How I stopped wasting time on social media
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ต.ค. 2024
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I can relate…when everything you see becomes an excuse to post aesthetic stories on Instagram it’s important to take a step back and set the right intention: do you want to share your excitement or do you want to be seen ?
Thank you for this video which helps me reflect on my use of social media
Sending you love from France 🌺
@@LivMoietco Liv, tu fais quoi ici?? Lol je t'aime et j'aime Ruby aussi 💖
Contente de voir que nous suivons les mêmes personnes ahah
@@hisoka5247 Je suis Ruby depuis plusieurs années maintenant héhé ! contente de voir des frenchies ici 💖
@@amkinspiration9676 héhé oui !!
On the other hand I don’t think it’s a bad thing. Photography is my hobby too, and I enjoy posting beautiful stories. It doesn’t mean that I enjoy the moment any less at all!
For all of you saying she's being obsessive and time spent on social media is totally fine. Her daily average at the beginning on her phone was almost 7 hours which is about the same as mine and guys IT'S NOT HEALTHY. Personally it really makes me depressed and feel like I'm wasting my life (which I am) but I am having a ton of trouble cutting my time down so this was really inspiring to me and helps cutting down screentime feel more possible!🥰 Thank you so much Ruby!
same here! My instagram time is 3.5h daily and it terrifies me. I go there when I'm sad or scared of the real world, then an hour just disappears into nothingness, I feel more tired, more sad and more chaotic than before. I also found her methods very interesting, especially the dreaded "youtube" list - I know I won't watch as ridiculously many videos if I'd have to write it all down. I don't think she intends to track it for long, at least I won't, but even a week will be enough to break the vicious cycle.
Exactly! Just because it's become normal to spend 5+ hours daily online DOESN'T make it any healthier. I'm guilty of this too and it's a pastime I'm eager to leave behind. I've taken up daily walking which means I'm spending at least 40-60mins less on my phone each day. I also want to start reading and painting more often, as these are hobbies I'd forgotten since childhood. I really need to start keeping a paper planner, as like Ruby at the start of this video, I use technology for all my to-do lists and scheduling.
Best of luck on your journey!!
EXACTLY!! THAT HELPED ME A LOT TOO, BECAUSE BEING TO MUCH ON SOCIAL MEDIA ISN'T HEALTHY AT ALL.
@@elenalenaiva I definitely want to try the TH-cam list next week because I totally fall into just watching pointless videos that I don’t even really care about but they leave me feeling guilty because I’m wasting time when I could be reading or going on a walk or studying or singing or playing my violin or helping people out and instead I just keep scrolling for hours. Best of luck to you! Plz let me know how you tracking goes and how much progress you make❤️
@@roisinnigcrainn7722 yes! I write my to do list and such in my journal and it helps me be motivated to cross things off because once I write it it’ll be there in my journal forever and I’ll see the list whenever I read my journal
I think being intentional is good but it is fine to watch a TH-cam just because. You don't need to get something meaningful out of everything you do, and reflect on everything.
I agree
i definitely agree, but i also think that even having that thought process; that you’re going to do it just because, is mindful in its own way and thus good too
This is important, because you don't want to associate social media with guilt. There are times when we are too tired to engage ourselves in music, a film, a book, much less an activity. So, social media is a good way to give our brains a rest. After all, social media is not the problem, the problem is how addictive they are. So, focus on setting a time limit or a content limit, e.g. watch one youtuber per day or associate each platform with a particular type of content and only check each platform once a day during transition periods. But do not feel guilty for going on social media.
@@lexie8429 thank you for pointing this out, this is the direction I'm coming from right now and it's reassuring to know that it's ok:)
@@lexie8429 yes, but that's not the message she's putting out in this video.
i also think it’s ok and beneficial to take time off to just relax. it’s ok to watch the odd youtube video, they don’t all HAVE to be “productive” or “educational”
Exactly! I think its also a matter of preference and priorities
I think that’s why she has motives like “comfort” or “happiness/enjoyment” as valid reasons to watch videos. Things we take away from videos don’t have to always make us be better but realizing why you’re watching something, just being mindful of it, can help us not to get lost in the infinite world of internet content.
I love watching silly/mindless TH-cam videos in the evening, I have ocd and anxiety and they really help distract me/make me feel calm
@@maneskinnnnn7190 me too! I don't have ocd but I struggle with panic attacks, and watching youtubers like kurtis conner make me feel happy. But sometimes I watch all those random drama channels that are trash. They make me feel even.more anxious. So yeah lol
th-cam.com/video/2bBakNLQz5k/w-d-xo.html
This is discipline. She desired that she wanted to change, and she certainly made something about it. She is such a powerful woman and a beautiful human being. I love her content and when I'm watching her i don't feel that I'm waiting my time on social media, i feel like I'm doing something productive with my time just by the fact of listening to her voice. 😼🥰
ruby, i love your content, but i think we need to stop pushing this extreme productivity life and making out that you need to gain something out of every little thing you do, and that everything you ever do has to be something you check off a to do list. i think spending less time on social media is a great idea, but it’s about having a different relationship with your phone, not by not letting yourself on it. this is gonna make a fair few people feel guilty for simply watching youtube when they have free time, or for scrolling instagram when they’re bored. not everything in life has to be productive and meaningful, it’s important to remember that, otherwise people can become obsessive with productivity and feel guilty. you are allowed to be bored.
Yes
Yeahh
Love this!
This does make an important point and yes, not all of our social media usage has to be entirely productive or meaningful and developing a healthier relationship with our devices is so important. However, as someone with lots of hobbies and school work etc, being more mindful about what I'm doing online is important to ensure I spend time doing the things I really love and I think that's the message that Ruby is trying to get across. I like to scroll just for fun, especially when I don't have the energy for other activities, but for me (and probably many others), that time can stretch out for way too long and a lot of time can suddenly pass by where you were passive to what you're consuming and hardly even enjoying it. For example, the TH-cam video tracking notion page definitely wouldn't work for everyone, but an alternative could be making a mindset shift towards thinking about why you want to watch a video beforehand. Basically, everyone should take these tips with a pinch of salt - they may work for Ruby, but not for you and that's okay! Please look after yourselves :)
I actually don't agree with you of course every body can get bored and want to check social media once in a while but that leads to it being your default action when ever you have a spare second which is very harmful 'cause social media IS ADDICTING . And honestly there better things to do rather than being on your phone 24/7 I am not talking about being productive but about being in touch with yourself and your loved ones which should be the priority.
I feel like my summer vacation is being consumed by screens; this will be very helpful 🙏🏻
The biggest time-suck and distraction for me is tiktok. You can spend hours scrolling through 30-second long videos and while some of those videos can be informative most of them are just toxic. I've tried to start a new morning routine where I wake up really early to be more productive but the first thing I do when I wake up is go on my phone and then all of a sudden it's 9am and all that time was wasted. I'm really going to take this video and try to create some goals and actions for myself. 💕
I have started a habit where i just leave my phone in the living room so i wont use it in my room and get distracted cuz it really affects my sleep in a toxic way and i wake up to it and get tempted to pick it up right upon awaking and it feels so toxic and unhealthy cuz u start u day unintentionally and not mindful which leads to anxiety during the day and sets u up for failure. It also makes u feel sluggish if u start ur day with ur phone. Its just needs getting used to and discipline to quit the habit of grabbing ur phone first thing. I have been able to manage it the last week so its def possible being an social media especially youtube addict myself hahaha. Its just takes some willpower and self discipline and u will succeed! Good luck u got this!💪
That’s why I refuse to download tiktok, I know I will get addicted like that😭My worst social media is youtube, I can easily get carried away
@@thenamescara64 I refused for the longest time too but them people keep sending me tiktoks and I was like “I might as well download it since I’m watching so many anyway” it probably wasn’t the best decision but since watching this video this morning I’ve already set myself a time limit for it.
i really suggest deleting ur tiktok.. its bad for ur mental & physical health. i know u can't stop scrolling becuz that's why they made tiktok for. a short 30 sec contents and fyp is how their marketing works so you spend hours endlessly can't stop scrolling it. and that's why youtube made youtube shorts. so yes, you won't miss any news, cause MOST tiktok contents are not important. so yes, go and delete tiktok, start taking notice on those around you, not your phone :)
@@kianisaac4787 ah yes, that's a sign u should really delete it, my friends also send me tiktok links, even when i told them i deleted it. if they send u a link, either just not open it anyways, or ask them to send u the vid instead
How can you be wasting time, when you’re enjoying what you’re doing? Looking at TH-cam videos is a way for me to relax, de-stress from my very stressful job and enjoying vlog’s like yours. but I agree that it should be limited.
exactly, I dont count TH-cam as social media, I dont' use instagram or anything else, watching TH-cam videos is my favourite past time and really helps me relax and distract me
I've been spending 3.5h on instagram daily, mostly scrolling stories and reels. I can't stop when I start, I have the urge to pick up my phone every 15 min, and watching stuff is emotionally draining. It's an textbook's definition of addiction and as you can guess I am literally wasting my time daily. And what Ruby's talking about is using social media to get something good out of it - comfort, relaxation - instead of seeing it as an automatic "I'm bored, fix me" button.
I really like Ruby's advice, it's a much needed inspiration to keep fighting.
agreed. i also don't consider yt as social media idk it just became a way for recreation. it keeps me sane from all of my personal and academic responsibilities.
It's not that you shouldn't use it or enjoy at all, it's just that u should use it wisely so it doesn't become an addiction.
It becomes 'wasting time' when u spend wayyy too much time on it when you should be doing something else
It’s also important to remember:
“Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time”
“Do more of what makes you happy”
💜
What if you enjoy spending time mindlessly for hours on TH-cam
What makes me happy tho
@@essie180 then maybe your mind is too full and other strategies could also help
so if drugs make me happy i should do more of it thanks
that's bullshit and you know it
I really needed this right now and she just posted it 🥺 I am really stressed now because I got a lot to do but here I am wasting my time in social media
I have the same problem 😕
Same girls
Me too 😬
goodluck, loves!! we can do it too!!! 💞
I needed this too. If there's one person who can cause massive changes in my life, it's Ruby Granger.
I only watch TH-cam and consume social media intentionally. That’s how I stopped wasting time!
I really like your content Ruby but I personally think this is way too much - there's no need to be tracking everything, instead of focusing on doing things that do not revolve around your phone (like cooking or gardening or doing exercises) you're still using your computer/technology in the process, so you're just replacing one activity for another. My thought process is: does this truly need to be written down/tracked? What are you gaining from it? In the end all that becomes a digital clutter in your life, and I think that is as problematic as having physical clutter.
I hope you don't take this personally, I truly like you and your content but I don't see how tracking things obsessively would do any good. xx
I agree. I think she stresses herself out trying to do so much in 24 hours
I honestly don't think that she's overreacting. I've seen a lot of videos about social media addiction and her video seems pretty rational and straightforward, she thought about the problems and then about the solutions which are totally manageable. After all she wants to improve her life and once we also had fun outside of our phones, it's not like she will never use it anymore, she is just trying to change her mind from the autopilot of using social media all the time.
I think the reason for tracking videos is not that you have a record of it, but that _before_ watching something you ask yourself "why am I watching this?" and "what does it bring me". And by asking those questions one can reduce mindless and tiring youtube binging. I think she keeps tracks of it purely so that she _has_ to ask herself those questions.
It actually reminds me of Writer's answer to "why keep rewriting my todo list?" So that you're forced to consider if this "todo" is wroth the time and effort :) And if you're feeling "too lazy" to write it down again and again, maybe you don't actually need to do it? :)
tracking everything probably works for her and it doesn't work for everyone. and that is okay.
My screen time is insane I want to start reading more books, going outside, cooking...
Bonus Tip: don’t save TH-cam videos in “watch later” or other playlists. If you want to watch it, watch it at that moment or don’t at all. This will save you a lot of time :)
@@toffee_tv I used to have ~400 videos on watch later. When I scrolled through the playlist I realized that I didn’t care for half of these vids anymore but I felt guilty if I deleted them without watching. Then I knew that something had to change 😅
Ikr I always do that but in the end I never watch them anymore :))xD
I find the opposite is true. I save videos & podcasts to watch/listen to while I'm in the shower or cooking dinner.
I'm awful for this I need to go through my watch later videos desperately lol 😅 I'll click watch later and then I'll usually go back to TH-cam videos that ive watched 100 times just because
I saved like 8 videos about how to stop / replace social media videos in my watch later list. Very happy I did so and watch them now again to try as well (hopefully successful this time)
I just came here to point out that this is a half hour video on social media about wasting time on social media.🤣
I can definitely relate on the mindfulness! My first thought is always ‘what Instagram post could I make from this’ or ‘I wonder how many views this will get on Snapchat’. When really, the most important thing is being present.
Exactly! Social media really be taking over our lives its quite disturbing haha. But we just need to become self aware in order to bring upon change
Ruby, whilst I agree that people need to reduce their time on social media, the obsessive monitoring and controlling of what you watch, how often you watch it, where you watch it and what you gain from it is really unhealthy. People need entertainment and down time without it being educational or life changing. Please stop encouraging others to form these terrible habits!
That's how she wants it, Leah. We all have different methods in approaching situations. Just because you don't agree with it it doesn't mean that it shouldn't be done by someone. This is what's effective for them, let them live their life according to their own rule.
@@chrysalis888 Okay, Courtney. But she's also encouraging others to do this obsessive habit tracking. If Ruby wants to do this herself, fine. But making a video, which will be seen by lots of impressionable young people, endorsing this level of control over one's own enjoyment and downtime is incredibly damaging.
@@chrysalis888 if it’s how she wants it and nothing else then she wouldn’t make a video out of it, just the thumbnail and title are really passive aggressive on their own
its like having an ed but with hobbies lol
@Talitha Warren Okay, but content creators need to take some responsibility for the harmful messages and advice they are sending out in their videos. Ruby's videos might be encouraging for some, but for a lot of us all we're starting to see is toxic productivity and elements of hustle culture.
As long as you dont have a toxic home and a mental illness , you can quit medias and enjoy the atmospher.
right? for many, social media is a lifeline of escapism and community that they don't have in person.
These comments are such a great example of how social media has burrowed its way into our minds and lives.. how quick you all are to defend the use of social media! It’s because you’re addicted, sadly. Social media owners have paid psychologists billions of dollars to purposefully make social media a highly highly addictive thing that keeps us separate from reality, it severs human connections and it has been proven to reduce general empathy across humanity…. Of course nobody wants to admit they are addicted to their phone because then you’ll have to face the reasons why you’re addicted, but once you do I promise your outlook on life will change for the better ❤:)
Okay before I watched the video I read the comments and was a bit shook how triggered people were and I was like...but I thought it's a good thing to take time off... And then I watched the video. And now I understand what y'all are talking about. Didn't thought this topic could be thematized in such a pressuring manner 🙈
But then again, Iam confused about one thing. Ruby does so many video on productivity and her mindset on being produtive all the time is all over the place (which is logic, it's her channel and that's literally the Soul of the channel i guess^^) and never have I seen such critique like in this specific comment section. Like....she does that all the time with her 15 hour study videos and stuff... Why are people so surprised now that her attitude is all about being produtive? That was never a secret 😅 and because I don't appreciate this mindset but still admire some of her content I just avoid videos of hers that trigger me.
I love you ruby but I think it is kinda hypocritical that you have made a 30 minute video while trying to cut down you screen time. You make videos on social media yet you say that spending too much time on social media. I think it is bad that you keep on trying to be productive all the time and not taking a break and watching a yt video to relax. I’m not trying to be mean just saying what I think. I really love you and I’m not trying to offend you and hope you don’t take offence
you are so restrictive of yourself ruby... you don't have to gain anything from watching TH-cam or going on instagram please don't spread this message it's wrong. you can watch youtube whenever you want to relax and catch up with trends
you don't need a tracker for videos uou watched thatzs so stupid...
@@evajakovleva8190 yeah, i agree. She doesn’t realise that this is extreme and contradictory to her mental health.
@@Slam_24 this mindset is really restrictve and it's not good at all. she needs to stop thinking and spreading the information that this is normal
Idk, I always find it quite hypocritical when people who make a lot of money through social media give advice on how important it is to spend less time on it. Also, I think we need to be careful about pushing the idea that everything needs to be “productive”, “educational”, or rigidly tracked. Surely that in itself goes against the very idea of living in the present that social media can prevent us from doing? At the end of the day, watching a “mindless” TH-cam video to relax is not something anyone should be beating themselves up for. It’s not the end of the world to “waste time” now and then!
I agree not every minute needs to be productive, I've done a month off social media for a few years now and my first attempt felt a lot like this video - trying to replace downtime with productive time is a common mistake when trying to break any habit. It's really good she's tracking so much because it soon becomes clear what works and what doesn't.
Also I'm not sure how it's hypocritical to make this video - if a restaurant owner said people eat too much sugar it's not hypocritical of them to serve desserts. It's a question of volume and awareness.
I *think* she wants to keep track of the vids she has watched bcoz she feels that she's using youtube for more than just destressing purposes.. She does watch videos and documentaries to relax but she might have felt that she was skipping into a habit where she checked social media more than what was needed...
I do agree with your points but I can see it from her pov too
She says in the beginning that her screen time is about 7 hrs, which isnt the best and she thus wants to improve hers... She feels that the best version of herself is when she spends less time on social media...
life isnt a productivity competition
Sure, if your happines comes from small device it is not sad at all and should be respected!
This video is super interesting - as is the discourse around the comments too! There’s so many takes on the topic and I think it’s safe to say that different things will work better for everyone. A lot of people talking about how this might be a bit too much and how you don’t have to track everything have some really good points, and I agree to an extent, but also wanted to add that because it’s so individual, we’re all going to have different approaches that work better for us. I’ve had really bad anxiety in the past, and so for me there’s a limited number of things that I keep a track of that is really good for my mental health - things like habits, what I’m reading, thoughts on certain things - because it keeps me more grounded. I also try to keep track of notes on videos I watch that are directly linked to my work, because that’s really helpful to learn from certain people’s techniques and approaches to stuff. I think for me though the key thing is not making it a do or die situation. If I don’t make a note of something, or I don’t remember to track a certain thing that I normally do it’s important to be able to let that go because otherwise the whole point of tracking for mental clarity flies right out the window! Everyone’s needs are gonna be different, and while this kind of a system would be too much for me, and waaaaay too much for some people watching, for others it would probably be exactly what’s needed!
Great video! My issue is that I don’t spend a lot of time on social media anymore, but I spend so much time looking at a screen for work (I work remotely) and school. Especially when classes were online. It’s hard to stay away from screens when there aren’t other alternatives. :(
That’s EXACTLY the video I needed, thank you so much Ruby! Can you read my mind?
this is no hate but, "How I stopped wasting time on social media" ITS A 28 MIN video !!!!! love the content though
what helped me kind of avoid my social media addiction was to replace more addictive apps with slightly less addictive ones. so instead of scrolling through instagram for 1.5 hours without realising i spend my break watching youtube shorts or playing a puzzle game which bores me after 15 minutes by default so I automatically get back to work and feel refreshed as well.
And Im trying to use instagram only on fridays so I dont miss out but i still stay in check :)
Lovely video idea and I really do love Ruby's content! But, as merely constructive criticism, you don't have to be productive all the time! Sometimes I watch Ruby's videos for comfort and I end up feeling guilty by the end of it... I hope Ruby doesn't take this the wrong way, but sometimes the way she talks is quite preachy and unrealistic (for me anyway). In my experience, being super productive, feels great at first but it inevitably ends up in burnout - just want to remind people its also okay if you want to stay in bed all day and do nothing :)
Thank you for sharing your opinion..I agree with you 😭😭
It’s completely ok not to ‘gain’ anything from looking at socials 💜
Yes, for a couple of minutes or maybe an hour each day. But when you're spending 6 or 7 or maybe MORE hours each day just mindlessly scrolling, that's unhealthy behaviour. I believe in spending 1-2 hours daily on "productive" TH-cam, and maybe 30 minutes daily on "fun" TH-cam. That's healthy.
I don't think Ruby intends on tracking her watched videos forever, moreso to get out of the nasty habit of numbing one's mind with sneakily algorithm-chosen nonsense. What I've taken from this video is that Ruby wants to watch videos on more valuable and educational topics, and use her extra time to put the lessons she learns into practice. There's always time for entertainment afterwards.
@@roisinnigcrainn7722 why is it not healthy? if I don't have anything else to do and I've already done important things that need to be done it's not unhealthy to spend time on your phone while doing nothing
@@raquelcampos9230 Because it messes up your brain's reward system. It becomes an addiction. Social media is an easy way to get dopamine, but ironically it doesn't make you feel fulfilled or happy if you spend hours on nothing. You might feel lazy, irritated or tired after and your motivation towards anything that requires a little more effort (like drawing) drops. Apps are designed to be addictive, endless scrolling being one of the features, and we get random rewards (content that interests us somewhere between all the junk) and our brains love that unpredictability. It's basically psychological conditioning.
Of course everyone is an individual and reacts differently, but it's better to give your brain a proper rest (our smartphones are full of different stimuli, to the point it can be distracting) or a way to get dopamine in a more active way. I personally felt much better when I reduced my SoMe time, I felt more inspired and energetic.
exactly. take time for yourself, just dont over do it
i just finished “The Social Dilemma” and i have also recently been reflecting on my screen use and lack of intentionality when on my phone
Same here!
Same here!
Same here!
Same here!
I think people are missing the point that addictions can be social media related. It’s all about balance, and I think what ruby is trying to do is balance her off screen time and her on screen time in a way that keeps her mental health in a healthier place. It’s all about balance, and what is helpful to you and what is most important as far as how you want to spend your time
Exactly
The thumbnail scared me a bit for scrolling TH-cam right now 😨 Ruby gets fierce
Personnaly I struggled to limit my time on YTB and Netflix on vacation. But then I realized that when I wanted to do a "screen less day" it was difficult because I did not think about what I can do instead of using my screen. So now I will challenge myself to make an entire planned day without screens and see what activities I really enjoy doing for relaxation or to achieve my goals !
The irony of making a YT video to warn against spending too much time on social media 😀
Building down time in the evening is so important! I try to spend at least 45 mins reading / doing a crossword before bed - anything but going on my phone.
This was very useful. A book that can also help is 'How to Break Up with Your Phone' by Catherine Price. It is a 30 day plan to spending less time on your phone and taking back your life. Thank you for this video.
i have literally 20 hours or something DAILY on my phone and laptop in total, but then I also will sometimes end up not really touching my phone. I'm also really active where I message a lot of people like I have so many internet friends from all around the globe that I am constantly getting notifications, and I can easily come off my phone but I have the fear of missing out on stuff, which is such a bad habit.
Watched this and I completely understand and can very much relate to this issue, great healthy solutions, it's admirable when she's so aware and keeps herself accountable
THAT IS until 13:07 'TH-cam Video Tracker' that part made me chuckle! This is of course just a personal preference and opinion, I get where she's coming from, but watching that part made me go - - hmm now that's just adding too much of unnecessary work, and lists and more lists which she seems to love so much hah, I get it I do this aswell where after I watch sth I sometimes stop and think about what I took from it, what I remembered and if it inspired me in anyway I write it down
but doing so with lists and for every video, jeeez giiirl RELAX, controling, writting down and tracking every millisecond of your life is again I repeat in my personal opinion A BIT MUCH and obsessive behaviour.
One could then ask just how much time is she than wasting on creating these various lists with layers and layers of info in each category, on one side I understand they keep you organized, in check and in the long run with the help of them you end up wasting less time on tasks because you have everything organized and written down but with the amount of lists she creates for every little thing in her life I don't believe that is doing so.
Just live.
Thank you so much for this. I’ be Been off school for 7 weeks now (starting year 12 in September) and I’ve been falling into the habit of spending hours on social media and it’s not healthy (like 9 hours a day) . I’ve never been the most goal oriented person so seeing how you set goals has made me want to implement my own and get out of my slump. See how it goes.
Says someone who earns money from people being on screen🤣
i have problems getting off my phone, bc i feel like theres nothing to do. my brain has also associated getting off my phone with something bad.
Thank you so much for this Ruby! I made the decision to quit social media and don't regret it. I feel that my mental health is much better now because I used to feel horrible about myself after looking at other's "highlight reels." I know what people present to the world is much different to what their life is really like, but it's hard to remember that when all I saw was nothing but the best versions of someone's personal brand. The tips you share in this video are fantastic and I really love the longer video!! BTW, you inspired me to go back to college and I'll be the first person in my family to earn a degree! =D
I've found for me just turning off notifications on social media has been a massive game changer.
The thing with „time you enjoy wasting is not wasting“ and social media is that I personally don’t enjoy it that much. Maybe 20 minutes here and there but when I’m on my phone for an hour and just scroll through Instagram oder watch yt videos I always feel rather exhausted afterwards. So she’s right saying the problem is mindless scrolling or watching. When I check up on TH-camrs or influencers I like it’s alright but then I get lost in the rabbit hole that is social media and feel not relaxed at all and always have the feeling I could have spent my time better
Oh my,is everything in life mistakes,bad habits,problems,failures,waste or just consuming. How about just start living for a change and see what happens and how it turns out. Just might like living as it is, i mean it has worked for a few hundred thousand years. Just be happy go lucky. Lots of love and take care.
Everyone would agree spending 24/7 on social media is an addiction.
Have you thought about trying to get a part-time /summer job in a customer service role? Could help you to spend less time on screens and also allow you to develop skills and gain experience. :)
Wow Ruby’s new video...after 20 seconds " I am spending too much time on screens and social media". Watch or not to watch...that is the question :-)
bit of a weird question, but when you "write more" what is it you are working on, is it creative, essays, journalling? loved this style of video btw💌
I believe it’s creative! I know she made a vlog a while back about her writing a fictional story…
Love this! Feeling the personal guilt as the video progresses. It's definitely time for a self check.
I like you, Ruby, and I've actually been using some variations of the tactics you mentioned in this video for over a couple of years because I had my own issue with social media addiction and everything. But honestly this video felt like an overkill and you lost me completely with that YT video list. Yes, I try to stay away from mindless contents consumption during my working hours (I'm a freelancer working at home, so there's no one to manage my time for me but myself and I have to be strict with myself on daily basis) but as soon as I'm finished with my day's task list and ready to chill, I don't put that kind of pressure on me at all. I would watch whatever I want- whether it's an educational documentary about environment or Zoella's nostalgic old vlogs. I do that because I know I need such pressureless recharging time to get myself ready for the next workday. Humans are not machines and not everything we do can be productive or useful however we want it to be, nor does it have to.
I'm not saying that this video is 100% bad or toxic. Like I said, I'm already using a lot of things you mentioned here like removing the social media apps or utilising the iOS function to lock certain apps and stuff. It's just that this video seems to push that 'mindful usage of technology' thing and the idea of productive life a bit too far over the line. Yeah we always see in the comment sections stuff like 'I spent 5 hours today on tiktok and I feel like garbage' or 'I'm not doing anything during the summer break', but that doesn't mean that these people are living free of pressure to do something productive or useful. If that's the case, they wouldn't have felt guilty for not being productive in the first place. People are already getting that kind of pressure far more than they should, and suggesting the idea that we should reflect on what we are gaining from the contents we consume JUST TO CHILL is something we don't need any more in the society we are currently living in. Like, free time is free time because it doesn't have to be productive or yield tangible benefit.
Really well said! I'm a freelancer too so I feel you. It's the reason I never track my reading (which was very popular in Facebook's heyday, all my academic friends obsessively updating Goodreads and trying to read 100 books a year) if I'm doing something for fun I don't need stats on it, otherwise I just start getting competitive about the stats lol.
That being said I like the idea of tracking what I got out of the videos I watched, because TH-cam can have a pretty low ROI for me in terms of relaxation. The habit of asking "will this video make me feel good, or am I just stuck in inertia when I want to be doing something else?" is one I want to incorporate to my evenings.
@@MildExplosion Yes, I also do that kind of mood monitoring regularly. For example, I used to automatically go onto Twitter whenever I was taking a break from study or work. But then I eventually had to admit that I always left Twitter upset or angry from all the things I saw there, and that was the last thing I wanted from my resting time 😛 I ditched twitter app from my phone afterwards. So I agree with what you say about asking questions about how certain platforms or contents make us feel. I just felt that Ruby’s YT monitoring in this video was more related to intellctual/practical benefit and that’s the kind of pressure I don’t want people to put on themselves when they’re doing something for fun or to chill.
I don't think you actually watched the full video. She said she also considers when something makes her happy or feeling good. It's pretty reasonable considering that we watch a lot of shitty stuff sometimes.
@@IsabelleRibeiroS I never leave a comment on a video before I watch the whole thing from beginning to end :) Yes, Ruby does make allusions to being present in the moment or reflecting on how certain contents affect your mood or mental health. I'm 200% for such things. But all those words start sounding less convincing when she keeps bringing in productivity into this or focussing on informative or educational value of the contents she consumes during her free time. A glance into her YT video list shows that her reflections are more about what kind of useful purpose it served rather than how it made her feel. Again, I agree with the underlying argument of this video that we have to be mindful of the contents we consume and aware of the addictive features of social media. I just don't think being mindful should necessarily lead to reflecting on the usefulness or informativeness of the contents.
I agree with everything you said!
I don't think everything should be tracked down- if you wanna spend less time on social media, just think about actives that doesn't envolve your phone like cooking your own meals- maybe listening to some music to make it fun- working out, doing yoga, going for walks sometimes- reading something you find exciting, watching Gameplays of your favs TH-camrs just to relax- anyway, do something to relax or enjoy a part of your day that doesn't envolve scrolling through your Instagram feed but also it's fine to do that at the end of the day if want to just to ketch up with the people you admire.
I see all these comments saying that we basically shouldn't overdo it with productivity, or it's okay for her to spend some time on social media that is essentially useless. And it's become kind of a trend lately to talk about "toxic productivity" and channels that promote that. In my opinion, this kind of critique is coming from the fear that those "overly productive" people will become sooo much better than us, that we can't even reach their success/abilities/habits. Instead of saying "I have a short attention span but I actually don't mind it cause it doesn't affect my life and I still do all the things I need and want to do, even though this person on youtube is doing so much more", we say "She is working so much, seeing this is very toxic for me because it makes me feel bad for myself". We don't realize youtubers have their own life which they choose to live as they please and still share it and lay it all out for us to judge. Sure, you can choose to spend time scrolling on Insta because it gives your brain a break, but imagine reaching a level where that break for you is reading a classic work of fiction or going running etc etc. I don't see what's bad with young people trying to reach above and beyond and constantly bettering themselves. It's not like you can ever become "too good", since you can always pick up new hobbies and do more things. And don't forget, we don't need to have the same goals with all these youtubers. If you want to live in a small house with your future family working a normal 9-5, or be a housewife, or be a single millionare constantly travelling for business - IT'S ALL UP TO YOU AND WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY.
I stopped scrolling mindlessly through social media by playing twelve hours of Animal Crossing every day 😂
😂
I love how you break down a negative habit so that you can attack it right on. I love this video, it's really helpful! :)
"It always seems impossible until its done."
Sharing some love with all of you, I believe in you fellow reader you will Succeed💜
I took 3 months off my phone last year, 10/10 only used it for one day I remember cause I needed it, but it was great
That's really inspiring! I'm thinking about making my screentime 1 hour a day just for messaging, checking IG and an occasional YT video
i've been learning to be more relaxed less overthinking and more childlike in the analog world meaning spending time outside in nature, playing in my artwork, reading for enjoyment, taking the weekend off from my goals and having fun just being me and in a way ... getting to know myself again my true self. I think your true self is a better quest than your higher self because you are not perfect we are human so finding our true selves is for me the noble quest and experiencing being alive is the true journey. All of the apps and restrictive things may be helpful at first but hopefully we get so present they are unnecessary...which seems to be the case here.. suddenly you don't even look at social media before noon.
Me: *cries in long distance relationship*
I laughed really hard (out of empathy).
This was the best social media detox video I've seen so far. Not only did you share the goals to be set, but also concrete and creative solutions for them. Thank you Ruby, can't wait to try these methods!
Hey Ruby! Let me just start off by talking about how much I appreciate the content you make. It's really engaging. At some point I got really interested with literature because of you and I also contemplated of it being a career choice. The way you have shown to balance everything equally and spend time productively made a great change in my habits. In short, thanks for always motivating me to value time. Keep up the good work.
It is very engaging, yes. She’s good at what she does
This video was SO useful, well-timed, and honest. I loved how open and reflective you were (i am about to do the journaling). Thank you so much for this Ruby, much appreciated!
Making a 28 minutes long video on this topic is not very helpful.
You're the kindest person ever!!! Thanks a lot for spreading positivity in this covid time, as it was one of the toughest thing to achieve "positivity" and "kindness". But you helped a lot!
Thank you ❤️
I hope you are having a great day so far.
X
when you said you sometimes watch youtube and forget everything you just watched, i immediately thought "this video i won't forget for sure" 😅 i loved all the points you made and i wrote some down to try to apply them to my own routine!! 🌼💕
Exactly
Maybe she's right I spend way too much time watching TH-cam videos. Perhaps I shall unsubscribe
A great video. Funnily, your instagram account used to have that effect on me a few years ago - not feeling good enough, productive enough. Because I had school phobia, your content made me anxious. I clearly remember myself unfollowing. I got better, I'm in the last year of my MA now and applying to Oxbridge. Now your content brings me happiness - especially when feeling validated of having deserted it in the first place! 😅❤
wow ruby I don’t know if it is just me, but your hair look lighter than usual! I mean, the colour looks more of a light blonde hahah. Maybe it’s the summer sun who knows 🤷♀️. Anyway, thank you so much for this video it helped me a lot!
I used to beat myself up so much whenever I used TH-cam - I would feel so guilty for being on a screen. I never even had Instagram until recently because I had built such an "I don't want to be like other teenagers" mindset (which I have definitely got over). Now I don't have those guilty feelings, and it seems like I automatically do things intentionally... most of the time. I don't follow a heap of people and all of the content I see actually makes me feel so good. I also seem to have a time for checking social media, and it seems kind of like a task, and it is actually really nice commenting on things and getting endearing responses from creators! So, for me it works to be minimalistic and intentional, but also don't feel guilty for doing so to the point that it's unhealthy.
Also love all your videos Ruby and really value them! Thankyou so much
I did watch the whole video and I have some thoughts to share as well! It's interesting how everyone's experience is a little bit different, even though we are all sucked into these technologies-something that's very intentional on the part of these companies.
One of my favorite books on the topic is "Digital Minimalism" by Cal Newport. He talks about how important it is to have a life philosophy where you can think about your priorities. Then you weigh how each technology stacks up against those priorities, letting you decide how you want to incorporate it into your life if doing so will bring you large benefits with respect to those priorities that outweigh any downsides. It's a very intentional approach that recognizes that giving up social media or other digital technologies IS a sacrifice and you WILL miss out-but you've weighed this sacrifice against your larger goals, so you can rest assured knowing it's worth it, helping you to stick to the plan.
Another book I enjoyed was "How to Break Up with Your Phone" by Catherine Price. One of the things she says is that you need to have your replacement activities set up, otherwise the empty time created by quitting suddenly can be very empty, driving you back to it (or to a worse distraction).
Concrete steps that have been helpful for me were to completely delete Twitter (which is blocked on my laptop), essentially delete TikTok, unfollow every single Instagram account (so I can get DMs and see accounts that Instagram won't let me scroll down if I'm not logged in, but there's no feed), and stay logged out of Facebook except at particular times (after I've been at a dance or other social event, so I've already had real social interaction). These more dramatic steps have helped a lot where merely reducing my follows, or trying to cut back on use weren't helping-I continued to have the urge to check compulsively.
My next goal is, like you, to spend more time where I am completely off screens for long stretches of time. Unfortunately I have to use a screen nearly all day for work, so this will take some doing during my downtime.
It is just painful in lockdown
Since you have to study + read notes online,at the same time control yourself from getting toward social media especially youtube
One of my tricks for not getting drawn into my phone as much is wearing a real watch on my wrist. Otherwise, I check my phone to see the time and end up being lured in by notifications.
Ruby this way of filming is AMAZING I really liked how you took us step by step through the process instead of just listing tips
💙💙Very ingenious💙💙
I spend so long on youtube and even though I use it basically to learn new things, I also have to say I really enjoy watching reading vlogs. But sometimes I tend to think that I should be doing something else. This video was very inspiring for me and I'm definitely going to try and experiment tracking my youtube and other social media usage. I was wondering. Now that you have switched universities, are you living on campus or with your parents? Or are you still at home because of the pandemic? Anyways, hope to see more content like this! I love watching other people's change of perspective.
I’d love to see her make a what’s on my iphone vid tho♥️
i tend to be on my phone around 5h and i hope i can down that to like 3?? i do sooo many mindless things in those hours...
i've been more careful with what i watch on youtube too. I now mainly only watch documentaries and then i let myself have around 40 minutes of other videos at noon. I basically only watch 6 or 7 channels of non-documentary-type now and i think unsuscribing from a lot of others has really helped me
There is a way to reduce unwanted behavior. Mere restriction does not work, must be replaced by some other act. When you genuinely do things where you want to accomplish something, then naturally use your time meaningfully. That's enough.
How to reduce screen time in front of camera is a good introduction to share ways to avoid social media to me hehehehehehe. I'm hoping this will help me after watching your video.
I LOVE your videos, especially those about reducing time on social media
Small TH-camr here💗
i dont think you should gain something from everything you watch, cant you just watch something for entertainment or curiosity? i understand you want to limit your time spent on technology and i do too but i do think you're taking it to an extreme that can become quite toxic too, not everything you do has to be productive it's not healthy at all and it will take a toll on you
posting on social media how one stops wasting time on social media🙃what an irony
I have that feeling that ypu film that video to show your new phone (not hate, just opinion, i love your videos)
Do you think you have a tendency to unnecessarily restrict yourself? This all seems rather silly, I think you overthink too much. Possibly not got enough to do??
I am watching your video, should I? Am I wasting time?
Ive been lazy these past few weeks, i have so many essays and academic requirements to finish but Ive had so much time in social media than focusing on doing my duties as aa student. Thanks ruby for this reminder, its on point and on time, just when I needed it the most.
Isn’t she the real life heromine?
Love you ❤️
Omg I really needed it. I'm currently obsessed with insta and I want to stop it. Thank you ❤
Thank you Ruby for filming this video. 💗💗💗💗
Video suggestion: swapping your screen time for reading!
Didn’t Jack edwards do that
This is one of the best videos I've watched in a while..so comforting..so informative and chatty too 💗💗💗💗 love u Ruby
Me: wanted to stop spending so much time on socmed.
Also me: binge watching and re-watching ruby's videos for a week straight almost nonstop .
The one thing about Social Media is that it isn't Social. Whilst I appreciate that during lockdown people are probably using it far more but as we come out of it I hope people will go back to face-to-face communication. It is far healthier and usually a lot less toxic. It is a lot better than getting your news, views, and what to be outraged at next from some 40 year old who lives in his mum's basement and hasn't washed his underwear in months. Stay safe everyone.
Aye looking at the thumbnail you could do with a break
I love the way you construct your videos, showing us the process, exposing the ideas before putting them in practice, it is so so nice to put things this way when you're presenting this type of content, i rlly love it!
Hey, Ruby! This is what I need... really I don't understand how I stay away from social media and how to focus on my studies... but now I'm sure this video gonna help me... so Thanks so much..💝💝
everything in balance. there is nothing wrong with mindlessly numbing out. life is not about always being 'perfect'. we as humans would not cope if we didn't let loose. I think your intention is right but please be kind to yourself. not everything has to have a productive drive and your productivity does not define your worth. living our lives to achieve and work can easily fall into capitalist work structures of lives only being valuable if we are constantly busy. this can create shame towards people who don't have the privilege to work, study or even walk and have independence.
I hope you add Arabic translation to your videos
I adore your voice. it's so soothing and relaxing. I really hope one day you create a podcast. Could listen to you for hours! ❤