[The Confession of our Sin by Charles Stanley] God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. ⁷ But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn 1:5–9).

If confession is genuine, it must be named.  What is it?  Lust? Greed? Gossip?  Say, Lord, that was lust.  I confess it.  You don't need to beg for forgiveness.  He has already said that he is faithful and just to forgive you.  

When do you confess sin?  Immediately upon the Spirit's conviction. He wants us to confess our sin immediately which is breaking fellowship with him.  Confession restores your fellowship with him.

[Pt 2] He's promised to forgive us. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. ² And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 Jn 2:1–2).

Take advantage of that.  You deal with you so he does not have to deal with you.  We confess it, we deal with it, we correct it.  It's not, I confess and I'm just going to do it again--no.  Genuine confessions realized I have violated you.  I'm sorry.  I'm ashamed.  I don't want that in my life.  If you are struggling in some area, ask the Holy Spirit to deliver you.  If you are still struggling, find someone very godly who can help you and keep you accountable--what it means is having Christ in your life--living His life through you.