"What is better?"

"What do you want to do?"

These questions may outweigh all of the negatives that could take their place.

Saying "no" to activities that are best left alone can become a snowballing process -- one that eventually stifles decisions that would be useful as well.

Instead, it will be worth trying to ask "between option x and option y, which is better?"

or

"between them, what do you really want to do -- which option will help you more? In the short term, and of course, in the long run?"

It is a question of knowing what path to take. Interrogating decisions in positive terms can help to clarify the intentions in light of each step and fork in that path, rather than using artificial rules and strictures to force self-compliance (which apparently does not work for very long).

What... do you want... to do?