily written inspiration and I always find Steve's writing to serve that (not that his writing is my sole source of inspiration) and I'm sure that the members that join this community with have equally inspirational thoughts and comments. I look forward to sharing.

Many Blessings,

Michael

[Mark Lapierre]

Originally Posted by JeffS

Indeed, that was the main reason I had to think twice before volunteering to moderate. I've never gone completely off the deep end in a forum...

That was actually one of the reasons I began moderating a forum many years ago. I spent so much time in the forums on one particular site, became very passionate about a particular category of discussion which the existing forums weren't satisfying, and didn't let up until a new forum was created with me as the moderator. I've since left but it's still going strong

I think the only way to curb that kind of addiction is to intentionally start fights with high profile forum members so that everyone on the forum turns against you and you no longer enjoy the forums and are forced to leave. It's really the only solution.

[Daniel Terhorst]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

I think the only way to curb that kind of addiction is to intentionally start fights with high profile forum members so that everyone on the forum turns against you and you no longer enjoy the forums and are forced to leave. It's really the only solution.

Haha!



In one hour I will have been on this forum for 12 hours straight--from 5 to 5. Today... OK. I'm playing with a new toy.

But it would probably be better if I didn't do it again.

I think I'm going to go have breakfast/lunch/dinner soon.

-- Daniel Terhorst

[RandomJohn]

I've been heavily involved on the HunaTrainer forums for over a year and sometimes I'm on all the time and sometimes I'm on very little at all. Mostly, it's a matter of what else is going on in my life and whether what's going on on the boards is resonating with me.

[nikewong]

the forum is moving too fast, i can't catchup