Want to reduce your screen time, and make it productive? Here’s what I did.

If you were born in the 18th century, screen time would have been a non-issue. But we are here, and screens are not going to go away any time soon. And the addiction to screens has only been increased with the incorporation of AI into literally everything that you see on a screen.

The moment you pick up your phone, tablet, laptop or even Television, you cannot leave it just reading that 1 piece of content you wished to read. AI latches on to you and continues to feed advertising, additional articles and videos from second 1. If there were ever a campaign to collectively promote screens, it would very much be on the lines of the Lays chips campaign – no one can eat just one.

Getting to the point – How did I reduce my screen time?

Step 1: Notifications
I switched off as many notifications as I could on my phone – everything from Facebook to Gmail to any shopping app like Amazon and delivery apps like Swiggy. I muted notifications for all my WhatsApp groups.

Notifications were kept enabled only for SMS, WhatsApp, Ola, Uber and some other critical apps. This did not happen overnight. Over the duration of a few days, I disabled notifications for apps as soon as an unhelpful notification popped up on my phone.

Lesser notifications = lesser triggers to pick up your phone = lesser screen time

Step 2: Uninstall
Gradually, I realized, that disabling notifications reduces screen time for some apps, like Amazon and Gmail, but for apps like YouTube or Facebook, it is not as effective. You end up checking the apps inadvertently throughout the day, and especially waste a lot of time in the mornings and evenings.

So, uninstalled Facebook, YouTube, any mobile games and any other social media apps I had on my phone and decided to keep their consumption limited to either tablet or laptop. I kept WhatsApp and LinkedIn, for now. Tending towards removing LinkedIn soon.

Lesser notifications + no social media apps

Step 3: Keep the phone, tablet and laptop away at home.
Even after reducing notifications, and uninstalling apps, you will find yourself reaching out for the tablet or laptop in the evenings. And once the scrolling starts, it is difficult to stop because the AI takes control of your brain. To avoid this, keep the gadgets in a separate room and not in the living room. Out of sight, out of mind is the mantra.

Lesser notifications + no social media apps + out of sight, out of mind

Step 4: Deactivate social media.
The day finally arrived. I was watching the documentary, “The Social Dilemma” on Netflix, maybe for the second time. And as soon as it ended, I picked up my laptop, and deactivated my Facebook, Instagram, Twitter accounts.

I switched off my YouTube watch history. That way, with the latest update on YouTube, I do not get video recommendations anymore. I can see videos only by searching, OR from my own limited set of subscriptions.

I stopped watching series. I don’t even start. If I feel like watching some content, I watch a movie, a documentary or something from the YouTube subscriptions, like an Outdoor Boys video or an MKBHD technology review or a session from the AI gurus.

Lesser notifications + no social media apps + out of sight, out of mind + deactivate social media

At this point, there is not much more that can be done. Or so one would think. 🙂

Here is the most important and final step I took to reduce screen time and make it productive whenever I am on a screen; and it could not have been done without taking the other steps first.

I utilized the spare time to do what I should have been doing all along.

Spare time to spend with my family.

Spare time to go for a walk.

Spare time to do my yoga.

Spare time to meditate.

Spare time to write my blog.

Spare time to help and mentor juniors.

Spare time to learn and innovate.

I still watch movies and play computer games – but that’s fine and controlled.

All of these give me positive energy, which was 100% not the case with spending time just watching the screen every day. This positive energy shows up across every aspect in my life – whether it is home or work or friends or relatives or traveling. Everything requires energy.

Reducing screen time, doing what you should / could / would do, helps a ton.