Here’s where I tell you what I learned from my Experiment #5: Internet Limits.

The Experiment

Starting now, until the end of October, (a little more than 10 days) do not use an Internet browser after 8 PM. Also, limit time on YouTube to one hour per week.

What I Did

10/21/24 

I watched some YouTube videos the kids were watching on TV. Does that count? I don’t think so. I did not go on the Internet after 8 PM. I had a strong desire to try to find an explanation for the movie 2001: A Space Odyssey. I had to go to bed, thinking that it was boring and made no sense.

10/22/24 

I woke in (what I thought was) the middle of the night, and was tempted to go on my phone for a variety of reasons, mostly stemming from curiosity. I wondered why. It was a compulsive feeling. I could describe it as “driven to distraction” (the title of a book I’ve heard of, but never read). I thought it might’ve been better if I had specified the entire time I was to stay off the Internet, such as: from 8:00 p.m. to 8:00 a.m. Eventually, I picked up my phone, and found it was 6:20. I usually get up at six. Today, I was hoping to sleep till seven. 

(I removed the huge journal entry of haphazard thoughts written that morning. I’ll share some of them in the next section.)

10/23/24

Sent Bob links to Old Navy pajamas after 8. After the movies…

10/23/24

Listened to a YouTube video for over an hour while cleaning. I’m already past the week’s limit. Went on the internet a lot after 8 pm. Looking up stuff on Wikipedia…. in bed.

10/24/24

Online and on YouTube in bed in the morning.

10/25/24

YouTube in bed.

10/26/24

YouTube in bed late.

10/27/24 & 10/28/24

Failed miserably.

10/29/24

Cold turkey?

Watched a video while I ate in my room so I didn’t have to hear the show the kids were watching. On phone late at night.

10/30/24

Idk

10/31/24

On my phone after 8pm.

11/1/24

Listened to Uniformity With God’s Will while mowing the lawn.

What I Learned

1. Announcing, pledging, making up rules to follow, calling it a challenge… these are temporary fixes. They do not last. If they are done by attempting to control, going it alone, by my own power… there will come a day when I am too weak. In this experiment, it was the second day.
2. I must ask for help to do hard things, to resist temptations, and to give up my own will.
3. I have been filling my life with noise. I believe the peace that I seek will be found in the silence which is necessary for conversing with God.

In Conclusion

My plans, my designs, my rules, my agenda. What a waste! I cannot change myself. And then I beat myself up for failing. Again.

I’m not going to set more limits. I’m going to accept myself as I am. I’m going to give thanks as much as I possibly can and focus on loving God.