Impulsory

Impulses are definitely very difficult to overcome. I have found that the best way to avoid getting stuck in an impulsive activity is to avoid whatever triggers those impulses in the first place. For instance, if I want to go on my phone and I feel the sudden desire to do something distracting, I might either leave my phone in my room and go somewhere else, or just turn my phone off all together. Just avoiding anything that you KNOW will distract you is the nest technique I've found.

When I give into my impulses and I get stuck doing things instantly-gratifying things like scrolling through videos or social media, I need to physically get myself away from whatever is distracting me. If it's a video game, walk out of the room your device is in and don't enter fir a few minutes. Sometimes if I scroll on on social media and I find myself getting stuck in the activity, I just hold my breath until I turn my phone off! Once my phone is off, all those distractions are out of reach!

Sometimes though, the activity we need to do is on a distracting device. I have to do most of my homework on my laptop. All my favorite distractions are ALSO on my laptop. If I need to do an activity that I don't want to, and I can feel myself turning towards something impulsive and instantly gratifying instead, I find it helps me to take a step away from it all for a moment and do something very calming, something that helps me to overcome the overwhelming impulses, then return.

For instance, when I was studying in the library, I had to do some work on my laptop. I felt the impulse pour in. I didn't want to do homework, I wanted to use social media or message my friends, something more fun! I had a bad feeling that as soon as I opened my laptop, I wasn't going to study at all, I was going to give in to my impulses. So instead of opening my laptop, I walked out of the study room for a bit. I told myself I was going to weave through the library shelves for a bit. I walked through them slowly. I forgot about my worries for a moment and just admired all the books, taking the time to read the different titles on the spines of the books. As I did a slow calming activity with low-gratification, I could feel my impulses calm down a little bit too. They didn't fully go away by the time I returned to my study room, but I felt a lot more grounded, calm, and in control when I returned.

I hope you can find some methods that work for you. I wish you the best of luck on your journey!

I have a system. Like if I want to buy something I habe to go through steps.

Step 1. Have fun reseaching all the things. It is so fun and gives so much dopamin.

Step 2. Put in basket

Step 3. Leave in basket until immediate high and exitment is over. For me it is usually 3 weeks.

Step 4. Revisit the thing. Do I still want it? Is it in budget? Is it smart? Will I use it? Is it worth it? Do I want something else more? Usually I dont really see the hype if enough time has passed. But I still got joy from it as an idea..AMD i leave it there.

Step 5. Buy the thing (if Step 4. is passed)

Step 6. Use the "new thing" dopamin to do something positive. While waiting for it or before i go buy it i may clean an area where I am going to have it. It makes it better to get it. Also it becomes an award for cleaning.

Step 7. Enjoy the thing fully

(Doesnt mean i never do impulse purchases. Buy this helps)