i personally still have most of my social media on my phone, i just have a specific app that blocks how many times i can open the app, and for how long i can use the app for that open. i've been finding that it works pretty well for me at least, the app is called ScreenZen, it's at least on ios.
also, consider that you don't have to be productive all of the time! obviously, if you're not doing your commitments that's one problem, but if you're meeting everything on time then you're fine, productivity-wise. also, don't consider your hobbies to be productive - one way street to not liking what you're doing + doing things that are not productive is perfectly okay!
i (and others who limit time on social media) find it's less about a total decrease in tech, and more how you're spending your time with it, and how you feel about your time on and off it.
also - if you want to do something, but don't seem to have the motivation to do it, try making yourself do it for a short period of time - maybe 5 minutes on a game, or a chapter of a book. i find that helps at least get the ball rolling, that starting is sometimes the hardest part.
this was really long omg, i hope it helps!!
Jun 5, 2025
Related Recs
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Cut down on the screen time significantly, mostly social media. Use social media mindfully, no brainrot no aimlessly. Put a screen time limit on your time-suck apps and respect the limit.
have a notebook/daily planner and use it. (no note or productivity apps) plan something every day no matter how big or smalls.
Your space is a reflection of your mind. Declutter your physical spaces.
Do things youβve been meaning to do.
Apr 13, 2025
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My steps:
1. Shut my phone down, hide it in my room, and lock the door so it's a pain in the ass to get to.
2. Be bored, and sit in the boredom for like 7-10 minutes (MINIMUM)-- once you're bored see what your brain gravitates to beyond The Screen (is it doodling? is it playing guitar? is it writing?)
3. Find the little thing your brain latches on to, and start doing it! Even if it's something goofy like "Just Dance youtube videos" to dance to LOL this is you, deliberately following your brain's natural curiosity & interest
And then rinse and repeat however you like <3 Once you get accustomed to the smaller, more gratifying feel good activities, social media starts to feel too overwhelming to even pick back up again-- you'll be reaching for it less and less
(a final aside: I am of the major belief that creativity & imagination is critical to creating a better reality to live in, because it shows that you're capable of leaning into what "doesn't exist", and are courageous enough to imagine and build a reality that defies the status quo. but that's just me LOL)
3d ago
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I put my phone in another room. I agree with aidanaguirre about using the Pomodoro technique; that was instrumental to me in developing my sense of work ethic and discipline. A major part of productivity is just removing temptations and distractions so that it's not even an option to do anything but work.
I use kanban style project management software to plan out projects. You could obviously just use calendars or a planner but for longer term projects i find this to be really helpful. in the past i would break these projects up into small chunks of progress and reward myself throughout the day with a little treat every time I completed a chunk... so I would say the carrot stick method of conditioning yourself to associate progress with a reward helps.
If your work is more task based I would recommend making to-do lists; sometimes Iβve also created schedules for the completion of to-do lists and rigidly adhered to them. Setting goals helps too!
At my most productive times I would diffuse a scent that I would only use while working and play ASMR ambience or field recordings associated with that scent (forest essential oil blend and forest sounds for example) to create kind of a relaxing sensory experience where the connection to productivity would grow stronger every time I was successful with it⦠advanced productivity hack.
Controversial but intermittent fasting helps my mind stay clear and focused in my sedentary workβ¦
Going into nature on a regular basis helps me, spending time with my pets, eating good food, and also making sure to fully decompress at the end of the day with yin yoga and a hot bath.
May 23, 2024
Top Recs from @ittybittykittycommittee
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it actually isn't that bad!
for a recent assignment i had to go out and draw people in public - just simple gesture drawings, nothing major. and kept forgetting to bring my earbuds at first. i'd get frustrated, yeah, but not enough to go back in and grab them. so i dealt with the silence, and it actually wasn't that bad at all? i mean, i was going to cafes a lot so that helped, but also libraries? places specifically meant to be quiet? and it was great, to the point where i purposefully left my earbuds at home to finish my assignment today.
consider: going places without your earbuds/headphones on purpose
3d ago
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seriously, if you haven't gone to your local library yet, you're missing out! i try to go every couple of weeks to return books and get more. while i love owning my own books as well, borrowing them from the library is great as well! not to mention what they do for ur local community, the resources they have, etc. all of this to say: go visit your local library!!!
May 29, 2025
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seriously! like put on some background music and just sit there with your thoughts. see what comes up. draw weird doodles, make a world for them, sing to them, whatever. just be weird and bored.
to go directly against what i just said, i have a small pocket notebook i collect quotes/thoughts/jokes/poems/etc that i enjoy, and i go through it sometimes instead of scrolling. it takes a little time to get it to a point where it's useable like that, but it's worth it! bonus points if you print photos out and put them in too, make it like an inspiration notebook.
3d ago