How did I manage to reduce my urge to scroll?
From Scrolling to Well-Being: My Personal Story of Embracing Healthier Habits
Back in the early days of my career, when I was a budding self-taught designer, I threw myself wholeheartedly into learning something new every single day. From 2014 to 2017, if I was ever found glued to a screen, 80-90% of it was all in the pursuit of knowledge.
Then came a significant change in my life. In 2017, I moved to Bangalore, settling into my own space in a rented apartment. I slowly began to notice a shift in my habits. The screen, once used for learning and work, gradually became a source of endless entertainment. Evening after evening, I found myself sinking comfortably into the world of binge-watching or getting lost in the depths of YouTube. It was a subtle trap.
After long days of work, I felt I deserved some downtime and often turned to screens for entertainment/spoke to friends for long 3-4 hours on phone calls.
But was it entertainment, or was it guilt that I felt?
At first, it was exciting to hop from one streaming service to another, looking for something to watch. But as time went on, I found it hard to choose with so many options. That's how I'd spend my whole evening. The first 1-2 hours in the morning, I used to spend chatting on WhatsApp and scrolling through Instagram, Twitter, Myntra, & Amazon, etc. I was stuck in the same loop from 2017 till 2023 Jan.
Anytime, I tried to read/sketch/learn anything new, I'd end up scrolling on my phone instead. I experimented with task managers and to-do lists, but it did not help as expected. I didn't find anyone else around me who considered this a problem. Whenever I shared my concerns, I often received the same dismissive response: 'It's okay. Don't overthink it.' As a result, the issue would quickly fade from my mind.
I was entertained, yes, but I also felt a sense of guilt. I've always wondered why I felt irritated or why my energy dipped after watching content.
The initial urge to do something good
At the workplace, we have a channel called #Books. Folks share what they are currently reading on this channel.
Toward the end of 2022 and in the early months of January, I noticed that Abhishek had posted many books he had finished and often recommended a few in the channel.
Intrigued by his impressive reading streak, out of curiosity, I reached out to him to understand how he was able to read so much
And then over a Slack huddle, he shared a screenshot of his Excel sheet. At the very first look all of a sudden it seemed a magical thing to me. The red/green marking of habits felt like one heatmap, easily giving the overview of how was the entire month. I realized red markings are the ones that would compel me to bring green cells soon.
Addhoc learning
Before I tried habit tracking via Excel sheet, one thing that I told myself that day
Be curious and ask follow-up questions
It is so simple but so powerful. I read about it multiple times, but felt it that day!
With continuous practice, this single trait transformed me from an introvert to an extrovert personality to some extent. If you are struggling here, please never mind asking questions to people and asking many layers of why. This puts you in the place of being genuinely interested in other people’s lives(in a good way).
The very first step
Coming back to our core conversation, I created this Excel sheet after speaking to Abhishek and devised a plan for the remaining days of Feb 2023. Surprisingly, Excel sheets have been quite engaging for me ever since.
I chose the following activities as a starting point:
Resistance training and walking
Meditation
Diet monitoring
Learning new skills
Reading books
Exposure to the early morning sun
(PS - If you are reading this and planning to start something similar, please pick up 1-2 activities only)
The self-reflections & check-ins
I was elated to see the Feb heat map of mine and thought of sharing this progress with Abhishek.
Then Abhishek came up with this brilliant idea of doing self-reflection every month (he would have suggested it anyway). We agreed to be accountable partners for each other 🙌.
My observation
To ensure my Excel sheet was marked green, I began waking up early to complete all the activities before starting my work. This new routine accelerated my daily chores at home, allowing me to sequentially engage in a workout, sun exposure, and meditation. As a result, my screen time was reduced by at least 1 hour and 30 minutes each morning 😊. I rarely checked my phone during this time. However, managing my screen time in the evening remained a challenge, with my efforts being inconsistent. I had yet to devise a strategy for this part of the day."
After two to three months, I discovered a growing urge to incorporate even more healthy habits into my daily routine. Upon reviewing my daily routine, I noticed that I still spent approximately 2 to 2.45 hours on screen time. Reducing this to around 1 hour could provide me with additional time to practice my newly adopted habits.
You aspire to achieve excellence by mastering the fundamentals. Excellence, in turn, requires precise and finer management of time
Now, recognizing how effectively the red and green indicators on my sheet worked for me, I gained confidence in managing my screen time more effectively. This marked the beginning of a beautiful transformation. For almost six years, I had struggled with screen time management
How did I control my screen time?
Managing urges while using a Laptop
Using website blocker
Problem: My workday primarily involves using a laptop, and during breaks, I habitually browse through various Twitter threads. While a 5-10 minute break is generally beneficial after focused work sessions, these short breaks often inadvertently extend to an hour, consequently impacting my productivity. This not only affects my work hours but also limits my time for other activities.
Solution: I discovered a Chrome extension called 'Block Site.' I have since used it to block my most frequently visited sites, such as Instagram and Twitter.
Observation: Although I can still access these sites by entering a PIN, the extension requires me to input this PIN each time I visit a new thread or link within the website. After entering the pin a few times, typically 3 to 4 times, I find myself giving up, which effectively reduces my unintended prolonged usage.
Reducing Social Media Subscriptions
Problem: Whenever I opened YouTube, I was overwhelmed with a plethora of content options. The fundamental principle here is to limit the choices we have (a concept I believe applies to many areas of life). Upon reviewing my subscriptions, I realized that over time, I had subscribed to more than 400 channels.
Solution: I drastically reduced my subscriptions, keeping them under 30-35. Of these, I watch content from only 5 to 6 channels regularly. I make it a point not to click on recommended videos from channels to which I am not subscribed. Generally, I watch these selected channels only while having my meals.
Observation: This strategy has proven to be highly effective. The channels I subscribe to post a maximum of 1 or 2 videos weekly, which means I no longer spend aimless hours on YouTube. My video-watching is now more intentional and conscious. After a few months, I've noticed that I no longer feel the urge to explore content from new creators, unless it comes recommended by colleagues or friends.
I applied a similar approach to WhatsApp, Instagram, and Twitter. I unfollowed, removed, blocked, or restricted many accounts without any guilt.
Additionally, on WhatsApp, I periodically delete old chats to avoid the temptation of re-reading them. Most of my conversations are moved to the archived section, leaving only essential ones on the homepage. Now, my WhatsApp homepage features just 7 to 8 chat windows.
Managing urges while using mobile
Stage 01: Setting Up Timers for Mobile Apps
As my initial step, I set up timers for my most frequently used applications. Often, I found myself overriding these timers and continuing to use the apps.
Stage 02: Uninstalling Social Media Apps
Since Stage 01 was less effective than anticipated, I uninstalled all social media apps, including Twitter and Instagram. While I never engaged with Instagram Reels, I realized I was aimlessly scrolling through posts. On Twitter, I rationalized the scrolling by telling myself that I was learning from the threads.
Stage 03: Uninstalling Netflix, Hotstar, and Amazon Prime
Blocking social media apps led me to seek alternative sources for scrolling. I found myself watching content on Netflix, Hotstar, and Amazon Prime during work breaks, before sleeping, and upon waking, which significantly disrupted my routine. Eventually, I uninstalled these apps as well.
Stage 04: Uninstalling Google Photos
The consequence of Stage 03 was that I started scrolling through old photos and stories on Google Photos.
Realizing the extent of my scrolling habit,
I cleared my Google Photos space. This also made me conscious of not clicking photos mindlessly. A few photos to capture the moments are sufficient.
Then I uninstalled Google Photos from my phone without hesitation, aiming for a cleaner digital space.
Stage 05: Uninstalling the Browser
Despite the successes of Stages 01 to 04, I couldn't resist the urge to browse the same sites using a web browser. Although a browser is a crucial tool, I decided to uninstall it after much deliberation. ðŸ«
PS: My phone isn't entirely browser-free; it still has Safari. However, I hardly remember its existence on my phone.
With this extensive clean-up, my phone now only contains essential apps for cab booking, banking, investment, fitness, and payments. I have placed a screen time widget on the home screen as a constant reminder of my current screen usage.
03. Managing premium subscriptions
I canceled the majority of my monthly or yearly subscriptions for various platforms, though I can't recall all the specifics. I decided to retain only my YouTube and Amazon Prime subscriptions. Platforms like Hotstar, which come bundled with my Wi-Fi package, I use exclusively for watching cricket matches. In summary, this decision has helped me save both money and time.
04. Managing Boredom
Even when we meticulously plan various activities for our free time, there are moments when we might not follow through with them. These are the times when our minds crave instant dopamine hits.
Recently, while reading the book 'The Comfort Crisis,' I learned that these periods of boredom are beneficial for the mind. So now, I don’t mind sitting idle occasionally.
Practice leads to perfectionism
I have been practicing these habits for nearly 10 months now. Interestingly, we had a digital detox challenge at work, and by that time, I had already mastered controlling my urge to scroll. My average screen time has generally been less than 90 minutes most days, and it only reaches a maximum of 120 minutes during travel.
Here is a preview of my Nov digital detox sheet.
What have I achieved in the saved time? - 2023 Highlights
Completed a 50 km cycling ride in one go.
Ran a distance of 5 km.
Consistently worked out most weeks, despite some ups and downs. I also joined a gym, overcoming my previous hesitation.
Learned 3D modeling/design.
Completed my pending articles and the first version of my portfolio.
Meditated for 35 to 40 minutes regularly. I would like to acknowledge the platform 'Nintee,' where I was an active participant.
Finished reading 11 books, a significant increase from the 1-2 books I managed last year.
Most importantly, I've felt lighter, more energetic, and happier on most days, which has empowered me to recover more quickly from low points. I've also realized that adhering to a routine significantly reduces anxiety. Whenever I'm not feeling great, I don't hesitate to hit the gym, which always boosts my mood with some genuine, high-quality dopamine.
That's enough about my journey for now!
I am immensely grateful to Abhishek for his guidance. It's noteworthy that he has extended his help to over 25+ members at Fyle through the 'Abhishek scheme,' and he's also offering this support outside of Fyle. Inspired by his example, I've been doing the same within my circle, striving to positively impact people’s lives.
If you're interested in trying this approach, feel free to reach out to either Abhishek or me. We offer this as a free service :)
Thank you for reading this far! Yes, you've scrolled quite a bit, but for a good reason :P
