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There are endless distractions everywhere around us.
A few years ago, I was so hooked on the quick hits from the phone that I couldn’t put it away for any length of time.
I didn’t manage to be productive at all and my personal life was a mess.
When you don’t get notifications, you actually feel so low because you have been wired to expect them. So, you keep checking the phone on autopilot looking for the next hit.
I stopped watching TV series
Netflix series are meant to be addictive.
It is so common in many friend circles to watch the latest series on Netflix or HBO and talk about it with friends. Before streaming services, you could only watch one episode per week and you had to wait for the next one to air. Now, everything is on demand.
There was no way you could binge-watch a series for 5 hours every evening, 15 or 20 years ago. Today that is the reality for a lot of people.
Series are too addictive so I gave them up a few years ago. The only series I have seen in recent years are Better Call Saul and Narcos.
Sometimes someone asks me if I have seen “insert the latest popular series” and I have probably never even heard about it. Some people maybe think I am weird for that, but that is a price I am willing to pay for protecting my attention and time.
Remove notifications
The idea that we need notifications is one of the worst misconceptions ever. Choose to be proactive rather than reactive. Check things at your own time rather than letting someone else impose their agenda on you.
Do you really need to be interrupted to know that someone sent you an email at 21:47 on a Friday night? Or that an acquaintance liked one of your Instagram photos at 06:30 on a Tuesday morning?
Notifications are essentially Silicon Valley imposing their agenda on you trying to keep your eyeballs on their platforms to make more money. It is not about making your life more convenient.
Unless you remove most notifications, you will spend your entire day reacting to a frantic blur of emails, messages, phone calls, Slack, WhatsApp and whatever else it is.
Be really conscious about your screen time
We spend way too much time in front of screens. A lot of people are kind of living in a digital matrix.
Too much screen time fuels loneliness and drains your energy. The constant easy pleasure and the notifications dull you to everything slower.
Notifications also take us out of the present moment.
It is much better to be efficient and log off as soon as possible. That way you will have more energy for other things and be recharged when you have to get back to work the next day.
I decided to buy an Alcatel phone a few years ago with messages and phone calls only. For periods, I only brought this one with me to university and work. And every night at 10 pm, I turned off the internet.
So, I started doing a lot of other things now that every moment of my waking life was not spent looking at Instagram or YouTube.
Things such as:
- Reading
- Enjoying the small moments in between
- Doing things mindfully, since I felt more at peace
And it led to:
- Reading 40 books in a year
- Writing
- Feeling better about myself, with less stress in my daily life
- Higher energy levels and less brain fog
- Better concentration
Even becoming more social (in the loneliness of disconnecting from social media and cheap entertainment online, I felt like being social for the first time in ages. And I met new people and reconnected with friends).
It basically turned my life around completely. Not only did I get a lot more time on my hands, but my energy levels rose a lot as well and with more presence I could finally commit to projects in a real way for the first time in my life.
I began to know myself better instead of always chasing quick digital hits. It was a beautiful place to be in. And it felt amazing to be in control of my own time and energy. I felt compelled to learn more and do new things.
I read a few books that reaffirmed my decision. Books such as Deep Work, Digital Minimalism, Stolen Focus, Indistractable and The Shallows. I learned that we are not meant to multitask and get distracted constantly. It wears down your attention and your mood.
I started applying these concepts:
Deep work: Focusing on something cognitively demanding without distractions. I try to practice deep work for a few hours every day.
Digital minimalism: Focusing your online time on a small number of carefully selected activities that support things you value. If TikTok is outside that for instance, don’t download the app.
Delayed gratification: Anything worth having in life requires working hard for a long period of time. Online we get instant gratification everywhere. On social media we are hit with stimulation everywhere.
I experimented a lot and tried different ways to minimize my time online while still having an online presence. It led me to come up with a way to look at it myself that suited my life, which I call “Digital Discipline”. At least for me, the solution was to find a sense of purpose and direction in my life and then to apply discipline to my digital habits.
That changed my situation 180 degrees. I believe the same can happen for a lot of other people too. Because let’s face it. It is hard to not have any social media presence. But if we manage to reduce the time we spend there to the bare minimum and are disciplined with our time online, we can maximize the benefits while not losing a lot of time and energy.
Final thoughts
Our lives are ticking away every second. You want to be there for it, capturing the moment, enjoying it and seizing it, not staring at a screen.
To start living life fully, I had to be conscious about the time I spend online. That is probably true for many others as well.
I freed up so much time and energy by removing notifications and minimizing digital entertainment that I turned my life around completely. Try it out!
Havard Mela is an author, coach, and digital minimalist. You can check out his website here and find out more about his digital addiction coaching.
More Ways to Cut Your Screen Time
Havard’s three habits are the core. These are a few more, from our own notes on regulating screen time.
Signs screen time is costing you focus
Long hours on screens wear attention down, often before you notice. Watch for these:
- You read the same sentence or paragraph several times.
- You open new tabs, or pick up your phone, without deciding to.
- You forget what you were doing halfway through.
- Simple tasks take longer than they should.
- You feel mentally drained before the work is done.
None of this means you have lost the ability to focus. Your brain has got used to constant switching and stimulation, and it can get used to quieter conditions again. Work on one task at a time, look away from the screen every 25 to 60 minutes to stand up and stretch, and plan set blocks of focused work instead of dipping in and out all day. FocusMe can keep distracting websites and apps blocked during those blocks, on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iPhone.
Leave the phone behind, and keep screens out of time together
Most of what you do on your phone can wait an hour. Unless you are expecting an important call, try leaving it at home for a walk, a coffee or a trip to the shops. The first few times feel strange; after that, most people find they don’t miss it.
The same goes for time with family and friends. A film together now and then is fine, but screen time is not quality time. If your work already keeps you in front of a screen all day, spend shared time on something else: a walk, a board game, cooking, gardening or a day outside. You get a break from screens and closer relationships with the people you care about.
Get outside, move, and pick up a low-tech hobby
The surest way to cut screen time is to go where there are no charging stations and the signal is limited or non-existent. Most of us are not only over-screened but nature deprived, and nurturing a connection with the natural world is key to physical and mental well-being, for children just as much as adults. Next time you feel yourself reaching for the phone or the remote, don’t: get up and do a little exercise instead. A sticky note reminding you to exercise before you play, watch or read helps, and so does a family member or friend who keeps you accountable. If you already exercise enough, take up a low-tech hobby such as painting, gardening, building models or board games. There are endless enjoyable things to do that don’t involve a screen.
Reduce screen time at work where you can
If you spend too much time in front of a screen, work is probably the main culprit, and it is the hardest screen time to avoid. It can usually be trimmed without compromising your responsibilities: brainstorm outdoors or in a meeting room rather than in a document, and deliver important messages in person. If your job keeps you at a screen all day, it may be worth asking your manager for a space or a time where people can get away from screens for a few minutes, to meditate, socialize or simply disconnect. Taking breaks and reducing screen time at work improves both productivity and how people feel about their jobs, so it makes business sense too.
Ready to take a big step toward less screen time? Start your free 14-day FocusMe trial below, no card needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to reduce screen time?
Reducing screen time helps improve mental and physical health, enhances productivity, promotes better sleep, and allows for more meaningful real-life interactions.
What are simple habits to reduce screen time?
Start by setting screen-free hours, using app blockers, and engaging in offline activities like reading, exercising, or socializing.
How does excessive screen time affect mental health?
Too much screen time can lead to increased stress, anxiety, and poor focus. It may also disrupt sleep patterns and reduce overall emotional well-being.
Can limiting screen time improve productivity?
Yes, reducing screen time minimizes distractions, allowing you to stay focused on tasks, complete work faster, and maintain better time management.
What is a digital detox, and how can it help?
A digital detox involves taking a break from digital devices to reset your mind, reduce screen dependence, and improve mental clarity.
How can I set boundaries around screen time?
Establish clear limits by scheduling device-free time, using screen timers, and creating no-phone zones, such as during meals or before bedtime.
Are there apps to help reduce screen time?
Yes. FocusMe blocks distracting sites and apps, shows you where your time goes, and holds the limits you set, on your computer and your phone.
How can I encourage my family to reduce screen time?
Model healthy habits, plan screen-free activities together, and establish family rules for device usage, like tech-free dinners or outdoor playtime.
Does reducing screen time improve sleep quality?
Yes, less screen exposure, especially before bed, reduces blue light interference, helping regulate your sleep cycle and improving rest.
What are offline activities to replace screen time?
Consider hobbies like reading, journaling, exercising, cooking, or spending quality time with loved ones to engage your mind without screens.
