{"id":45782450,"title":"Cut my screen time from 6 hrs to like 1. feels weird","points":1,"user":"Dhikshith12","time":1762011116,"time_ago":"a day ago","type":"link","content":"

so i was wasting way too much time scrolling this year. like... 4 hours on socials (reddit included) and another 2 on texts and other pointless junk. 6+ hours. just... gone.

tried to cut back and it was annoying, but it's honestly wild how different things feel. life is slower. in a good way, not a boring way. i actually have time for other things now. reading, exercise, just... sitting back watching birds.

main thing i learned is how easy it is to fall back into it. and that being bored is actually... fine? your brain kinda panics for a bit when you have nothing to do, but then it just gets calm. it's nice.

what actually worked:

i just kept a book next to my phone. so when i instinctively grabbed the phone, i'd just grab the book instead.

had to get a serious app blocker. the default ios one is useless, you just tap "ignore" lol.

i actually found this app called hardest focus app. it blocks your entire phone during your focus sessions, and if you try to check it, it blasts a loud siren and proceeds to delete progress in 5 seconds if i don't put it back. not gonna lie, it's kinda jarring and makes you panic a little, but that's the point, it immediately keeps you away from phone. there are other app blockers like freedom, but this one really makes you feel the consequence of breaking focus.

now i kinda crave the time away from my phone, which is new. gonna try and keep it under an hour for the next month.

idk. anyone else tried this? what stuff did you do that wasn't a huge pain?","url":"item?id=45782450","comments":[{"id":45782610,"level":0,"user":"zippyman55","time":1762012134,"time_ago":"a day ago","content":"

I’m trying to get away from screen time. Many failures. HN, lichess, a few news sites, and finance.\nI need to rationalize a set block of time to review everything and then put things down.","comments":[]},{"id":45782468,"level":0,"user":"Dhikshith12","time":1762011199,"time_ago":"a day ago","content":"

https://hardestfocusapp.com/","comments":[]},{"id":45784293,"level":0,"user":"Haeuserschlucht","time":1762023367,"time_ago":"19 hours ago","content":"

Wrong approach.","comments":[]}],"comments_count":3}