“Don’t multitask with your phone.” That’s something I really need to adopt. I have a terrible habit of googling or social media scrolling while watching movies, for example.
iwasalllikeomg It may sound funny, but some of my most enjoyable movie watching experiences have been on airplanes and that’s because I don’t pay for WiFi, so I know there’s not going to be anything interesting on my phone, and so I’m not tempted to look at it!
I started something like this on Monday evening! Switched my phone off and won't turn it back on till next monday. I'm allowed 15 minutes a day to check social media on a desktop computer. I watched The Social Dilemma and it scared the crap out of me. I'm attempting to ween myself off the mindless scrolling. I have so much time now! I'm sewing and doing so much art!
Something that's really helped me is not using my phone for my alarm and charging it across the room so it's not immediately available when I wake up. I've gotten to the point where sometimes I forget about my phone until after I've eaten breakfast and am ready for the day! Also deleting social media apps so I can only use them on my laptop and it's more of a conscious decision.
Very helpful! I deleted the Facebook app on my phone because I’m seeing a lot of people posting conspiracy theories about Covid 19 etc and as someone who has lost a loved one due to the virus I just don’t want to see it or deal with it right now. I thought to myself, why are you using your energy for this when you know it upsets you? Going to try your other tips too!
For anyone worried about not being able to be reached in emergencies, iPhones (probably Android too) let you set favorite contacts that are able to “get through” the do not disturb wall.
Oh I needed this! I just got a weekly report saying my screen time went up 26% this week 😬 I really like the idea of having phone-free zones in the house. My bed should definitely be one of them cos I also get sucked into spending way too much time scrolling after I wake up 😅 thank you for this video!! 💗
Love that you're talking about this! One HUGE thing I recommend is that every one checks their phone usage and look at the 4 top time waisting apps. I was SHOCKED to find out how much time I was spending on my phone on average, and how much of it was really mindless on social media apps. Another helpful thing is to set up app timers. This allows you to decide how long you want to be on a specific app during the day and holds you accountable by turning the app off. It can feel restrictive, but can be really good if you feel like your will power is low.
It says a lot about how much I enjoy this channel that I watched this even though I have no intention of lowering my screen time- because for me, my phone is my access to anything outside of myself. My disability means I very rarely leave my house, and I also find most books to heavy to hold these days. So my phone is the literal only thing I have to entertain myself and communicate with people- and that’s not to mention the convenience of texting my carer when I need something. It feels much less rude than a bell! So my phone is so many things to me- books, tv, internet, connection and communication. Honestly, I’m so glad to be disabled now, rather than prior to the invention of the smart phone. I can’t even imagine how bored I would be- I’m not good at just doing nothing. I have to always have something to do, to occupy my mind. But not everyone is me, and I think this video would be very helpful for those that do want to decrease their screen time. Plus, I just find Lucy’s voice very soothing.
Oh man... You all should watch "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix. It's so eye opening how social media makes you addicted and everyone doesn't even *know* it or *feel* it happening!! It's so insidious! Seriously. It interviews former CEOs/workers at all these social media companies. (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc..) And they're all very concerned. It's pretty wild!
Good point about finding alternative activities, sometimes I find myself scrolling through social media out of boredom (which isn't really boredom, more like combination of anxiety, fatigue and procrastination). Reading sounds like a good idea but it's a great privilege to be able to do that: our world is so noisy these days, being able to focus on reading is nearly impossible unless you are somewhere calm and quiet. Scrolling the phone does not require that much attention and I think this is the main reason why so many people do that. There is also something to be said about the privilege of being able to carry that book or cross-stitch project with you on your daily commute or to work, some of us cannot do that. Pro tip if you are in this group: ebook reader app on your phone!
And again the perfect video for me, dear Lucy. I spent so much time on my phone and computer yesterday that I felt really bad in the evening. *So today I put the timer on my phone on 60 minutes. Everytime I'm on my phone I start it (it's running right now) and everytime I stop using my phone I pause the timer. Once the 60 min are over I'm not allowed to use any electronic device for the rest of the day.* I'm at 36 minutes so still a lot time left so far 😀
this was brilliant thank you! I have been having such a hard time with the phone in bed which I hate and the other day I was on TH-cam on my phone while playing Zelda..... I was so disappointed in myself haha. Love that Tolkien book by the way!
Such a perfect timing for this video! I just started thinking about how much time I spend in a day doing absolutely nothing, and then I feel bad in the evening for doing noting when I have a million things I would enjoy so much more. Will definatly impliment some of these tips to my life to get back on track 💖
My phone has a digital well being settings where i can disable specific apps for however long i want! So i tend to disable social media apps, but keep my notes, texting, and camera apps still available.
Good tips! I’m getting more and more anxious about all the tech constantly present in our lives. Everyone is constantly on their phones and taking pointless photos of everything etc. And sometimes I feel the pressure to do the same even if I don’t really want to. Giant tech companies have a tight grip on us. It’s a little bit scary...
I find listening to audiobooks helps me slow down a lot. Without fail I used to put TH-cam on in the background whilst doing household tasks, which normally resulted in me either getting sidetracked looking for the next thing to watch, or taking glances at my screen. Audiobooks are great because I feel like I’m actually achieving something, and they have this slow and steady continuity about them that helps calm down my attention span and that constant need for consuming the next thing
These are some great tips! I havent't tried the "Do not disturb" thing, but I often just turn off the wifi on my phone when I don't wanna get distracted. Having a book close by at all time is also super helpful!
I found it so helpful for me to delete social media apps like Instagram off of my phone! I can still access them through my desktop, but I'm not as tempted to scroll throughout the day, and I never get sucked in to the explore page... it's been such a huge help!
I think this is such a great idea! We all need to consider how my time we are spending on our phones, I’ve always felt that it’s unhealthy that we are continuously staring at a screen not communicating to each other face to face. Also that we are being manipulated by social media, I deleted Facebook after watching the social dilemma because it confirmed these feelings of unease that I already had around how our information is being used by these companies and the psychologically behind keeping us addicted to technology.
Your videos always make me smile, Lucy!! This was such a good reminder for me because I too struggle with being on my phone endlessly and mindlessly. So thank you!!
Great video, I already use a lot of these tips myself :) I have all my main time-wasting apps in a folder so that I can't be tempted by their icons when looking at my phone. It also helps to rearrange them regularly so that I break muscle memory habits of clicking onto them! Another thing that helps me is to have outfits with pockets. I'm often just chatting to a friend while I'm at home, but if I don't have pockets then my phone becomes an extension of my arm instead of something I can put away between messages. I've noticed recently another thing that makes me end up on my phone is checking the time, so I am saving up for a wrist watch! It's so much easier to get lost in my phone when it's already in my hand or on my desk in front of me, so if I can decrease those opportunities, then I can make sure I'm using it when I want to be using it instead of just when my dumb lizard brain gets trapped in the dopamine machine.
I think these are really good, implementable, practical ideas. So many people say 'just delete X app', but sometimes it's not as easy at that, especially if you work in digital marketing (like I do!) and need to keep on top of social media trends, and if you have friends living in different timezones and you find social media the easiest way to keep in touch with them when, for instance, a phone call wouldn't be practical. I like the idea of having a list of alternative activities. I've never tried that, but I think I will. My biggest downfall with social media is when I'm tired and just want to sit/lie down for a bit - I grab my phone and, before I know it, 40 minutes have vanished. I could pick up my knitting or an easy book instead.
I should really implement the no phone in bed tip, even if I am really tired I end up getting sucked into social media for a good long while before sleeping, my only trouble with it is that I use my phone/tablet to read books as well since I stopped buying physical books and turned into digital copies instead. If anyone has any suggestions, even if it's just an app that stops me from going to social media, then please share!
You might find it worthwhile to buy a kindle or something that can only be used to read books- so that way you can still read in bed, but not be distracted by social media apps and whatnot. I think it’s also possible to get kindles that don’t use blue light, which is also better for sleep hygiene- blue light decreases melatonin, which makes it harder to get to sleep. Or, you could just use an old kindle that doesn’t have its own internal light, and read by the light of a lamp- that’s definitely going to be a lot less blue light than a tablet or phone.
@@katherinemorelle7115 I'll look into them! I have no idea how they work but if they are compatible with apple books then I am totally down to get one! Thank you (:
I'm so happy I found your channel! This is a well needed video as I'm also trying to lower my screen time. By the way, greetings from Litouwen. I used to live in the Netherlands from 2009 to 2018 and absolutely loved it, planning to come back soon. Bedankt voor je gezellige videos
Love this video! I was very hesitant to get a smart phone and didn't get one until 2012. Now I find I am too dependent on this damn thing. I deleted all of my social media accounts (except for TH-cam and Reddit), got an actual alarm clock, and am switching back to a paper calendar. When Covid is over I will buying myself a basic phone and only use my smart phone as a baby tablet at home for podcast listening and Whatsapp. Do you think people are going to start moving away from social media?
This is a long comment To that question at the end: yes. Too many social media companies, and the phone companies and the names behind them for that matter, have been doing too many shady things as of late that I feel are going to turn people away from social media and phones as a whole. They are addictive, bad for your physical and mental health, and take away from peoples lives. I can tell you I only use my phone for Babbel, Duolingo, news and talking to my parents while at school. I use it for music, too, but that's changing because I'm switching over to having a record player in my room once I finish remodeling it. Other kids my age have Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, have all their friends on their phone, etc. I have 2 friends on my phone.
@@alnave5974 That makes me happy to hear. For me personally, social media started out as myspace and then FB. It was still social media but it existed in a completely different way than the social media that exists now. I just got so overwhelmed and honestly disgusted on how it was being used. I personally really hate that now people's personal and professional lives are enmeshed. I'm an actor, and a lot of my friends are required by their managment companies to post monologues on their personal page. I find this to be the cringiest thing in the world. I see why it's useful for artistic careers, but I plan on going forward in mine without social media. How exciting for your record player! Music really is better that way. :)
Also facebook and instagram and probably other apps have a daily timer that you can set to 10 minutes or something that will notify you when you've spent that time on the app in a day
I know that blue light can interrupt circadian rhythms and keep you up at night. I have a blue light filter app that kicks on at 9 pm and turns off at 9 am. That way, the light from my phone isn't keeping me awake. If I start to get sleepy, I stop looking at my phone and put it down because the phone isn't keeping me up.
Great tips! About two months ago I deleted the facebook app from my phone because it'd started eating up battery like crazy just running in the background, despite my trying to disable it. Honestly, this was one of the best decisions! I've since bought a new phone (that oldie was really falling apart) but I'm never going to install that app again, at least for personal use. At first, not being able to just check facebook in those little idle moments was weird, but I quickly got used to it and I don't miss it at all. It really made me realise that over 90% of posts on facebook are just crap and the remaining 10% I can live without. (I still have my account and still use it on my computer, and yes it still sometimes sucks me in :( But I've prioritised a few pages which are really valuable to me, so that they appear first on my feed*, and I'm gonna keep reading them. This is also a good tip on how to make the most of your facebook time). I also second the unfollow tip. I, for example, unfollowed my brother because the political content he'd been posting would always make me very angry and sad, and I decided I didn't want that to shape my view of him, because there's so much more to who he is. *It's no coincidence they called it feed... We're like animals supposed to mindlessly consume content just like animals eat their fodder.
Actually, now I realised that even before deleting the facebook app I had the notifications off for a couple of months because all the birthday reminders, and then reminders of reminders of events and pages, and useless notifications e.g. that someone had posted a story for the first time were so annoying! And I've never ever had sound for social app notifications, or chat apps. I would drive me nuts. It's different than regular messages since on messenger we tend to divide our thoughts into a series of short messages and the constant popping and ringing is unbereable for me.
For a long time I wanted to take a brake from my phone, but I find it impossible while being in long distance relationship... But hopefully I will be able to try some of your tips, thank you!
Hi Lucy! The only thing that works for me is setting my phone resolution on grey scale. It works !!!!! It is cognitive engagement for me at this point.
Actually this is quite possibly the best idea, I need to use my phone less. I use it to keep a hold of my family and friends , since we’re so far apart. For a while there I was getting headaches around my bedtime, and my husband said “ try not using your phone for about an hour before you go to bed “. When I travel up to see family I try not to use my phone so much , it bothers my mom like crazy . My dad tries to engage me with TV or a book .
I deleted all my socials (except TH-cam haha) about two months ago from my phone. I have Instagram on my iPad but I’m much more conscious about when I check it, I used to open it anytime I picked up my phone. I also find when I do a morning meditation it’s easier for me to focus on reading/ other non phone activities
Another thing that can help is to use the website (and also don't save the login info in the browser) instead of an app. It takes a little longer to get signed in and get to scrolling. It helps (me anyway) to keep from firing up an app and just scrolling away.
Really interesting. We are in our 50s and have had mobile phones for over 20 years now, beginning with my husband getting one for work. He has been a great role model because 99% of the time he has the ring tone off, only if he‘s expecting an important call (I have no idea what his ringtone even is!). So I have always pretty much done the same, I find it so annoying when other phones are constantly making noises. Even on presmart phones you could text or phone someone back if the communication was not at a convenient time... With smart phones, I have never had any notifications except visual for texts or calls. I don‘t have email on my phone unless I log in online and I don‘t have a FB app, again if I want to look I log in online. At the times I set for myself, I can scroll IG or watch YT but I don‘t use any other, not even Whatsapp, even tho that annoys some people. My phone replaces so many other things, I use it a lot - communication, clock, alarm, timer, calculator, camera, etc.etc. and I‘m really grateful for the „stuff“ it saves me having ;) I also read a lot of books on my phone if they are available digitally and listen to audiobooks (less music these days, or an occasional podcast) but I do like quiet time both at home and outdoors, I cannot understand being outside with earphones :o!! I do try to take time each morning to read a physical book, as I enjoy them and not everything is available digitally (I have a lot of old books or specialised history books). I feel a lot of people are slaves to their phones instead of the phone being their „slave“!!
I am a real estate agent in the US and really struggle with phone use because I have to have it near me constantly in case a client calls. I love real estate but it’s definitely an aspect I don’t love because I feel like I’m not able to recharge and truly distance from my phone. I’m always checking it to make sure I haven’t missed anything and then it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole. Would love ideas for someone with a contact heavy job! 😊 Love this video/topic do much!
you can also put your phone in monochromacy (via developer options)! This would make your phone very boring since everything is in grayscale. Also thank you for the video!
As someone with my first phone, I find that I DO spend too much on mine. But I have 'limited' myself from the start. I did not put TH-cam/pinterest, etc on it. I can do that on my PC when I'm settling in to craft or look for ideas. I also keep notifications to a minimum. I get notifications from Messenger - so I know when an actual person is trying to talk to me - my alarms, the weather app, and. . .the star-watching apps. That's it. Facebook and Instagram are on there. I can use them and post when I want to. But they can't notify me of the kabillion things being posted. If I have time and want to scroll through for a short while, then I can open it and do that. But it's not bugging me to do it when I'm busy. (There's also the phone and text, of course, but most of my communication is through messenger) I have a couple of 'light play' games, so if I'm stuck waiting in the car, I have something to do, but nothing that nags me or 'drives' me to always do it. My BIGGEST hook on the phone (and it drives my mother nuts because she's always seeing me on the phone) I put an ebook reader on there, and downloaded several books onto the phone. . .and can literally vanish for hours reading. rotflol I've had to explain to her multiple times that I am reading. . .actual books. . .it's no different on the phone than having a Kobo/Kindle/whatever or a normal book. It's just. . .slightly more convenient. Then she'll complain "But I see your finger going on there." Uh. . .yeah. It's a tiny screen, it can only fit like 3 paragraphs at a time, and for someone who reads fast. . .that doesn't last long! But, yeah. Books or no books, I agree. It's still good to put it down and do OTHER stuff too. I cross stitch, embroider (not that cross stitch ISN'T a form of embroidery, mind, but yeah), knit, crochet and am learning to sew, so its also good to put it down. But I get you on the picking it up first thing in the morning. I like quiet mornings, reach over and pick up my phone and read for an hour, or so until I wake up enough to move. But its not always good when there's stuff to be done.
One thig that helped me was to switch my phone to "black and white" mode (or "grey scale" mode). Our brain is easily tricked by colours as much as by sounds. I find it's much easier to avoid YT or Insta (or any other game to be honest) if you are not trigerred by the very recognisable logos on your screen. If you really need them this apps will still be on your phone (so you don;t need to uninstal them) but it's very easy to ignore them this way.
First thing i did when i got my phone was uninstall facebook. I also refuse to have my email account (private as well as work) on my phone. If i'm at home and it is really essential i can check my work mail on my desktop pc, otherwise home is home. And at work i don't want constant notifications from my private mail distracting me. it's also a good way to keep work and home separate.
My phone is only for calls and messages, and i have in in reach so that i dont miss any (it's all job-related, thats why....) i only have very few helpful apps on it that i need when i am outside, like maps, timetables etc. and i dont care for my phone that much, i naver have.... So i never had this those problems, always did analog activities when not on my computer... UNTILL.......someone gifted me an ipad!!!! Though it has useful possibilitie and is even helpful ( also job-related), its is so distracting because instead of my phone it contains all the distracting apps. so only when i am oout of the house i am free.... i was quite succesful with leaving it in another room and read in the evening in bed like in all of my life but i always take it back.... i will try to stick to your tipps as much as i can, lets see how far i come.... xD
I have notifications turned off for anything that isn’t another human messaging me, and I try to keep up with blocking email spam so I don’t get as many useless emails
i have 2 separates phone and the main phone i use only have whatsapp, uber and spotify. and then every other app on the other phone (old phone) and i only turn on that when necessary. i don't like the feeling of having many apps on phone it makes me feel like my phone is dirty/cluttered.
“Don’t multitask with your phone.” That’s something I really need to adopt. I have a terrible habit of googling or social media scrolling while watching movies, for example.
Sara Makes Art I’m quite bad about that as well.
What scares me is that even when I try to watch the movie with my full attention, I still feel a pull to check my phone!
iwasalllikeomg It may sound funny, but some of my most enjoyable movie watching experiences have been on airplanes and that’s because I don’t pay for WiFi, so I know there’s not going to be anything interesting on my phone, and so I’m not tempted to look at it!
Same! That's why I love going to a cinema :)
Thats my problem too...
I started something like this on Monday evening! Switched my phone off and won't turn it back on till next monday. I'm allowed 15 minutes a day to check social media on a desktop computer. I watched The Social Dilemma and it scared the crap out of me. I'm attempting to ween myself off the mindless scrolling. I have so much time now! I'm sewing and doing so much art!
That's so great! Hope it works for you 😄
Something that's really helped me is not using my phone for my alarm and charging it across the room so it's not immediately available when I wake up. I've gotten to the point where sometimes I forget about my phone until after I've eaten breakfast and am ready for the day! Also deleting social media apps so I can only use them on my laptop and it's more of a conscious decision.
Very helpful! I deleted the Facebook app on my phone because I’m seeing a lot of people posting conspiracy theories about Covid 19 etc and as someone who has lost a loved one due to the virus I just don’t want to see it or deal with it right now. I thought to myself, why are you using your energy for this when you know it upsets you?
Going to try your other tips too!
So sorry for your loss, Lisa.
Rondakay S thank you ❤️
For anyone worried about not being able to be reached in emergencies, iPhones (probably Android too) let you set favorite contacts that are able to “get through” the do not disturb wall.
Oh I needed this! I just got a weekly report saying my screen time went up 26% this week 😬 I really like the idea of having phone-free zones in the house. My bed should definitely be one of them cos I also get sucked into spending way too much time scrolling after I wake up 😅 thank you for this video!! 💗
Love that you're talking about this! One HUGE thing I recommend is that every one checks their phone usage and look at the 4 top time waisting apps. I was SHOCKED to find out how much time I was spending on my phone on average, and how much of it was really mindless on social media apps. Another helpful thing is to set up app timers. This allows you to decide how long you want to be on a specific app during the day and holds you accountable by turning the app off. It can feel restrictive, but can be really good if you feel like your will power is low.
Where do you see that?
I'm following the same path as you trying to overcome my phone and social media addiction as well.
P.s I am in love with your hair ❤❤
It says a lot about how much I enjoy this channel that I watched this even though I have no intention of lowering my screen time- because for me, my phone is my access to anything outside of myself.
My disability means I very rarely leave my house, and I also find most books to heavy to hold these days. So my phone is the literal only thing I have to entertain myself and communicate with people- and that’s not to mention the convenience of texting my carer when I need something. It feels much less rude than a bell! So my phone is so many things to me- books, tv, internet, connection and communication. Honestly, I’m so glad to be disabled now, rather than prior to the invention of the smart phone. I can’t even imagine how bored I would be- I’m not good at just doing nothing. I have to always have something to do, to occupy my mind.
But not everyone is me, and I think this video would be very helpful for those that do want to decrease their screen time. Plus, I just find Lucy’s voice very soothing.
Phones can be SUPER helpful and useful, and I'm very glad to have one myself!
Thanks for the support 😊💕
Oh man... You all should watch "The Social Dilemma" on Netflix. It's so eye opening how social media makes you addicted and everyone doesn't even *know* it or *feel* it happening!! It's so insidious! Seriously. It interviews former CEOs/workers at all these social media companies. (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, etc..) And they're all very concerned. It's pretty wild!
Good point about finding alternative activities, sometimes I find myself scrolling through social media out of boredom (which isn't really boredom, more like combination of anxiety, fatigue and procrastination). Reading sounds like a good idea but it's a great privilege to be able to do that: our world is so noisy these days, being able to focus on reading is nearly impossible unless you are somewhere calm and quiet. Scrolling the phone does not require that much attention and I think this is the main reason why so many people do that. There is also something to be said about the privilege of being able to carry that book or cross-stitch project with you on your daily commute or to work, some of us cannot do that. Pro tip if you are in this group: ebook reader app on your phone!
And again the perfect video for me, dear Lucy. I spent so much time on my phone and computer yesterday that I felt really bad in the evening. *So today I put the timer on my phone on 60 minutes. Everytime I'm on my phone I start it (it's running right now) and everytime I stop using my phone I pause the timer. Once the 60 min are over I'm not allowed to use any electronic device for the rest of the day.*
I'm at 36 minutes so still a lot time left so far 😀
That's so clever! I might try that too
Really helpful video, Lucy! 💜 I'll definitely have to try these myself.
this was brilliant thank you! I have been having such a hard time with the phone in bed which I hate and the other day I was on TH-cam on my phone while playing Zelda..... I was so disappointed in myself haha. Love that Tolkien book by the way!
Yep, the multitaksing always makes me feel so bad 😂
Such a perfect timing for this video! I just started thinking about how much time I spend in a day doing absolutely nothing, and then I feel bad in the evening for doing noting when I have a million things I would enjoy so much more. Will definatly impliment some of these tips to my life to get back on track 💖
My phone has a digital well being settings where i can disable specific apps for however long i want! So i tend to disable social media apps, but keep my notes, texting, and camera apps still available.
Good tips! I’m getting more and more anxious about all the tech constantly present in our lives. Everyone is constantly on their phones and taking pointless photos of everything etc. And sometimes I feel the pressure to do the same even if I don’t really want to. Giant tech companies have a tight grip on us. It’s a little bit scary...
I find listening to audiobooks helps me slow down a lot. Without fail I used to put TH-cam on in the background whilst doing household tasks, which normally resulted in me either getting sidetracked looking for the next thing to watch, or taking glances at my screen. Audiobooks are great because I feel like I’m actually achieving something, and they have this slow and steady continuity about them that helps calm down my attention span and that constant need for consuming the next thing
These are some great tips! I havent't tried the "Do not disturb" thing, but I often just turn off the wifi on my phone when I don't wanna get distracted. Having a book close by at all time is also super helpful!
I found it so helpful for me to delete social media apps like Instagram off of my phone! I can still access them through my desktop, but I'm not as tempted to scroll throughout the day, and I never get sucked in to the explore page... it's been such a huge help!
I think this is such a great idea! We all need to consider how my time we are spending on our phones, I’ve always felt that it’s unhealthy that we are continuously staring at a screen not communicating to each other face to face. Also that we are being manipulated by social media, I deleted Facebook after watching the social dilemma because it confirmed these feelings of unease that I already had around how our information is being used by these companies and the psychologically behind keeping us addicted to technology.
Your videos always make me smile, Lucy!! This was such a good reminder for me because I too struggle with being on my phone endlessly and mindlessly. So thank you!!
Trying to do the same thing! I quit internet for a month and I learned so much from it!
Great video, I already use a lot of these tips myself :)
I have all my main time-wasting apps in a folder so that I can't be tempted by their icons when looking at my phone. It also helps to rearrange them regularly so that I break muscle memory habits of clicking onto them! Another thing that helps me is to have outfits with pockets. I'm often just chatting to a friend while I'm at home, but if I don't have pockets then my phone becomes an extension of my arm instead of something I can put away between messages. I've noticed recently another thing that makes me end up on my phone is checking the time, so I am saving up for a wrist watch! It's so much easier to get lost in my phone when it's already in my hand or on my desk in front of me, so if I can decrease those opportunities, then I can make sure I'm using it when I want to be using it instead of just when my dumb lizard brain gets trapped in the dopamine machine.
I think these are really good, implementable, practical ideas. So many people say 'just delete X app', but sometimes it's not as easy at that, especially if you work in digital marketing (like I do!) and need to keep on top of social media trends, and if you have friends living in different timezones and you find social media the easiest way to keep in touch with them when, for instance, a phone call wouldn't be practical.
I like the idea of having a list of alternative activities. I've never tried that, but I think I will. My biggest downfall with social media is when I'm tired and just want to sit/lie down for a bit - I grab my phone and, before I know it, 40 minutes have vanished. I could pick up my knitting or an easy book instead.
I should really implement the no phone in bed tip, even if I am really tired I end up getting sucked into social media for a good long while before sleeping, my only trouble with it is that I use my phone/tablet to read books as well since I stopped buying physical books and turned into digital copies instead. If anyone has any suggestions, even if it's just an app that stops me from going to social media, then please share!
You might find it worthwhile to buy a kindle or something that can only be used to read books- so that way you can still read in bed, but not be distracted by social media apps and whatnot. I think it’s also possible to get kindles that don’t use blue light, which is also better for sleep hygiene- blue light decreases melatonin, which makes it harder to get to sleep.
Or, you could just use an old kindle that doesn’t have its own internal light, and read by the light of a lamp- that’s definitely going to be a lot less blue light than a tablet or phone.
@@katherinemorelle7115 I'll look into them! I have no idea how they work but if they are compatible with apple books then I am totally down to get one! Thank you (:
@@Urukins I second the Kindle tip. We've just bought one and it's a gamechanger. No idea if it supports Apple Books, but I bet it does.
I'm so happy I found your channel! This is a well needed video as I'm also trying to lower my screen time.
By the way, greetings from Litouwen. I used to live in the Netherlands from 2009 to 2018 and absolutely loved it, planning to come back soon.
Bedankt voor je gezellige videos
Love this video! I was very hesitant to get a smart phone and didn't get one until 2012. Now I find I am too dependent on this damn thing. I deleted all of my social media accounts (except for TH-cam and Reddit), got an actual alarm clock, and am switching back to a paper calendar. When Covid is over I will buying myself a basic phone and only use my smart phone as a baby tablet at home for podcast listening and Whatsapp. Do you think people are going to start moving away from social media?
This is a long comment
To that question at the end: yes. Too many social media companies, and the phone companies and the names behind them for that matter, have been doing too many shady things as of late that I feel are going to turn people away from social media and phones as a whole. They are addictive, bad for your physical and mental health, and take away from peoples lives. I can tell you I only use my phone for Babbel, Duolingo, news and talking to my parents while at school. I use it for music, too, but that's changing because I'm switching over to having a record player in my room once I finish remodeling it. Other kids my age have Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, have all their friends on their phone, etc. I have 2 friends on my phone.
@@alnave5974 That makes me happy to hear. For me personally, social media started out as myspace and then FB. It was still social media but it existed in a completely different way than the social media that exists now. I just got so overwhelmed and honestly disgusted on how it was being used. I personally really hate that now people's personal and professional lives are enmeshed. I'm an actor, and a lot of my friends are required by their managment companies to post monologues on their personal page. I find this to be the cringiest thing in the world. I see why it's useful for artistic careers, but I plan on going forward in mine without social media. How exciting for your record player! Music really is better that way. :)
Loepsie is wearing color! Green looks amazing on you.
Also facebook and instagram and probably other apps have a daily timer that you can set to 10 minutes or something that will notify you when you've spent that time on the app in a day
Oh I didn't know that! Just checked and apparently I spent an average of 1.5 hours on Instagram every day last week 😳 Will definitely set a limit!
I know that blue light can interrupt circadian rhythms and keep you up at night. I have a blue light filter app that kicks on at 9 pm and turns off at 9 am. That way, the light from my phone isn't keeping me awake. If I start to get sleepy, I stop looking at my phone and put it down because the phone isn't keeping me up.
I'm happy to see you wearing the dress you made! It looks so good :D
I struggle with this so much😦 I hope it gets better when uni starts again. Thanks for the video, super helpful!
This color is incredibly fits you and you look really pretty. You need to wear more colors please think of that.
I totally picked up reading again this year. ✨
Great tips! About two months ago I deleted the facebook app from my phone because it'd started eating up battery like crazy just running in the background, despite my trying to disable it. Honestly, this was one of the best decisions! I've since bought a new phone (that oldie was really falling apart) but I'm never going to install that app again, at least for personal use. At first, not being able to just check facebook in those little idle moments was weird, but I quickly got used to it and I don't miss it at all. It really made me realise that over 90% of posts on facebook are just crap and the remaining 10% I can live without. (I still have my account and still use it on my computer, and yes it still sometimes sucks me in :( But I've prioritised a few pages which are really valuable to me, so that they appear first on my feed*, and I'm gonna keep reading them. This is also a good tip on how to make the most of your facebook time). I also second the unfollow tip. I, for example, unfollowed my brother because the political content he'd been posting would always make me very angry and sad, and I decided I didn't want that to shape my view of him, because there's so much more to who he is. *It's no coincidence they called it feed... We're like animals supposed to mindlessly consume content just like animals eat their fodder.
Actually, now I realised that even before deleting the facebook app I had the notifications off for a couple of months because all the birthday reminders, and then reminders of reminders of events and pages, and useless notifications e.g. that someone had posted a story for the first time were so annoying! And I've never ever had sound for social app notifications, or chat apps. I would drive me nuts. It's different than regular messages since on messenger we tend to divide our thoughts into a series of short messages and the constant popping and ringing is unbereable for me.
You are wearing the dress!!! Love it!!!!
Great ideas...I will try these..by the way, you have fabulous hair! ❤️💜
Thanks Lucy.; my screen time is exceptionally high😂.
Wow, I feel like you're talking to me personally! So much procrastination stems from my phone use...
For a long time I wanted to take a brake from my phone, but I find it impossible while being in long distance relationship...
But hopefully I will be able to try some of your tips, thank you!
Hi Lucy! The only thing that works for me is setting my phone resolution on grey scale. It works !!!!! It is cognitive engagement for me at this point.
Also customized app limitations is great for me.
Actually this is quite possibly the best idea, I need to use my phone less. I use it to keep a hold of my family and friends , since we’re so far apart. For a while there I was getting headaches around my bedtime, and my husband said “ try not using your phone for about an hour before you go to bed “. When I travel up to see family I try not to use my phone so much , it bothers my mom like crazy . My dad tries to engage me with TV or a book .
I deleted all my socials (except TH-cam haha) about two months ago from my phone. I have Instagram on my iPad but I’m much more conscious about when I check it, I used to open it anytime I picked up my phone. I also find when I do a morning meditation it’s easier for me to focus on reading/ other non phone activities
Another thing that can help is to use the website (and also don't save the login info in the browser) instead of an app. It takes a little longer to get signed in and get to scrolling. It helps (me anyway) to keep from firing up an app and just scrolling away.
Really interesting. We are in our 50s and have had mobile phones for over 20 years now, beginning with my husband getting one for work. He has been a great role model because 99% of the time he has the ring tone off, only if he‘s expecting an important call (I have no idea what his ringtone even is!). So I have always pretty much done the same, I find it so annoying when other phones are constantly making noises. Even on presmart phones you could text or phone someone back if the communication was not at a convenient time... With smart phones, I have never had any notifications except visual for texts or calls. I don‘t have email on my phone unless I log in online and I don‘t have a FB app, again if I want to look I log in online. At the times I set for myself, I can scroll IG or watch YT but I don‘t use any other, not even Whatsapp, even tho that annoys some people. My phone replaces so many other things, I use it a lot - communication, clock, alarm, timer, calculator, camera, etc.etc. and I‘m really grateful for the „stuff“ it saves me having ;) I also read a lot of books on my phone if they are available digitally and listen to audiobooks (less music these days, or an occasional podcast) but I do like quiet time both at home and outdoors, I cannot understand being outside with earphones :o!! I do try to take time each morning to read a physical book, as I enjoy them and not everything is available digitally (I have a lot of old books or specialised history books). I feel a lot of people are slaves to their phones instead of the phone being their „slave“!!
I am a real estate agent in the US and really struggle with phone use because I have to have it near me constantly in case a client calls. I love real estate but it’s definitely an aspect I don’t love because I feel like I’m not able to recharge and truly distance from my phone. I’m always checking it to make sure I haven’t missed anything and then it’s easy to go down the rabbit hole. Would love ideas for someone with a contact heavy job! 😊 Love this video/topic do much!
How about a dedicated work phone and it doesn't have social media apps installed on it. Just email, phone, messaging
Thank you so much! This is really helpful 🧚🏻
you can also put your phone in monochromacy (via developer options)! This would make your phone very boring since everything is in grayscale. Also thank you for the video!
Thank you so much for this!
As someone with my first phone, I find that I DO spend too much on mine. But I have 'limited' myself from the start. I did not put TH-cam/pinterest, etc on it. I can do that on my PC when I'm settling in to craft or look for ideas. I also keep notifications to a minimum. I get notifications from Messenger - so I know when an actual person is trying to talk to me - my alarms, the weather app, and. . .the star-watching apps. That's it. Facebook and Instagram are on there. I can use them and post when I want to. But they can't notify me of the kabillion things being posted. If I have time and want to scroll through for a short while, then I can open it and do that. But it's not bugging me to do it when I'm busy. (There's also the phone and text, of course, but most of my communication is through messenger) I have a couple of 'light play' games, so if I'm stuck waiting in the car, I have something to do, but nothing that nags me or 'drives' me to always do it.
My BIGGEST hook on the phone (and it drives my mother nuts because she's always seeing me on the phone) I put an ebook reader on there, and downloaded several books onto the phone. . .and can literally vanish for hours reading. rotflol I've had to explain to her multiple times that I am reading. . .actual books. . .it's no different on the phone than having a Kobo/Kindle/whatever or a normal book. It's just. . .slightly more convenient. Then she'll complain "But I see your finger going on there." Uh. . .yeah. It's a tiny screen, it can only fit like 3 paragraphs at a time, and for someone who reads fast. . .that doesn't last long!
But, yeah. Books or no books, I agree. It's still good to put it down and do OTHER stuff too. I cross stitch, embroider (not that cross stitch ISN'T a form of embroidery, mind, but yeah), knit, crochet and am learning to sew, so its also good to put it down.
But I get you on the picking it up first thing in the morning. I like quiet mornings, reach over and pick up my phone and read for an hour, or so until I wake up enough to move. But its not always good when there's stuff to be done.
Good Mornin girl!
Love you XoXo
I liked your video and I am from India
One thig that helped me was to switch my phone to "black and white" mode (or "grey scale" mode). Our brain is easily tricked by colours as much as by sounds. I find it's much easier to avoid YT or Insta (or any other game to be honest) if you are not trigerred by the very recognisable logos on your screen. If you really need them this apps will still be on your phone (so you don;t need to uninstal them) but it's very easy to ignore them this way.
I want to do it do but I have online classes 6 hours a day even on weekend
This is fantastic 👌🏻
I like the timing of that popup of your insta
I need this video 🥴
PS: love your dress!
Thank you!!
Medici hairstyles please ❤️❤️
Pulled out my cross stitch right when Loepsie said she now does cross stitch. Me: shocked face
First thing i did when i got my phone was uninstall facebook. I also refuse to have my email account (private as well as work) on my phone. If i'm at home and it is really essential i can check my work mail on my desktop pc, otherwise home is home. And at work i don't want constant notifications from my private mail distracting me. it's also a good way to keep work and home separate.
I agree. I have my email on my phone, but I dont have notifications on. That way I can look at my emails when I want!
My phone is only for calls and messages, and i have in in reach so that i dont miss any (it's all job-related, thats why....) i only have very few helpful apps on it that i need when i am outside, like maps, timetables etc. and i dont care for my phone that much, i naver have....
So i never had this those problems, always did analog activities when not on my computer...
UNTILL.......someone gifted me an ipad!!!!
Though it has useful possibilitie and is even helpful ( also job-related), its is so distracting because instead of my phone it contains all the distracting apps. so only when i am oout of the house i am free....
i was quite succesful with leaving it in another room and read in the evening in bed like in all of my life but i always take it back....
i will try to stick to your tipps as much as i can, lets see how far i come.... xD
I have notifications turned off for anything that isn’t another human messaging me, and I try to keep up with blocking email spam so I don’t get as many useless emails
I deleted all my social media apps from my phone on june. Exept WhatsApp and it's amazing. I have much more time to read books and for things I like
So good import video❤❤
Thank you!
My twins sure need this hahah
i have 2 separates phone and the main phone i use only have whatsapp, uber and spotify. and then every other app on the other phone (old phone) and i only turn on that when necessary. i don't like the feeling of having many apps on phone it makes me feel like my phone is dirty/cluttered.
That sounds perfect!
staring into three screens simultaneously as I start this video, whoops