Things I Actually Did to Decrease My Screentime

As we know, not all screentime is bad, but I think that we can both agree that endlessly scrolling on your phone is bad for you— it’s unproductive, makes you feel guilty afterwards, and feeds third-party organizations your data. But don’t feel bad for being addicted: these algorithms are specifically designed from the specific hue of an icon to get you hooked and unable to quit.

1. Hobbies

Even if you don’t read the rest of this article, at least take the one piece of advice that helped me the most: you need hobbies.

Instead of trying to solve the symptoms of the problem (doomscrolling), we have to understand the cause behind the problem, which is usually boredom or stress. For a while, I used app blockers to try and stop me from doomscrolling, but it never worked: I’d always ignore the limit or just aimlessly play with my phone in the photos app But one day, I watched one YouTube video which changed my entire outlook on doomscrolling.

In short, the video stated that because your phone is almost always with you, it’s becomes a part of you. Even if you’re not holding it, it’s usually in a pocket or in a bag nearby. So naturally, it becomes something that you unconsciously use. To fix this, the video suggested finding hobbies that specifically involve your hands: crochet, drawing, etc. Now, I’d already tried to crochet a few times before, which all ended with me giving up out of frustration, but I decided “What was the harm in trying one more time?” I found the forgotten box of yarn and hooks in my closet,and tried again. And this time, it stuck. Soon, all of my time was spent crocheting— a new bow, a coaster, and even a cute donut! I was able to reach flow state so quickly that hours would pass and it only felt like minutes.

2. Physical Distance

You know that saying: “Out of sight, out of mind?” Well, it’s true. One of the things that also helped me a lot was simply putting my phone out of my reach or sight. I’d leave my phone downstairs to charge, causing me to not be able to reach for my phone first thing in the morning, or I’d put it in my bathroom drawer, and suddenly my brain just forgot it existed.

3. Deleting all my social media apps

Now this one worked a little less for me than the others, simply because I’d just go to safari and type the app in. But I will say that it works way better (for me) than simply blocking the app on my phone. However, if you are looking for an app blocker, I’d recommend Opal! It’s completely free, has a bunch of cute gemstones you can unlock, and it makes you wait before allowing you to unblock your phone (and only for 15 minute intervals) Another thing that I did was only allowing myself to use YouTube on my computer, and I was able to install an extension which prevented youtube shorts from showing up. Long-form content isn’t nearly as bad as short-form content; plus you can learn all sorts of new things!

4. Mindset

This may seem counterproductive, but forgiving yourself is one of the best things you can do. If you constantly slam yourself for slipping up and scrolling for an hour, your brain will associate the effort with something negative.

Also, the brain loves proving itself right. When you state that you’re a procrastinator or lazy, your brain desperately wants to be right: which keeps you stuck in that cycle. Instead of tying it to your identity (I’m a procrastinator), think: I procrastinated today. And the opposite is true! When you want to do something, such as getting more exercise, tie it to your identity! Instead of thinking I want to get more athletic, think: I’m an athletic person.

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