6 Ways to Cut Screen Time

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Hey there,

Technology is incredible.

It’s leveled the playing field for entrepreneurs, connected us across continents, and made it so we never have to wonder what Brian from high school is up to ever again.

(Spoiler: It’s not great. He “raps” now.)

But for all the good, tech has a dark side—we’re constantly glued to our screens, averaging over four hours a day on our phones.

And while throwing our devices in a lake sounds appealing many times, what we really need is a more intentional relationship with them.

So here are six ways I’ve personally cut down my screen time, starting with the simple and getting progressively more extreme…

First, track it. Your phone already knows how much time you’re spending staring at it—might as well find out too.

iPhones and Macs have built-in screen time stats, and apps like RescueTime can give you a deep dive into your digital habits.

Once you see the data, it hits different.

That five hours on TikTok wasn’t “free time”, it was a full work shift.

Next, turn off notifications. They’re not helpful, they’re slot machine pings engineered to hijack your attention.

Disable everything except calls, texts, and calendar alerts.

Better yet, put your phone in Do Not Disturb or Work Mode when you need to focus.

Out of sight, out of mindless scrolling.

Step three: make your phone ugly. No, really. Switch it to black and white.

The lack of color makes your apps way less tempting. Instagram suddenly looks like an instruction manual.

On iPhones, go to Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters and select grayscale.

(For bonus points, make it harder to toggle off. A little friction goes a long way.)

Fourth, delete social media apps from your phone. I did it months ago and it changed everything.

I used to think I “needed” them for my work on my podcast and this newsletter.

Turns out, though, people follow you for your ideas, not your activity level on social media.

Now I create more, post less, and spend maybe 30 intentional minutes engaging per day.

The ROI? Massive.

Fifth, block the usual suspects. Whether it's YouTube, Twitter, or the news, we all have our digital vices.

Tools like Freedom let you block apps and websites during specific hours so your brain doesn’t sneak off for a dopamine hit mid-task.

You don’t need to ban them forever—just create some boundaries.

And finally: walk away. Literally. Go to the store, gym, or brunch without your phone.

My wife Mel and I have a tradition called “hide and seek” weekends where we hide each other’s phones for the day. It’s weird. It’s fun. And it works.

We talk more, laugh more, and reconnect—without Google Maps or Instagram in the background.

We even started ‘Screenless Saturdays’: no screens, no GPS, no distractions. Just life.

Tech isn’t the enemy. But if we don’t manage it, it’ll manage us.

By taking back control, we lower stress, boost focus, and maybe—just maybe—avoid another one of Brian’s mixtapes.

Have a wonderful week, all.
Don’t forget to check out Brian’s latest rap single (Warning: It’s bad…) - Scott (@motivatedscott).

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Up next on the podcast:

• Self-Help Has Gotten Out of Control