Has anyone here actually succeeded in spending less time on screens? I really need some advice
Hello everyone,
Has anyone here actually succeeded in spending less time on screens?
I’m asking because I’ve been trying for a long time, but I just can’t seem to make any progress. I feel like I’m stuck in this loop of screens, and it’s taking a toll on me.
It’s a bit easier when I’m around people, but when I’m alone, which is most of the time, it feels impossible. I can’t stay in silence with my anxiety, it becomes unbearable. I always need some kind of distraction. I think part of it is that I don’t feel comfortable where I live, and I can’t change that for now. Because of my mental health issues, I feel uncomfortable in most spaces anyway.
I also do a lot of multiscreening, phone, laptop, several apps at once. And with more apps existing now (for example chatgpt), I feel like the dependence keeps getting worse, even though these tools genuinely help me too. I’ve been on screens since I was very young, and honestly… it makes me feel ashamed. I don’t even know what else to do with my time, nothing feels meaningful to me anymore.
Even when I’m with people now, I end up on my phone. I can’t even focus on a show anymore, and I can’t concentrate on reading, my mind jumps straight back to my phone. Most of the time, I’m not even watching or looking at things that truly interest me, I just need noise, loud sounds to stop my brain from thinking. My phone makes me feel safe, but at the same time it’s taking so much of my time and energy. My daily screen time (just on my phone, not counting my computer) is usually around 10 hours.
I know this is hard for everyone, and that these things were designed to be addictive, but I also know that even people without mental health issues struggle. So I wonder, is it even possible for us to get better? The only thing that has helped a little is blocking or unfollowing a lot of content I was spending too much time on on social media. On YouTube, the don't recommend option also helps cut out useless content that just steals time.
I’m making a lot of efforts to take care of my mental health and to socialize more, but despite my efforts, it’s not really working.
A lot of advice I see online doesn’t work for me. I can’t just put my phone in a drawer because I rely on it for important health apps. And I get anxious thinking someone might call me and I won’t be able to answer. Things like timers or “don’t touch your phone for an hour” actually stress me out even more.
If anyone has gone through something similar and actually found a solution, I would really love to hear your experiences.
How did you manage it? What actually helped? What didn’t? Did you find strategies that were efficient enough not to increase anxiety?
Thank you so much if you’re willing to share x
— Whimsy Leafy
@whimsyLeaf7957
same
@Kourt22 💜
@whimsyLeaf7957 buy books you like
@EchoNest thank you :)
I hope you have a wonderful day today!
@Diamondhearts1 Thank you so much!
Hey there,
Thanks for asking this question. It made me reflect and become aware of some things.
Now, coming to what I have personally tried to do, things which seem to work:
I try to shift from a small screen to a bigger screen. That is, instead of a mobile - switch to laptop - or even better - a TV across the room. There used to be a time where people said "tv is bad for kids eyes" but now that we all have collectively shifted to a much personalised tv in absolute reading distance - 10 hours on a TV is going to be much better than 10 hours on a phone. (Not recommending that you watch 10 hours tv though - just comparing with a hand held device and the strain it puts)
Wear glasses as much as possible when watching any screen. Esp if it is a phone. First of all it helps with blocking the blue light. And second, it makes me aware/conscious that I am engaging in a screen. Nothing big - but helps to detach from the "immersive experience".
When you say that focusing for a movie/show is also becoming difficult - know that this has become so common the industry has given a legit word for it. These days, the movie industry is going for scripts that are "second screen friendly", that is, they have recognised that mobile phones and reels/shorts have actually reduced people's attention spans.. so they are making films where it is easier for you to check in and out - and be on your phone - without losing too much context of the movie. So basically a solid BACKGROUND thing while people engage in their FIRST screens - phones. So, you can say the entire industry is shifting towards slop- no exactly stories where you need to be focused for the entire 2-3 hours or more - nah. That change in the industry itself should tell us the scale of the issue. Anyway. My point is, this is not your personal failure. And I say this for real real. (My suggestion is to consciously oppose this by watching more/only long form content while you are on screens. If you get even a little bit better with the attention span and not needing dopamine every 3 seconds- it would become much easier to put down the phone.)
The grayscale feature is good. It helps my brain get a definite point where it is aware that it is bed time - again nothing is changing radically - but this helps a lot when you try to put the phone down later on in the road. You kind of will have to fight with your brain less. Because it already has sensory data that putting down the phone is probably a good idea and aligned with your truer desires.
I have started doing this- putting my phone screen down - so that the screen is not up all the time with notifications. (If that creates anxiety - you can try keeping the notification sound at a high volume - so that way you know you are not missing anything important.)
Figure out if there are people / places / programs in your life which demand an "instant response" or an "always on" culture. Try to figure out where your boundary is for being reachable - and communicate it with those people slowly. (Also, if you have the luxury, do not choose a job/work environment where you need to constantly be available on phone.)
Another thing I have started doing is, I have made this a soft goal inside my head that I will write about what I am seeing in the world - phone screens and movies included. Because i am very interested in human behaviour insights, whenever I focus on things (even the doomscrolls) with the intention that I would have to write a thoughtful article about it, i find myself focusing on a topic much better - rather than losing myself or drowning in random things. Also, I actually follow it up with shifting from doom scroll to actually researching about that topic. It helps me further my desired career in psychology and behavior science. And writing stuff down and publishing it in front of real people also gets me talking to actual people (the real point of social media?) - I write on Medium. It helps me in a variety of ways. Maybe you could try doing that - start writing / sharing your thoughts and opinions about what you see / consume. It also helps you become okay with being with your thoughts... in my experience then it is easier to sit with the difficult thoughts, once you have a practice of sitting through the random, daily ones. Low effort - big impact down the lane i would say.
@whimsyLeaf7957 Yes, I can easily escape from the screen and desk chair in certain situations below.
Whenever possible I listen rather than read or watch the screen.
- How?
- I got an inexpensive BlueTooth headset
- That enables me to get up and listen to videos rather than sit and watch them
I use technology to read screens to me so I can get up and listen rather than sit and read.
- How?
- I use a browser that has a read out loud option
- I have an app that reads text out loud
- I use websites that have a read out loud option
I minimize screen time by listening to video summaries instead of watching entire videos.
- How?
- I use Google Gemini to summarize the video
- I go to Gemini dot Google dot com
- I enter in the Gemini prompt box:
@YouTube summarize (put video url here without parentheses) - Then Gemini summarizes the video by using the transcript it can access automatically because Google owns YouTube
- That saves me lots of screen time
- I can also use a screen reading browser app to speak the Gemini summary so I can get up and listen rather than sit and read the screen
I developed tiny habits and routines that get me away from the screen regularly daily.
- How?
- I make it a point to always get up and away from the screen in certain situations that allow it
I stay well hydrated by drinking water daily and that gets me up often to use the rest room
Overall, I found the key is to:
- Identify certain situations where I can get away from the screen
- Do it regularly until it becomes a habit
Every little bit away from the screen and moving helps!
@whimsyLeaf7957
This thread is full of tips on how to lessen screen time. Thank you for opening up and seeking support. A lot of people with similar experiences can benefit from this post.
@whimsyLeaf7957
Yes I have succeeded and this is what I did.
Firstly turn off YouTube recommendations. This will cause you to leave aimless scrolling on shorts.
Secondly delete any social media apps that are not absolutely necessary.
Thirdly delete anything which brings you back like bookmarks which helps you. Ensure that everytime you access something, it is filled with purpose. Not just opening bookmarks for the sake of it. Any hacks that help you. Make it inconvenient.
Fourthly don't be afraid to block sites you find yourself addicted to.
Lastly and the most important step is identifying what you are getting from all that screen time. Entertainment ? Company? Find ways to substitute it.
Another thing is adding a widget that shows how much time you are on screen. This makes it concrete and helps you see with your own eyes the amount of time you are spending.
