I Thought Reducing My Screen Time Was Impossible—4 Months On, These 5 Habits Have Completely Changed How I Feel

With the New Year on the horizon, I’ve been reflecting on the habits that have made the biggest difference to my health. Increasing my protein intake, starting regular therapy, and getting outside for some fresh air every day would all make the list. But, without doubt, the habit that’s had the biggest impact is reducing my screen time. It feels like a monumental achievement, particularly given how many digital detoxes I’ve failed to stick to over the years.

All of which is to say, I know just how hard it can be to break up with your phone. Research from Uswitch suggests that we spend an average of 4.8 hours a day looking at screens. And while more than a third of us want to cut back, our attempts to do so often fall flat, with boredom and fear of missing out among our biggest hurdles.

The reality is that our world is structured around screens. We rely on them to work, navigate, manage our money, keep up with the news and stay in touch with friends. From the latest Netflix series to the viral trend everyone’s talking about, being digitally connected is a form of social currency: something to discuss over dinner or on a first date.

That's why, this time around, I decided against attempting another full digital detox. My previous experiences had taught me that it simply isn’t sustainable. Instead, I focused on making small, manageable swaps to my usual habits, gradually reducing the amount of time I spent on my phone without compromising the moments where my phone genuinely enhances my life.

Four months in, I'm shocked by the difference it's made to my focus, attention span, energy levels and emotional resilience. Ahead, the five habits that have helped me curb my screen time, alongside expert insight into why they work.

For more wellbeing switches to take into 2027, have a read of the 7 high-stress habits to quit, the life admin that’s secretly draining you and how a 10-minute sunlight snack could be the thing to see you through the rest of the winter. Plus, this 60-second breathing trick to calm your nervous system is a must-add to a busy routine.

I Found Reducing My Screen Time Impossible—4 Months On, Here's What Worked

Why Is Reducing Our Screentime So Difficult?

I used to think that my failure to digitally detox was down to a lack of willpower. But as Hector Hughes, co-founder and CEO of Unplugged, reminds me, this is far from the case. “Social media apps have been designed by the best engineers and designers in the world to hold your attention and keep you scrolling,” he explains. “These apps tap into our brain’s reward centre by releasing dopamine—one of our ‘feel-good chemicals’ associated with pleasure, reward and motivation. Every swipe or click presents the potential for something new, and since our brains love novelty and unexpected rewards, this keeps us scrolling.”

Psychologist Dr Farideh Banafshei agrees. “Tackling screen time is a challenge for everyone, including therapists and psychologists,” she says. “It’s a systemic issue, not a personal failing.”

It’s reassuring to hear, but Dr Banafshei points out there’s a wider cultural issue beyond the addictiveness of the apps themselves. “Wellness and optimisation culture has convinced us that being well means feeling good all the time,” she explains. “Any uncomfortable feeling has become something to get rid of immediately, and the quickest exit we all carry in our pocket is our phone.”

What Are The Benefits of Reducing Screentime?

As Dr Banafshei alluded to, reducing screen time is one way of becoming more in touch with uncomfortable, yet important, emotions. In fact, one study found that just one week away from social media reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety by almost 25% and 16%, respectively. But that’s not the only benefit.

1. Improved sleep and energy

“When people reduce screen time, even slightly, they often notice a clearer head, better sleep and more stable energy levels,” says Hughes, who adds that it also gives you time back. “You might reach for your phone to check the weather but then get stuck in a scroll hole for 20 minutes without realising. Curbing screen time gives you more time within the day for things that really matter.”

2. Greater creativity

Then, of course, there are the benefits boredom has for creativity. “Boredom is good for us,” confirms Hughes. “It helps your brain rest properly and gives it the space it needs for original and creative thought.”

3. A revived attention span

We’re all familiar with the term brainrot, and it’s not just a buzzword. Research shows that our screens, and short-form content in particular, are having a real impact on our cognitive health. “The largest review to date found that heavier short-form video use is linked to poorer attention and weaker inhibitory control, which is our ability to pause and resist an impulse,” says Dr Banafshei.

The good news, though, is that our brains are neuroplastic and can be retrained. “One of the strongest studies to date found that blocking mobile internet for two weeks while keeping calls and texts improved sustained attention span by the equivalent of 10 years of age-related decline,” says Dr Banafshei, who adds that the participants' mental health improved too. “With the time they got back, people spent more time socialising face to face and being outdoors,” she explains.

The 5 Habits Which Finally Helped Me Curb My Screentime-And Made Doing So Feel Like a Treat Not a Chore

1. I took up photography

One of the main reasons my phone remains so glued to my side is my love of taking photos. Beyond being chronically compelled to post on Instagram, I genuinely love the creativity of photography: zooming in on tiny details, capturing my friends in candid laughter or catching the light at just the right moment. One of my favourite things to do on a flight is scroll back through my camera roll, revisiting the thousands of photos that hold memories of some of my favourite moments.

It's why, at the beginning of the summer, I decided to detach my love of photography from my phone and start treating it as a genuine hobby. I'd recently tried out a friend's Fujifilm X100VI and fallen in love with the film-style images it captured.

Using it over the last four months has been an absolute joy, largely because it's challenged me to learn a new skill. Despite being relatively point-and-shoot, it's required me to get to grips with the basics of digital photography, from mastering the exposure triangle to programming in the correct recipes. It's felt a little like going back to school, and watching my photographs improve over the last four months has been incredibly rewarding.

I also love the lack of immediacy. The camera's small screen means I can't always tell whether every shot I've taken is perfect, which stops me getting quite so caught up in my own perfectionism. I point, shoot and put the camera away, returning to the present in a matter of moments. Unlike my phone, which can trap me in a flurry of 'urgent' notifications every time I take a photo, my camera allows me to capture my favourite moments without detracting from the magic of actually living them.

2. I started clocking screentime miles

This is an idea I stole and adapted from my friend and fellow journalist, Evie Olsen, who was herself inspired by the concept of Air Miles. While Olsen has built her own reward system around 'running miles', I've applied mine to screen time.

It works like this: for every dedicated hour I spend away from my screen, I pay myself £1, which goes into a pot in my bank account labelled 'Screentime rewards'. I track my time using Brick, a screen time management device that blocks apps and tells me how long I've spent away from my screen. At the end of each day, I transfer my rewards into the pot. Over time, they build up into a little fund that I can spend on any analogue treat I fancy, whether that's a coffee from my favourite café or a new book I've been desperate to read.

Over the last four months, my rewards pot has grown to more than £200, funding plenty of little treats that have consistently brightened my weeks.

3. I created reading hours

Confession: I'm a bookworm. And while I know that's not true for everyone, I firmly believe there's a genre out there for everyone, whether you prefer crime fiction, a romcom or an autobiography. In spite of my love of books, however, my reading time has declined rapidly over the last few years, gradually replaced by hours of scrolling.

For me, it's largely come down to energy. At the end of a busy day, I often feel as though I haven't got the concentration left for a book, whereas mindless scrolling feels much more manageable. The irony, of course, is that while scrolling leaves me feeling more exhausted, reading actually gives me energy, particularly creative energy.

That's why I've started carving out dedicated reading hours in my diary. It removes any guilt that I should be doing something more productive and helps me stay consistent. I've found that once I'm immersed in a book, picking it up again becomes much easier, while having reading hours built into my routine ensures I always have something on the go.

For me, mornings and evenings work best, but I also squeeze in a 30-minute window after lunch. It's a great way to avoid the 3 pm work slump, re-energising me creatively for the final few hours of the day.

4. I took up silent walks

Before I start, I know this one might be divisive. When I tell friends that I walk without headphones, many look at me in amazement. But hear me out. While I love a podcast or a pumping playlist as much as the next person, I realised that the constant stimulation in my ears was contributing to the constant noise in my brain. I was so plugged in that not only was it becoming difficult to hear my own thoughts, but I also felt increasingly restless and unsettled in silence.

So, over the summer, I started going on silent walks. If you can, I'd recommend doing this somewhere away from busy roads. Forests and rivers are particularly lovely, as you get the soundtrack of the natural world instead.

These walks have become some of my favourite moments of the day. They're when I process the things I'm worried about, work through problems and often find myself becoming more creative. If I'm experiencing writer's block or trying to make a start on a new project, I know that a silent walk can help get things moving.

5. I introduced the morning papers

We all know that reaching for our phones as soon as we wake up isn't necessarily the best start to the day. But I really love the ritual of checking the news in the morning. It helps me feel informed and connected to the world around me, and it's a lovely accompaniment to my morning coffee—a habit I have absolutely no intention of giving up.

That's why I've gone old-school and started buying a physical newspaper or magazine to read first thing. Often, I'll combine this with my silent walking habit by strolling to my local newsagent to pick up a paper. If I'm really getting into the habit-stacking spirit, I'll pop my Bala Bangles around my ankles to add a little resistance into the mix.

Together, it's become a lovely morning ritual that combines sunlight, movement, a little strength training and some cognitive stimulation—all before I've even looked at my phone.

The verdict:

I'm not suggesting you need to copy every analogue habit I've mentioned here. These are simply the things that work for me and my schedule. But what I have learnt is that you don't need a week-long digital detox to reap the benefits of reducing your screen time.

I still have Instagram and TikTok, still work on my laptop for up to six hours a day and haven't given up my Spotify subscription. In other words, I've not had to compromise on any of the benefits of my digital life, yet I feel healthier, happier and more emotionally resilient.

I've found that being consciously online and consciously offline is what really makes the difference. When I'm scrolling, I'm doing so intentionally, and when I'm not, I'm not. That gives my brain the time it needs to rest and recharge, leaving me clearer-headed, better able to focus and problem-solve, and less likely to feel stressed or low as a result of what I see on social media.

Ultimately, it keeps me rooted in reality, and I'm a better person for it. I wholeheartedly recommend giving it a try.

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