Do you always seem to be checking social media, watching movie series, playing video games, browsing YouTube, or eating junk food?

Lack of self-control is a common problem that can have negative consequences on our personal and professional lives. These habits can be difficult to break and can prevent us from achieving our goals.

In this article, we will explore five common reasons why people lack self-control and offer some tips on how to overcome these challenges.

Social Media Addiction

Have you ever tried to be productive but it feels like you have to exert so much effort to get started to gain some momentum, then all of a sudden you get this itch to check your phone and scroll through social media?

Notifications constantly bombard us, updates, and alerts fight for our attention, and it can be difficult to resist the temptation to check our phones and scroll through our feeds. This constant distraction can hinder our ability to focus and concentrate on the task at hand.

To overcome this challenge, it's important to be proactive in managing our social media usage. This can include setting aside specific times of the day to check our accounts, turning off notifications, and limiting the amount of time we spend on social media.

It can also be helpful to take breaks from social media altogether, such as by going on a digital detox or using apps that limit our usage.

By being more intentional and mindful of our social media habits, we can improve our self-control and prevent addiction. I made a video with steps you can watch here.

Binging Movie Series and Anime

Another common reason for the lack of self-control is the allure of movie series and anime. These forms of entertainment can be engaging and immersive, and it can be easy to get hooked on the plot and the characters.

We may start by watching just one episode, but before we know it, we've stayed up late into the night and watched the entire season. One episode of Terminal List turned into 8 episodes of nail-biting action and suspense.

This can be detrimental to our health and well-being, as it can cause us to lose sleep from overstimulation and disrupt our next day’s plan.

It's important to set boundaries and limits for ourselves. This can include forming a bedtime routine and sticking to it, planning our viewing, and limiting the number of episodes we watch in a sitting.

It can also be helpful to find other forms of entertainment that are less engaging, such as reading a book, writing, or listening to music.

By being more mindful and disciplined about our movie and anime viewing habits, we can improve our self-control and avoid getting lost in the story. Remember: it's never just ONE episode. Save yourself the agony.

The Hyperstimulation of Video Games

Video games can be a fun and enjoyable way to “unwind”, but they are overstimulating and addictive. When we play games, our minds are not at rest; we are constantly engaged in the game's activities and challenges, which can prevent us from truly relaxing.

This is particularly true for action games and first-person shooters, which require intense concentration and focus. Even games with good storylines can be engaging and immersive, and we may lose track of time while playing.

Trying not to die from a boss fight and level grinding don’t quite mix well with a calm mind, do they?

The key is to set boundaries and become aware of your mental & emotional state if you do decide to play. This can include setting time limits and sticking to them, taking regular breaks, and finding other ways to relax and destress.

It can also be helpful to diversify our activities and hobbies, such as by trying new hobbies that don't involve screens.

By being more mindful and balanced in our approach to video games, we can improve our self-control and avoid getting lost in the virtual rabbit hole.

The Endless “Learning” Loop of YouTube

YouTube isn’t social media, right? It’s a platform for learning new skills, watching tutorials, and consuming content, right bro? Not necessarily.

It's easy to get lost in the endless scrolling and discover new videos to watch, and we may find ourselves spending hours on the site without realizing it.

If you've spent several hours on YouTube saying to yourself, “I'll get off, it's just one more five-minute video,” you're still stuck in a consumption loop.

One avenue I’ve recently taken is to consume videos to share what I’ve learned and produce content (like what you’re seeing here with these articles and my YouTube videos). I think it's better to be a producer because you're creating something of your unique skill set from your unique perspective.

If you're constantly consuming, you will find it hard to create something worthy of representing your unique personality. I think that's important to actualizing your potential.

Consider adopting a writing habit and monetize your knowledge and interests in only 1-2 hours per day. You can learn more about the vast benefits of the writing course I’m using here.

The Temptation of Junk Food

Junk food is a common temptation that can hinder our self-control. How many times have you started a diet and all of a sudden you find yourself eating a bag of chips, a box of cookies, or a tub of ice cream? It's easy to indulge in these treats and consume more than we intended.

This can be problematic for our health and fitness goals, as junk food is often high in calories, sugar, and fat, and it can contribute to weight gain and other health problems.

Think, “out of sight – out of mind.” If you constantly see the big box of crackers on top of the fridge, you know you might end up reaching for them subconsciously when you're hungry. Instead, hide it in a place that you don't normally look like in a cabinet, or just make sure that stuff doesn't exist in the house.

It can be difficult with kids because they’ll eat anything with sugar or high calories (curse those animal instincts). If you're trying to adopt better eating habits, I would suggest keeping these foods as far away from you as possible and filling your house with healthier alternatives, such as fruits, vegetables, or protein snacks.

By being more mindful and disciplined about our food choices and environment, we can improve our self-control and avoid the temptation of junk food.

Bonus: Man’s Biggest Enemy

Porn and masturbation addiction is a common problem among men. You might have just cringed as you read that and felt a little bit of denial, shame, and guilt but I think this is something a lot of men deal with.

When we engage in these behaviors frequently and compulsively, they can become habitual and difficult to break.

How many times have you said this after blowing your load? “I'm really gonna stop this time. This is the last time I do it,” 24 hours later you're opening up your phone checking if your VPN is on, going to an incognito tab, and it's like muscle memory typing out those seven letters. This can be detrimental to our relationships, health, and well-being.

We need to address the root causes of the addiction, such as underlying emotional or psychological issues. This can include practicing mindfulness and self-awareness, getting a men’s accountability group, or seeking therapy if nothing else works.

Find healthy and fulfilling alternatives such as hobbies, starting a side hustle, or engaging in more social activities.

All in all, we need to be deliberate about our behaviors and actions and eliminate access to the stimulus as best as we can through these practices.

Regain Your Power

Lack of self-control is a common problem that can have negative consequences on our personal and professional lives. Whether it's checking social media constantly, getting lost in movie series and anime, playing video games for hours, endlessly scrolling on YouTube, indulging in junk food, or fighting a compulsive addiction, these habits can be difficult to break and can prevent us from achieving our goals.

By recognizing and addressing these challenges, we can improve our self-control and make better decisions in our lives.

Take a moment to reflect on your own habits and consider how you can improve your self-control. Remember, it's never too late to make positive changes in your life.

My challenge to you is to reply with which one of these stood out to you the most. What do you struggle with right now? How can you alleviate some of these issues that bring the lack of control in our lifestyles?

If you like this article you might want to check out this video on starting a morning routine. Want to see more about self-improvement while starting an online business with like-minded individuals? Check out Modern Mastery! (I’m learning a ton about writing, building an audience, and making friends).

Consider subscribing if you haven’t already and leave me some feedback on what you’d like to see next! Catch you at the next one!

Resources:

• Content OS: Set up a framework for content creation around your interests to attain internal fulfillment and financial freedom! Check out the article on creating your own content.

• 2-Hour Writer: Learn a marketable skill by writing 1-2 hours per day that translates to a professional upgrade, starting a business, or bringing clarity to your overactive mind.

• Modern Mastery: Join a like-minded group of individuals committed to content creation, starting a one-person business, and networking with others on the path to self-mastery.

• Hypefury: Tired of posting your content manually? Schedule unlimited tweets and save your ideas in a simple dashboard. I schedule all my tweets on Sunday saving me hours per week! (Also post to IG, FB, and LinkedIn) + many more features!

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