📱 I Decreased My Screen Time by 1.5 Hours
❓Yes, Good Job, But Why?
I was spending nearly 3 hours per day on my phone. I was scrolling on YouTube, looking at posts from Instagram and read the ever-growing wars on Twitter (not X). And you know what? I was tired. Tired of the constant negativity, tired of how lonely I felt and just plain tired.
Now that’s not to say social media/my phone is a bad thing. It primarily how I get informed of many things, how I gain knowledge and yes, there are many wholesome communities out there. But there was some thing to be done about my 3+ hours spend on my phone. So in January of 2024, I decided to, well, quite simply, do something about it.
🧲 What Did I Do Then?
One of the first things I did was delete some of my social media, but not all. YouTube remained as did Snapchat and Discord (which is how I talk to my friends). Instagram, Threads and Twitter were cut off. Now all I had left to watch was YouTube, so I did precisely that.
So I downloaded perhaps one of the best screen time blocking app out there: Unpluq. It tracks how much you spent on each app, how much time you spent overall, and then the best thing: every time you try to edit your time block or access the app you have blocked it gives you a 7-piece puzzle to complete. It very easy to finish, but within those 60 seconds, you feel as if this isn’t really worth it. Now, I only spend my digital life on YouTube from 20:00 to 21:00. One hour. That’s it.
3️⃣ Few Strategies for You
- Download a app blocker, and I recommend Unpluq. Your phone’s native blocking function is great, but it’s almost too easy to go back and change it.
- Block notifications, which is easy. Go to settings, then notifications and then choose which apps to get messages from. I use a Before Launcher on my Android that filters my notification.
- Enable a time for your digital life to thrive. If you spend, or well, don’t spend time on social media at all, you will crash. It’s best if you allot a hour to let it thrive.
🚀 Well, What Now?
I still have Instagram/Twitter (never X)/Threads on my laptop. But I only access it maybe once a week. And you know what? I’m totally fine with that. I have more time now, my sleep is better and the stress has definitely decreased. I am gonna keep it like it is right now. Only YouTube, that too for a hour.
➡️ Next Up: 😀I Tracked My Mood For 32 Days
🕛 Quote of the Week
“Who you are is defined by what you’re willing to struggle for.”― Mark Manson, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck
