8 ms·

A guide to reduce screen time

134 points by nullderef 1y ago

nullderef 1y ago
Another tip is that even HN has some screen time features. If you go to your profile, you can play around with the "noprocrast", "maxvisit", and "minaway" options. When noprocrast is on, you may only view HN for maxvisit minutes at a time, and must stay away for minaway minutes before returning. (taken from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3677504 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3677504)
- hombre_fatal 1y ago
  I find that it's hard to waste time on HN after your first salvo of the day since the day's frontpage topics are kinda set early on and they change pretty slowly. (Unless, of course, someone is wrong about one of Your Topics and needs your corrections throughout the day.) And I don't see the point of going past the frontpage unless you want to bicker with someone on yesterday's topics that nobody will ever see. So just get it out of the way early. — Suddenly selfaware guy who realizes he writes 5 comments a day on HN, kinda like a fat guy giving you weightloss tips. You see, the trick is to not moderate your intake at all.
  - nullderef 1y ago
    I've had issues with checking HN every too often. News overload is definitely a problem, too. It's also fun to go check the new posts sometimes.
    - hombre_fatal 1y ago
      Yeah I went to my comment history after writing that and clearly I'm full of crap.
      - scyzoryk_xyz 1y ago
        Well, all of us are full of crap thinking that we can resolve our screen time problem by talking to people through this screen thing. But hey, since I’m here, I’m gonna give it my shot at hypocrisy as well: something worth looking into is how to feel OK with yourself not reaching for the screen compulsively. On your own, with your thoughts
        barbazoo 1y ago
        It’s so funny to me to see people trying to solve their screen addiction with … an app
  - euroderf 1y ago
    > I find that it's hard to waste time on HN after your first salvo of the day since the day's frontpage topics are kinda set early on and they change pretty slowly. Here in GMT+2, there's the morning salvo - and then an afternoon salvo once the USA is properly caffeinated.
Zambyte 1y ago
My cell phone lives in my sock drawer with the only exception being when I take it out for GPS. Otherwise, I have fully replaced my mobile computing with my Daylight Computer tablet. I feel like I have a much healthier relationship with this thing than I had with my cell phone. The lack of color and the lack of notifications has made my usage feel way more intentional. Before, I wanted to kick my habit of scrolling social media before I got out of bed in the morning, but I didn't actively work on that. One day, I simply realized I had kicked the habit without even trying! Not having a phone on me at all times to cope with boring or awkward moments has really been eye opening, and I believe very healthy for me. Especially as someone who has had a phone on me for my teenage years and throughout most of my adult life thus far.
- nullderef 1y ago
  It's awesome to see a Daylight Computer user in the wild :) Did you also try out an e-paper phone at some point? And how are you doing in terms of connecting with friends and so on?
  - Zambyte 1y ago
    The only other e-paper device that I had was a small nook many years ago. As far as connecting with people, I think quite well? The only social media I really use is bluesky, which has been really nice. Otherwise I keep in touch with my meatspace friends either over SMS (I use JMP Chat for SMS over XMPP on any device) or Signal (I use the molly.im client, which is easier to use without a cell phone (particularly because you can't scan QR codes on the Daylight)). Ironically I actually feel like I experience far less FOMO than when I was hyper connected too :P
  - throwaway243123 1y ago
    This looks so intriguing. How is it at keeping on top of stuff like email and text? Any lag with a bluetooth keyboard?
    - Zambyte 1y ago
      I have always had trouble keeping on top of email, but probably as good as anything? I don't use a Bluetooth keyboard, but I use a USB keyboard (ZSA Voyager) and a Bluetooth mouse (Logitech MX Anywhere 3S) and it works well for me. For some reason I have to re-pair the mouse often, but I think that's on the mouse side. My headphones have no trouble staying paired.
atemerev 1y ago
Most of these tools are focused on blocking apps. I read everything through browser.
- nullderef 1y ago
  Many of the tools mentioned also support blocking websites, fwiw. This includes ScreenZen on Android and pretty much any app on iOS (it's easier to implement it there)
- cush 1y ago
  For this very reason, I uninstalled the browser on my phone. No joke
yapyap 1y ago
I’ve scrolled through the article and another tip would be: Have an alternative. You can’t just go from screentime to no screentime if you have nothing to do off the screen, plan some activities.
- StefanBatory 1y ago
  Been there, done that. Listen to the person above me. I tried to do that in the past when I my depression was more severe. I thought that'd help me, but I replaced staring at my screen with staring at wall or just sleeping.
  - nullderef 1y ago
    What do you mean -- you couldn't find something else to do?
    - StefanBatory 1y ago
      Yes, exactly. I had no idea what to do with myself, and thus all I did was browsed Internet. I thought that getting rid of it will "fix" me (to be honest, I think I confused cause and effect). And so, I tried. But I had nothing to replace this with, and I didn't magically became a disciplined or productive person. And then I would go back to my bad habits, just feeling even stronger self-hatred.
      - nullderef 1y ago
        How did you end up overcoming the problem?
        StefanBatory 1y ago
        I didn't, honestly. In the end, it was just a gradual step for me. I got more things to do, I became slightly more social, talked to more and more people, and it just happened. I still deal with it, just on a lesser scale where it's managable unless I have a bad day - in which case again I'll turn to screens for comfort. But it's rare.
sureglymop 1y ago
These apps are interesting. Another good one is "Block" (with a green icon). But, does anyone know of any alternatives for degoogled phones? E.g. from F-Droid?
- nullderef 1y ago
  There's TimeLimit on F-Droid. I found it hard to set up, though.
chadhutchins10 1y ago
You probably see it enough already in your ads, but this has been the most effective app blocker for me: https://getbrick.app https://getbrick.app
- vintagedave 1y ago
  I've ignored it because it's advertised :) What's your experience with it?
  - chadhutchins10 1y ago
    Ha, I do the same for most advertised things. It is as advertised. I've easily gained back more of my time than the $59 that it costs. Game changer if you make a habit to "brick" your phone every morning.
Gasp0de 1y ago
I already moved away from the reddit app, but now I have the problem that I can not set up time-based constraints that don't block the rest of the browser.
- nullderef 1y ago
  Some apps like ScreenZen allow you to block websites, if you're on Android. Pretty much any iOS app will let you restrict websites (because it's easier to implement there).
- lotophage 1y ago
  I've used NextDNS.io in the past and setup schedules to block the reddit domain during work hours. The problem that I found is that sometimes it's not just a place of procrastination but the place you want to search for a useful answer to your question.
  - Gasp0de 1y ago
    I could live with not being able to access reddit from my private phone, I am not logged into my personal reddit account on my work PC.
- CalRobert 1y ago
  Leechblock for Firefox works well, but sadly doesn't work on iOS.
metalman 1y ago
I have gone in a slightly different direction, where I use my device to sell goods and services, and aquire parts,components, and specific information to facilitate my selling, and the maintanence and upgradeing of my own personal things. Also I use my screen time to seek out real world events and activities. This has led me to have expectations, as to what I get, as a real reward, and, also forces me to follow through with comitments made on line, in the real.world, therfor the whole thing, becomes self regualating.
master-lincoln 1y ago
Title talks about screentime, but article only focuses on mobile phones and doom scrolling. I was surprised to see the recommendation of max 2h screen time per day for an adult at the bottom. The link leads to a page not mentioning this though. I spend already ~5h staring at screens for work. At home my biggest screen time is watching videos on TV. I don't think I ever doom-scrolled on my phone. I do read lots of news articles on it though. Article seems to not be addressing people like me.
- nullderef 1y ago
  The link mentions: "Health experts say screen time at home should be limited to two hours or less a day" -- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/reduce-screen-time/index.htm https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/reduce-sc... Maybe doomscrolling is reading too many news for you? Or do you think it's not too excessive?
  - steve_adams_86 1y ago
    When I’m doom scrolling it’s almost exclusively news. I’m not all that interested in short videos, social media, or other scrollable things. News is my weakness. Last month I was pretty bad about reading news about the USA. I’ve mostly recovered. It’s easy to convince yourself it matters (especially compared to watching shorts) but the reality is that for me, it’s bordering irrelevant. I live in Canada. There’s nothing I can do about the USA. Just focus on what’s here and now.
codethief 1y ago
Which Android apps for limiting screen time does the HN crowd recommend? Is there one that doesn't sell your data or request network access? (Ideally of course the app would be open-source but I'm not getting my hopes up.) I've been wanting to try Digital Wellbeing but it looks like it's still not available for non-Google devices. Or at least it's shown as "not compatible" when accessing the Play Store from GrapheneOS.
- yamrzou 1y ago
  I recommend this one for Android: https://github.com/markusfisch/ScreenTime https://github.com/markusfisch/ScreenTime It doesn't limit apps, it just displays your screen time in a permanent notification and allows you to view and export past statistics. I've found that to be very effective. From a systems perspective, it amounts to adding a new feedback loop, similar to this leverage point described by Donella Meadows[1]: There was this subdivision of identical houses, the story goes, except that for some reason the electric meter in some of the houses was installed in the basement and in others it was installed in the front hall, where the residents could see it constantly, going round faster or slower as they used more or less electricity. With no other change, with identical prices, electricity consumption was 30 percent lower in the houses where the meter was in the front hall. We systems-heads love that story because it’s an example of a high leverage point in the information structure of the system. It’s not a parameter adjustment, not a strengthening or weakening of an existing loop. It’s a NEW LOOP, delivering feedback to a place where it wasn’t going before. [1] Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System - https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/ https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-t...
  - codethief 1y ago
    Thanks! That app looks quite nice (especially the virtualization) but I already know how much I use my phone (too much :)) and that obtrusive feedback will only get me so far. So I do need an app that goes a bit further and allows me to track & block usage of applications.
    - 1y ago
bcye 1y ago
My solution was to only allow free-software and no browsers/"content" apps on my phone after a fresh install. It somehow worked wonders.
gchokov 1y ago
My guide to cut down screen time - have kids, play with them every day after work.
- throwaway243123 1y ago
  Yeah but then after they're asleep, you're brain fried and doomscrolling anyway :')
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
evrimoztamur 1y ago
I started doodling on pen and paper again, like on the back of those yahtzee papers. Killed my screen time like nothing else, it's so much fun just drawing random nonsense!
AStonesThrow 1y ago
Look, why should it be the individual consumer or their parents who regulate screen time when it’s not our fault? Computers have become an unprecedented scourge and curse to our attention, our moods and our very souls, but radio, telephone, and TV led up to this. It is time that the architects of consumer communications technology took responsibility for the utter grind and drain they’re causing us in every waking hour--literally--because these days, my smartphone knows exactly when I begin to stir in the morning and dumps a fresh deluge of pings before I can make it to the bathroom...
- anthk 1y ago
  Radio and TV had discrete programmes. Either you were there, or forget any watching in years except a rerun, if there was any. Yes, they were recordings in vynil, cassetes and whatnot, but these were not cheap. Nowadays, you can, you know, just download narrated podcasts, ebooks from Gutenberg, free PD audiobooks... Listen to some stories in silence, on your bed, at night. Let your brain imagine the story. You don't even need an internet connection at all. Download them at your library, listen them at home. On news, RSS feeds. Feeder on Android (and any good client under Linux too) has access to full content, you don't need to be online to read the news. The Conversation and Science Alert have the whole news in their feed. Use Feeder, and while you add a feed, don't forget to check the 'get the whole content' option or similar. Now you will be able to read news offline. No alerts, no dopamine, no useless bullshit, no bait 'news', no nothing. The Conversation has curated articles from major sections (Science, Health, Culture, Environment, Economy, Politics). Everything else it's just boring propaganda -from all sides- to polarize and scare you like hell so you are rendered a zombie customer. Science Alert it's that, Scientific News, popular science. If The Conversation Science feed feels bland to you, here your have.
ivansavz 1y ago
One thing that has been working really well for me this year is the "internet Shabbat" rule: 24 hours of no TCP/IP every week. Friday night I pull the plug on the modem + turn off data on my phone, then enjoy all of Saturday in a disconnected mode. I can still be on the computer, just no internet. It's amazing how much things I get done... it literally feels like I have two days instead of one. If I put a item like "outdoor exercise for 30 mins" in my TODO list, then I actually do it! Close friends and family can still reach me by phone/text, but all the chat groups and other messaging app distractions are silent. I can still end up zoning out watching a movie in the evening, but it's more intentional: I had to pick the movie in advance and download it so I can view it offline. The contrast with Sunday when I turn the internet back on is very notable. Suddenly the next day is disorganized and end up wasting hours on youtube recommendations, and following rabit holes, and hacker news of course. My conclusion is that it's not the apps or the internet, it's the feeds (when information is being pushed down to you) that are the problem. It's just too convenient and we end up staying in it. Highly recommended.
- golly_ned 1y ago
  Great idea — do you live with others who do the same thing, or on your own?
  - ivansavz 1y ago
    I'm living on my own now so I don't have experience with the group version of this. I try to be proactive if I know I'm meeting someone to remind them to call/text and not expect Signal/Telegram comms. The only thing that has been a problem are RCS text messages since my iPhone assumes if RCS was used once to communicate with someone, it should always be used. I can manually use "send as SMS" for outgoing, but I don't get the reply.
- Geeek 1y ago
  My family and I keep the Shabbat, which includes no electronics usage and I can not imagine doing it any differently.
  - 1y ago
n8cpdx 1y ago
- Yes it is possible to live without using social media (except hacker news of course) on a daily basis. TikTok is the easiest to do without. Instagram and Snapchat can be deleted. Use the web app for those rare moments you need to check hours for a business that doesn’t have a website (sadly this happens) - iOS Focus Modes is underrated in this article. When I arrive at work all my apps except teams and outlook disappear, my phone turns into a work dashboard. After work my phone shows my journal and the clock app. I never get notifications at work, they queue up until I leave. My watch is synchronized and does similar, showing exactly what I need and nothing else for different stages of my day. Focus Modes has sadly not been copied by Android so I can’t consider stitching until there’s a good answer (a well supported HealthKit alternative being the other deal breaker). - iOS screen time is busted af, it is known. Might as well be a random number generator. I recommend avoiding. Apple workers reading this: pls fix
doright 1y ago
It's not like TikTok has a 100% chance of hypnotizing you into a zombie that can only spend its waking hours thinking about dancing people and positive vibes. Only a very high chance, depending on how anxious/bored you are, amplified by the hard work of psychology PhDs. It's so difficult to imagine the mindset of a person who can approach TikTok from a healthy perspective and not need to rely on what used to be called "parental controls" in the past to artificially prevent them from doomscrolling all day. They would just never need to consume advice like this. Surely those people must exist? Who are they? But when you're slapped with something like C-PTSD from an early age, you aren't afforded the ability to address anxiety effectively. You have to turn to something to soothe your anxiety all the time or it will drive you insane. If you were to try to go the complete or semi-aesetic route, you have to consider what lies on the other side of doomscrolling when there's just too much anxiety to function correctly: endless hellfire. I have a hard time believing doomscrolling or needing to restrict screentime at every corner are effective ways to address a completely unrelated inbuilt source of boundless anxiety.
- andai 1y ago
  I've been doing a lot of mindfulness meditation lately, and also learning about self soothing, emotional processing etc. I found that now that I can access blissful and peaceful states at will, and deal with difficult emotions without getting overwhelmed, my "need" for compulsive behaviors has dropped massively. There's no longer so much pain to medicate. It's like you say, we use this stuff because we don't know a better way. As for social media, there's also the systemic issue of atomization in modern society. People spend so much time alone now, so that's another great pain to cope with. I wonder why that is. How did we get here?
  - MarcelOlsz 1y ago
    How does one get started? I've been doing 20 minute wim hof breathing sessions that help and I've been looking into TM due to David Lynch but nothing beyond reading.
    - wonger_ 1y ago
pseudocomposer 1y ago
At least on iOS, I've found ScreenZen (https://www.screenzen.co https://www.screenzen.co) to be pretty ideal. I'll definitely try SpeedBump if they add me to the beta, though. Like SpeedBump, ScreenZen also has a "wait before using addictive apps" function (though, it doesn't have the "wait a bit longer to get 15mins vs. 2mins" - that would be really nice). ScreenZen also keeps track of "streaks" of days not going over your overall limit in addictive apps. Unfortunately, that limit is counted by number of sessions, not the actual overall app screen time (by default, if you set your limit to 1 hour, it gives you 6 sessions of 10 minutes per app). It would be nice to combine this with SpeedBump's different-time-limit feature: if I want to quickly check a post or show a friend something on Instagram, I could use only 2mins out of my overall hour limit, instead of 10mins.
cush 1y ago
I tried every kind of focus app and focus mode on iOS, and nothing stuck. After years of trying, this approach worked well for me: 1. Delete any app with any kind of algorithmic feed (YouTube, TikTok, etc) 2. Uninstall Safari That's right, I've been rocking a browserless phone for about a year now, and I'm never going back. AMA
- sotix 1y ago
  How did you uninstall safari? Have you run into any issues without having it available on your phone?
  - cush 1y ago
    You can disable it in content restrictions settings. Yes, many issues, but mostly with apps not being able to open external links. To me it's worth it though.
_kush 1y ago
Great article! I’ve noticed that most screen time discussions focus heavily on mobile usage, which makes sense given the data, but I think we underestimate how much desktop screen time also affects our health. As someone who’s been building LookAway[0] (a mindful break reminder app for Mac), I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is to slip into hours of continuous screen time at a desk resulting in things like eye strain, posture issues, and even productivity dips. Would love to see more awareness and tools around managing desktop screen habits! [0]: https://lookaway.app https://lookaway.app
sshkhr 1y ago
Earlier this year, I decided to set up a couple of software based systems to reduce my screentime. They have been largely been successful. I have reduced my average daily phone screen time from 5-6 hrs to 2-3 hrs, around 1.5 hrs of which is 'wasteful' (reddit, HN, instagram) and the remaining 1.5 hrs is actual communication time (email, calls, chat). On my computer, my screen time is nearly all productive time by my standards. Some of the things I did are: For my phone: - Deleted all apps for social media, all browsing has to be via browser. - Used SocialFocus (https://socialfocus.app/ https://socialfocus.app/) to remove feeds and recommendations from all apps, any post access happens via shares or search - Also turned on a timer for social media (45 minutes each for reddit/insta). - Turned social media black/white instead of color. - Used dumbify launcher (https://dumbifyapp.com/ https://dumbifyapp.com/) to turn my menu bar into a text based one instead of icons. For my computer: - Used Cold Turkey (https://getcoldturkey.com/ https://getcoldturkey.com/) to set up blocks for various websites, subreddits etc. - Locked up my Cold Turkey block with a long random text string, which increases friction if I want to unlock and as a result reduces my inclination to do so. - Use News Feed Eradicator (https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator/ https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator/) to remove feeds from websites which have some utility for me (e.g. LinkedIn) but can be a time sink. Honestly, these steps have worked quite well for me thus far. I have managed to get back into reading (both fiction, non-fiction as well as academic textbooks), freed up time to spend with family and friends, and also gotten into watching TV shows - something I had not really done in the last 2-3 years due to being hooked on short form media
- mooglevich 1y ago
  I went full grayscale on my phone and it really helped. It just made my phone way more boring. I also highly recommend turning off history in the YouTube app, if you all use it. It then surfaces...zero recommendations. It's blissfully quiet.
mglvsky 1y ago
> Completely quitting social media is getting less and less realistic. Platforms like Instagram or TikTok can be essential to connect with friends I doubt it. Trying to not to use all of popular social for some time (for 30 days) was inspiring to me, so I don't have any idea why those apps so important.
anzerarkin 1y ago
I also made an app to fix my scrolling issue — it’s called EvoCat. The idea came from wanting to combine the best parts of all the focus apps I used: scheduled block sessions like Opal, mindful breathing interruptions like One Sec, and some light gamification to make it feel less like punishment. EvoCat is a small animated character (a cat-phone hybrid) that evolves as you stay focused. The longer you avoid distractions, the stronger it becomes — and the harder it gets to cancel your focus sessions. It turns screen time control into something a bit more playful, but still effective. I currently have a beta available on iOS and I’m happy to share a TestFlight link if anyone wants to try it out. You can also check it out here: https://evocat.app https://evocat.app Would love feedback from fellow builders and focus-app nerds :)
MisterTea 1y ago
After a Psilocybin trip I found that anxiety was driving a vast majority of my desire for screen time. Post trip for the next few days my mind was perfectly calm - no thoughts were forcefully intruding, constantly causing distraction and frustration leading to seeking screen time. During that time I could go to work, consume tasks, complete them without stress or distraction and feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Same when I went home and did chores around the house. That is a feeling that has been elusive most of my life. The big thing that stood out to me those few days: little to no desire for screen time. If you think you have anxiety then do yourself a favor and seek professional help. Otherwise these life hacks are useless as they are ignoring the root cause of your desire for screen time.
matthewhartmans 1y ago
I switched to a basic Nokia phone for a couple of months and this put a stop to it :)
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
chaosprint 1y ago
https://github.com/chaosprint/twice https://github.com/chaosprint/twice this is a tool I use for Chrome. works for me
asdfman123 1y ago
I created a two-factor authentication app that only provides login codes for social media sites during certain hours of a day. If I want access to a site, I have to plan it carefully to log in within that window. Then if I find I'm misusing it it's easy to kick myself off.
Vaslo 1y ago
This is the best of HN comments. Engaging article engages a bunch of folks to share their own ideas and improve the lives of other readers. And no politics, yay!
niklasbabel 1y ago
"No more doomscrolling. Your attention span needs you." — i’ve been using TRMNL (https://usetrmnl.com/ https://usetrmnl.com/) to fight screen time habits. simple eink display which you can connect to 100s of apps to showcase information, so you can actually uninstall certain apps from your phone.
ronnieboy493 1y ago
Since everyone is rattling off their own solutions. * I removed all apps that aren't tools/utilities to help me get things done. No entertainment (including RSS!). For example, I have Busycal, Things, and Bear installed along with a few other utilities. I also removed non-essential utilities. There is no need to pay my credit card from my phone. This also has the benefit of reducing tracking. * Disabled JS for Safari. I would find myself surfing the web and wasting time. Even if I initially started with good intentions. Turns out, a lot of my web usage was "I wonder about this, let's search it". "That was a cool movie, let's see what other people think online". It is an absolute pain to dig 37 menus deep to enable JS again, which forces me to live without it. * Time limits never worked for me. I'd always ask for five more minutes. Just one more hit Tim Apple, I promise. Last time. They may work for you though. * Either disabled notifications or set them to appear in daily reviews. Now I get those daily reviews and realize it's filled with stuff that doesn't matter. Every time I pick up my phone I risk falling into a black hole. The less I'm notified to pick up it, the less time I lose. Only alerts from my partner and similar get through immediately. * Get an alarm clock or use a smartwatch. Seriously. You know those people who wake up and reach over for cigs before they're even out of bed? Don't do that with your phone. * I lean heavily into my smart watch. For me, trying to create friction on my phone was only mildly successful. A smart watch has a ton of organic friction that feels natural. Instead of giving your Ferarri a flat tire to slow it down, just ride a bicycle. Synthetic friction vs organic friction. I'm bad with analogies. Leaving my phone behind is something I do sometimes but not as much as I should. * These days the only social media account I have is HN. It's not ideal but everything is a WIP. There really should be some concerted effort by the government to study these behaviors and what can be done. We dramatically dropped cigarette use with a lot of work and I believe we can do the same with phones. I still waste time on my laptop but it's not a quick dopamine hit. I spend more time on side-projects though now that I'm forcing myself to be in front of a real machine. Reducing all screen-time is something I still need to work on.

134 points by nullderef 1y ago

Another tip is that even HN has some screen time features. If you go to your profile, you can play around with the "noprocrast", "maxvisit", and "minaway" options. When noprocrast is on, you may only view HN for maxvisit minutes at a time, and must stay away for minaway minutes before returning. (taken from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3677504 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=3677504)

hombre_fatal 1y ago
I find that it's hard to waste time on HN after your first salvo of the day since the day's frontpage topics are kinda set early on and they change pretty slowly. (Unless, of course, someone is wrong about one of Your Topics and needs your corrections throughout the day.) And I don't see the point of going past the frontpage unless you want to bicker with someone on yesterday's topics that nobody will ever see. So just get it out of the way early. — Suddenly selfaware guy who realizes he writes 5 comments a day on HN, kinda like a fat guy giving you weightloss tips. You see, the trick is to not moderate your intake at all.
- nullderef 1y ago
  I've had issues with checking HN every too often. News overload is definitely a problem, too. It's also fun to go check the new posts sometimes.
  - hombre_fatal 1y ago
    Yeah I went to my comment history after writing that and clearly I'm full of crap.
    - scyzoryk_xyz 1y ago
      Well, all of us are full of crap thinking that we can resolve our screen time problem by talking to people through this screen thing. But hey, since I’m here, I’m gonna give it my shot at hypocrisy as well: something worth looking into is how to feel OK with yourself not reaching for the screen compulsively. On your own, with your thoughts
      - barbazoo 1y ago
        It’s so funny to me to see people trying to solve their screen addiction with … an app
- euroderf 1y ago
  > I find that it's hard to waste time on HN after your first salvo of the day since the day's frontpage topics are kinda set early on and they change pretty slowly. Here in GMT+2, there's the morning salvo - and then an afternoon salvo once the USA is properly caffeinated.

Zambyte 1y ago

My cell phone lives in my sock drawer with the only exception being when I take it out for GPS. Otherwise, I have fully replaced my mobile computing with my Daylight Computer tablet. I feel like I have a much healthier relationship with this thing than I had with my cell phone. The lack of color and the lack of notifications has made my usage feel way more intentional. Before, I wanted to kick my habit of scrolling social media before I got out of bed in the morning, but I didn't actively work on that. One day, I simply realized I had kicked the habit without even trying! Not having a phone on me at all times to cope with boring or awkward moments has really been eye opening, and I believe very healthy for me. Especially as someone who has had a phone on me for my teenage years and throughout most of my adult life thus far.

nullderef 1y ago
It's awesome to see a Daylight Computer user in the wild :) Did you also try out an e-paper phone at some point? And how are you doing in terms of connecting with friends and so on?
- Zambyte 1y ago
  The only other e-paper device that I had was a small nook many years ago. As far as connecting with people, I think quite well? The only social media I really use is bluesky, which has been really nice. Otherwise I keep in touch with my meatspace friends either over SMS (I use JMP Chat for SMS over XMPP on any device) or Signal (I use the molly.im client, which is easier to use without a cell phone (particularly because you can't scan QR codes on the Daylight)). Ironically I actually feel like I experience far less FOMO than when I was hyper connected too :P
- throwaway243123 1y ago
  This looks so intriguing. How is it at keeping on top of stuff like email and text? Any lag with a bluetooth keyboard?
  - Zambyte 1y ago
    I have always had trouble keeping on top of email, but probably as good as anything? I don't use a Bluetooth keyboard, but I use a USB keyboard (ZSA Voyager) and a Bluetooth mouse (Logitech MX Anywhere 3S) and it works well for me. For some reason I have to re-pair the mouse often, but I think that's on the mouse side. My headphones have no trouble staying paired.

atemerev 1y ago

Most of these tools are focused on blocking apps. I read everything through browser.

nullderef 1y ago
Many of the tools mentioned also support blocking websites, fwiw. This includes ScreenZen on Android and pretty much any app on iOS (it's easier to implement it there)
cush 1y ago
For this very reason, I uninstalled the browser on my phone. No joke

yapyap 1y ago

I’ve scrolled through the article and another tip would be: Have an alternative. You can’t just go from screentime to no screentime if you have nothing to do off the screen, plan some activities.

StefanBatory 1y ago
Been there, done that. Listen to the person above me. I tried to do that in the past when I my depression was more severe. I thought that'd help me, but I replaced staring at my screen with staring at wall or just sleeping.
- nullderef 1y ago
  What do you mean -- you couldn't find something else to do?
  - StefanBatory 1y ago
    Yes, exactly. I had no idea what to do with myself, and thus all I did was browsed Internet. I thought that getting rid of it will "fix" me (to be honest, I think I confused cause and effect). And so, I tried. But I had nothing to replace this with, and I didn't magically became a disciplined or productive person. And then I would go back to my bad habits, just feeling even stronger self-hatred.
    - nullderef 1y ago
      How did you end up overcoming the problem?
      - StefanBatory 1y ago
        I didn't, honestly. In the end, it was just a gradual step for me. I got more things to do, I became slightly more social, talked to more and more people, and it just happened. I still deal with it, just on a lesser scale where it's managable unless I have a bad day - in which case again I'll turn to screens for comfort. But it's rare.

sureglymop 1y ago

These apps are interesting. Another good one is "Block" (with a green icon). But, does anyone know of any alternatives for degoogled phones? E.g. from F-Droid?

nullderef 1y ago
There's TimeLimit on F-Droid. I found it hard to set up, though.

chadhutchins10 1y ago

You probably see it enough already in your ads, but this has been the most effective app blocker for me: https://getbrick.app https://getbrick.app

vintagedave 1y ago
I've ignored it because it's advertised :) What's your experience with it?
- chadhutchins10 1y ago
  Ha, I do the same for most advertised things. It is as advertised. I've easily gained back more of my time than the $59 that it costs. Game changer if you make a habit to "brick" your phone every morning.

Gasp0de 1y ago

I already moved away from the reddit app, but now I have the problem that I can not set up time-based constraints that don't block the rest of the browser.

nullderef 1y ago
Some apps like ScreenZen allow you to block websites, if you're on Android. Pretty much any iOS app will let you restrict websites (because it's easier to implement there).
lotophage 1y ago
I've used NextDNS.io in the past and setup schedules to block the reddit domain during work hours. The problem that I found is that sometimes it's not just a place of procrastination but the place you want to search for a useful answer to your question.
- Gasp0de 1y ago
  I could live with not being able to access reddit from my private phone, I am not logged into my personal reddit account on my work PC.
CalRobert 1y ago
Leechblock for Firefox works well, but sadly doesn't work on iOS.

metalman 1y ago

I have gone in a slightly different direction, where I use my device to sell goods and services, and aquire parts,components, and specific information to facilitate my selling, and the maintanence and upgradeing of my own personal things. Also I use my screen time to seek out real world events and activities. This has led me to have expectations, as to what I get, as a real reward, and, also forces me to follow through with comitments made on line, in the real.world, therfor the whole thing, becomes self regualating.

master-lincoln 1y ago

Title talks about screentime, but article only focuses on mobile phones and doom scrolling. I was surprised to see the recommendation of max 2h screen time per day for an adult at the bottom. The link leads to a page not mentioning this though. I spend already ~5h staring at screens for work. At home my biggest screen time is watching videos on TV. I don't think I ever doom-scrolled on my phone. I do read lots of news articles on it though. Article seems to not be addressing people like me.

nullderef 1y ago
The link mentions: "Health experts say screen time at home should be limited to two hours or less a day" -- https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/reduce-screen-time/index.htm https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/wecan/reduce-sc... Maybe doomscrolling is reading too many news for you? Or do you think it's not too excessive?
- steve_adams_86 1y ago
  When I’m doom scrolling it’s almost exclusively news. I’m not all that interested in short videos, social media, or other scrollable things. News is my weakness. Last month I was pretty bad about reading news about the USA. I’ve mostly recovered. It’s easy to convince yourself it matters (especially compared to watching shorts) but the reality is that for me, it’s bordering irrelevant. I live in Canada. There’s nothing I can do about the USA. Just focus on what’s here and now.

codethief 1y ago

Which Android apps for limiting screen time does the HN crowd recommend? Is there one that doesn't sell your data or request network access? (Ideally of course the app would be open-source but I'm not getting my hopes up.) I've been wanting to try Digital Wellbeing but it looks like it's still not available for non-Google devices. Or at least it's shown as "not compatible" when accessing the Play Store from GrapheneOS.

yamrzou 1y ago
I recommend this one for Android: https://github.com/markusfisch/ScreenTime https://github.com/markusfisch/ScreenTime It doesn't limit apps, it just displays your screen time in a permanent notification and allows you to view and export past statistics. I've found that to be very effective. From a systems perspective, it amounts to adding a new feedback loop, similar to this leverage point described by Donella Meadows[1]: There was this subdivision of identical houses, the story goes, except that for some reason the electric meter in some of the houses was installed in the basement and in others it was installed in the front hall, where the residents could see it constantly, going round faster or slower as they used more or less electricity. With no other change, with identical prices, electricity consumption was 30 percent lower in the houses where the meter was in the front hall. We systems-heads love that story because it’s an example of a high leverage point in the information structure of the system. It’s not a parameter adjustment, not a strengthening or weakening of an existing loop. It’s a NEW LOOP, delivering feedback to a place where it wasn’t going before. [1] Leverage Points: Places to Intervene in a System - https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-to-intervene-in-a-system/ https://donellameadows.org/archives/leverage-points-places-t...
- codethief 1y ago
  Thanks! That app looks quite nice (especially the virtualization) but I already know how much I use my phone (too much :)) and that obtrusive feedback will only get me so far. So I do need an app that goes a bit further and allows me to track & block usage of applications.
  - 1y ago

bcye 1y ago

My solution was to only allow free-software and no browsers/"content" apps on my phone after a fresh install. It somehow worked wonders.

gchokov 1y ago

My guide to cut down screen time - have kids, play with them every day after work.

throwaway243123 1y ago
Yeah but then after they're asleep, you're brain fried and doomscrolling anyway :')

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

evrimoztamur 1y ago

I started doodling on pen and paper again, like on the back of those yahtzee papers. Killed my screen time like nothing else, it's so much fun just drawing random nonsense!

AStonesThrow 1y ago

Look, why should it be the individual consumer or their parents who regulate screen time when it’s not our fault? Computers have become an unprecedented scourge and curse to our attention, our moods and our very souls, but radio, telephone, and TV led up to this. It is time that the architects of consumer communications technology took responsibility for the utter grind and drain they’re causing us in every waking hour--literally--because these days, my smartphone knows exactly when I begin to stir in the morning and dumps a fresh deluge of pings before I can make it to the bathroom...

anthk 1y ago
Radio and TV had discrete programmes. Either you were there, or forget any watching in years except a rerun, if there was any. Yes, they were recordings in vynil, cassetes and whatnot, but these were not cheap. Nowadays, you can, you know, just download narrated podcasts, ebooks from Gutenberg, free PD audiobooks... Listen to some stories in silence, on your bed, at night. Let your brain imagine the story. You don't even need an internet connection at all. Download them at your library, listen them at home. On news, RSS feeds. Feeder on Android (and any good client under Linux too) has access to full content, you don't need to be online to read the news. The Conversation and Science Alert have the whole news in their feed. Use Feeder, and while you add a feed, don't forget to check the 'get the whole content' option or similar. Now you will be able to read news offline. No alerts, no dopamine, no useless bullshit, no bait 'news', no nothing. The Conversation has curated articles from major sections (Science, Health, Culture, Environment, Economy, Politics). Everything else it's just boring propaganda -from all sides- to polarize and scare you like hell so you are rendered a zombie customer. Science Alert it's that, Scientific News, popular science. If The Conversation Science feed feels bland to you, here your have.

ivansavz 1y ago

One thing that has been working really well for me this year is the "internet Shabbat" rule: 24 hours of no TCP/IP every week. Friday night I pull the plug on the modem + turn off data on my phone, then enjoy all of Saturday in a disconnected mode. I can still be on the computer, just no internet. It's amazing how much things I get done... it literally feels like I have two days instead of one. If I put a item like "outdoor exercise for 30 mins" in my TODO list, then I actually do it! Close friends and family can still reach me by phone/text, but all the chat groups and other messaging app distractions are silent. I can still end up zoning out watching a movie in the evening, but it's more intentional: I had to pick the movie in advance and download it so I can view it offline. The contrast with Sunday when I turn the internet back on is very notable. Suddenly the next day is disorganized and end up wasting hours on youtube recommendations, and following rabit holes, and hacker news of course. My conclusion is that it's not the apps or the internet, it's the feeds (when information is being pushed down to you) that are the problem. It's just too convenient and we end up staying in it. Highly recommended.

golly_ned 1y ago
Great idea — do you live with others who do the same thing, or on your own?
- ivansavz 1y ago
  I'm living on my own now so I don't have experience with the group version of this. I try to be proactive if I know I'm meeting someone to remind them to call/text and not expect Signal/Telegram comms. The only thing that has been a problem are RCS text messages since my iPhone assumes if RCS was used once to communicate with someone, it should always be used. I can manually use "send as SMS" for outgoing, but I don't get the reply.
Geeek 1y ago
My family and I keep the Shabbat, which includes no electronics usage and I can not imagine doing it any differently.
- 1y ago

n8cpdx 1y ago

- Yes it is possible to live without using social media (except hacker news of course) on a daily basis. TikTok is the easiest to do without. Instagram and Snapchat can be deleted. Use the web app for those rare moments you need to check hours for a business that doesn’t have a website (sadly this happens) - iOS Focus Modes is underrated in this article. When I arrive at work all my apps except teams and outlook disappear, my phone turns into a work dashboard. After work my phone shows my journal and the clock app. I never get notifications at work, they queue up until I leave. My watch is synchronized and does similar, showing exactly what I need and nothing else for different stages of my day. Focus Modes has sadly not been copied by Android so I can’t consider stitching until there’s a good answer (a well supported HealthKit alternative being the other deal breaker). - iOS screen time is busted af, it is known. Might as well be a random number generator. I recommend avoiding. Apple workers reading this: pls fix

doright 1y ago

It's not like TikTok has a 100% chance of hypnotizing you into a zombie that can only spend its waking hours thinking about dancing people and positive vibes. Only a very high chance, depending on how anxious/bored you are, amplified by the hard work of psychology PhDs. It's so difficult to imagine the mindset of a person who can approach TikTok from a healthy perspective and not need to rely on what used to be called "parental controls" in the past to artificially prevent them from doomscrolling all day. They would just never need to consume advice like this. Surely those people must exist? Who are they? But when you're slapped with something like C-PTSD from an early age, you aren't afforded the ability to address anxiety effectively. You have to turn to something to soothe your anxiety all the time or it will drive you insane. If you were to try to go the complete or semi-aesetic route, you have to consider what lies on the other side of doomscrolling when there's just too much anxiety to function correctly: endless hellfire. I have a hard time believing doomscrolling or needing to restrict screentime at every corner are effective ways to address a completely unrelated inbuilt source of boundless anxiety.

andai 1y ago
I've been doing a lot of mindfulness meditation lately, and also learning about self soothing, emotional processing etc. I found that now that I can access blissful and peaceful states at will, and deal with difficult emotions without getting overwhelmed, my "need" for compulsive behaviors has dropped massively. There's no longer so much pain to medicate. It's like you say, we use this stuff because we don't know a better way. As for social media, there's also the systemic issue of atomization in modern society. People spend so much time alone now, so that's another great pain to cope with. I wonder why that is. How did we get here?
- MarcelOlsz 1y ago
  How does one get started? I've been doing 20 minute wim hof breathing sessions that help and I've been looking into TM due to David Lynch but nothing beyond reading.
  - wonger_ 1y ago

pseudocomposer 1y ago

At least on iOS, I've found ScreenZen (https://www.screenzen.co https://www.screenzen.co) to be pretty ideal. I'll definitely try SpeedBump if they add me to the beta, though. Like SpeedBump, ScreenZen also has a "wait before using addictive apps" function (though, it doesn't have the "wait a bit longer to get 15mins vs. 2mins" - that would be really nice). ScreenZen also keeps track of "streaks" of days not going over your overall limit in addictive apps. Unfortunately, that limit is counted by number of sessions, not the actual overall app screen time (by default, if you set your limit to 1 hour, it gives you 6 sessions of 10 minutes per app). It would be nice to combine this with SpeedBump's different-time-limit feature: if I want to quickly check a post or show a friend something on Instagram, I could use only 2mins out of my overall hour limit, instead of 10mins.

cush 1y ago

I tried every kind of focus app and focus mode on iOS, and nothing stuck. After years of trying, this approach worked well for me: 1. Delete any app with any kind of algorithmic feed (YouTube, TikTok, etc) 2. Uninstall Safari That's right, I've been rocking a browserless phone for about a year now, and I'm never going back. AMA

sotix 1y ago
How did you uninstall safari? Have you run into any issues without having it available on your phone?
- cush 1y ago
  You can disable it in content restrictions settings. Yes, many issues, but mostly with apps not being able to open external links. To me it's worth it though.

_kush 1y ago

Great article! I’ve noticed that most screen time discussions focus heavily on mobile usage, which makes sense given the data, but I think we underestimate how much desktop screen time also affects our health. As someone who’s been building LookAway[0] (a mindful break reminder app for Mac), I’ve seen firsthand how easy it is to slip into hours of continuous screen time at a desk resulting in things like eye strain, posture issues, and even productivity dips. Would love to see more awareness and tools around managing desktop screen habits! [0]: https://lookaway.app https://lookaway.app

sshkhr 1y ago

Earlier this year, I decided to set up a couple of software based systems to reduce my screentime. They have been largely been successful. I have reduced my average daily phone screen time from 5-6 hrs to 2-3 hrs, around 1.5 hrs of which is 'wasteful' (reddit, HN, instagram) and the remaining 1.5 hrs is actual communication time (email, calls, chat). On my computer, my screen time is nearly all productive time by my standards. Some of the things I did are: For my phone: - Deleted all apps for social media, all browsing has to be via browser. - Used SocialFocus (https://socialfocus.app/ https://socialfocus.app/) to remove feeds and recommendations from all apps, any post access happens via shares or search - Also turned on a timer for social media (45 minutes each for reddit/insta). - Turned social media black/white instead of color. - Used dumbify launcher (https://dumbifyapp.com/ https://dumbifyapp.com/) to turn my menu bar into a text based one instead of icons. For my computer: - Used Cold Turkey (https://getcoldturkey.com/ https://getcoldturkey.com/) to set up blocks for various websites, subreddits etc. - Locked up my Cold Turkey block with a long random text string, which increases friction if I want to unlock and as a result reduces my inclination to do so. - Use News Feed Eradicator (https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator/ https://github.com/jordwest/news-feed-eradicator/) to remove feeds from websites which have some utility for me (e.g. LinkedIn) but can be a time sink. Honestly, these steps have worked quite well for me thus far. I have managed to get back into reading (both fiction, non-fiction as well as academic textbooks), freed up time to spend with family and friends, and also gotten into watching TV shows - something I had not really done in the last 2-3 years due to being hooked on short form media

mooglevich 1y ago
I went full grayscale on my phone and it really helped. It just made my phone way more boring. I also highly recommend turning off history in the YouTube app, if you all use it. It then surfaces...zero recommendations. It's blissfully quiet.

mglvsky 1y ago

> Completely quitting social media is getting less and less realistic. Platforms like Instagram or TikTok can be essential to connect with friends I doubt it. Trying to not to use all of popular social for some time (for 30 days) was inspiring to me, so I don't have any idea why those apps so important.

anzerarkin 1y ago

I also made an app to fix my scrolling issue — it’s called EvoCat. The idea came from wanting to combine the best parts of all the focus apps I used: scheduled block sessions like Opal, mindful breathing interruptions like One Sec, and some light gamification to make it feel less like punishment. EvoCat is a small animated character (a cat-phone hybrid) that evolves as you stay focused. The longer you avoid distractions, the stronger it becomes — and the harder it gets to cancel your focus sessions. It turns screen time control into something a bit more playful, but still effective. I currently have a beta available on iOS and I’m happy to share a TestFlight link if anyone wants to try it out. You can also check it out here: https://evocat.app https://evocat.app Would love feedback from fellow builders and focus-app nerds :)

MisterTea 1y ago

After a Psilocybin trip I found that anxiety was driving a vast majority of my desire for screen time. Post trip for the next few days my mind was perfectly calm - no thoughts were forcefully intruding, constantly causing distraction and frustration leading to seeking screen time. During that time I could go to work, consume tasks, complete them without stress or distraction and feel a sense of accomplishment and fulfillment. Same when I went home and did chores around the house. That is a feeling that has been elusive most of my life. The big thing that stood out to me those few days: little to no desire for screen time. If you think you have anxiety then do yourself a favor and seek professional help. Otherwise these life hacks are useless as they are ignoring the root cause of your desire for screen time.

matthewhartmans 1y ago

I switched to a basic Nokia phone for a couple of months and this put a stop to it :)

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

chaosprint 1y ago

https://github.com/chaosprint/twice https://github.com/chaosprint/twice this is a tool I use for Chrome. works for me

asdfman123 1y ago

I created a two-factor authentication app that only provides login codes for social media sites during certain hours of a day. If I want access to a site, I have to plan it carefully to log in within that window. Then if I find I'm misusing it it's easy to kick myself off.

Vaslo 1y ago

This is the best of HN comments. Engaging article engages a bunch of folks to share their own ideas and improve the lives of other readers. And no politics, yay!

niklasbabel 1y ago

"No more doomscrolling. Your attention span needs you." — i’ve been using TRMNL (https://usetrmnl.com/ https://usetrmnl.com/) to fight screen time habits. simple eink display which you can connect to 100s of apps to showcase information, so you can actually uninstall certain apps from your phone.

ronnieboy493 1y ago

Since everyone is rattling off their own solutions. * I removed all apps that aren't tools/utilities to help me get things done. No entertainment (including RSS!). For example, I have Busycal, Things, and Bear installed along with a few other utilities. I also removed non-essential utilities. There is no need to pay my credit card from my phone. This also has the benefit of reducing tracking. * Disabled JS for Safari. I would find myself surfing the web and wasting time. Even if I initially started with good intentions. Turns out, a lot of my web usage was "I wonder about this, let's search it". "That was a cool movie, let's see what other people think online". It is an absolute pain to dig 37 menus deep to enable JS again, which forces me to live without it. * Time limits never worked for me. I'd always ask for five more minutes. Just one more hit Tim Apple, I promise. Last time. They may work for you though. * Either disabled notifications or set them to appear in daily reviews. Now I get those daily reviews and realize it's filled with stuff that doesn't matter. Every time I pick up my phone I risk falling into a black hole. The less I'm notified to pick up it, the less time I lose. Only alerts from my partner and similar get through immediately. * Get an alarm clock or use a smartwatch. Seriously. You know those people who wake up and reach over for cigs before they're even out of bed? Don't do that with your phone. * I lean heavily into my smart watch. For me, trying to create friction on my phone was only mildly successful. A smart watch has a ton of organic friction that feels natural. Instead of giving your Ferarri a flat tire to slow it down, just ride a bicycle. Synthetic friction vs organic friction. I'm bad with analogies. Leaving my phone behind is something I do sometimes but not as much as I should. * These days the only social media account I have is HN. It's not ideal but everything is a WIP. There really should be some concerted effort by the government to study these behaviors and what can be done. We dramatically dropped cigarette use with a lot of work and I believe we can do the same with phones. I still waste time on my laptop but it's not a quick dopamine hit. I spend more time on side-projects though now that I'm forcing myself to be in front of a real machine. Reducing all screen-time is something I still need to work on.