I Find No Joy On The Internet Anymore And I Love It
I vividly remembered the excitement I felt when I heard the buzzing sound of my dial-up modem, when I hopped onto IRC, when I knew I could search for anything on this search engine called Altavista.
Getting on the internet was the highlight of my day.
Not anymore.
These days, when I wasn't working, my attention span hopped between checking email, Twitter, Hacker News, and some of my favorite websites. Sometimes, I could find something interesting. But most of the time, it was almost always the same thing.
I felt like the guy who buys lottery everyday, hoping to win big. He always end up disappointed, and suddenly he won something small when he about to give up. With his hope reignited, he continues to buy lottery again. Until it became a habit.
Like him, I was seeking for an instant gratification that almost never happens. And it's slowly costing my life.
So I blocked these websites. But I knew it wasn't enough. I started training for marathon. I did CrossFit and Yoga when I needed a break from work. I started playing basketball three times a week. I met up with friends to have long lunch or dinner. I spent more time with my family. I travelled. I read (just finished "Liar's Poker") and wrote more (this article was written offline).
It felt incredible. My focus and productivity improved. I enjoyed my work more. I slept better. More importantly, I enjoyed every single one of those activities way more than the internet.
Now, whenever I feel bored (which rarely happens), the first thing I do is to close the lid of my laptop and get out. Even when I wasn't doing anything, I was content with just a cup of tea, sitting and looking at the sea, and not wondering about what's on the Hacker News front page.
And I love it.
