Take 10 seconds and sign up for my free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/ Each Friday, you’ll get a short email from me with five things I've discovered that week, sending you off to your weekend with fun and useful things to ponder and try. 🙌
Obviously, you have seen the harm of social media and you are trying to avoid consuming social media. I Know you look after the wellbeing of your audience, so why use social media as a communication medium? Why don't we all just drop out of social media? And look for alternatives of one-to-many communication (as Imagine you need for your network).
Tim I am leaving this comment today on 12th of January 2023 and am gonna force stop all the apps and gmail including my Google account. I have a job to do for next 5 months. The next time i am on YT again, the first thing I am gonna do is come here and give you an update. Till then THANK YOU and GOOD BYE. ❤
This happened to me. I was able to quit Instagram and lessen fb, I just replaced them with RUclips and pinterest. 😅 But I must say quiting instagram really improved my mental health.
I haven't had work email on my phone in 8 years. Life is good. Removed social media apps from my phone 3 years ago. Struggling to remove youtube from the phone.
Don't let all the things you can learn on YT cover up the fact that it's super addicting. I stopped watching entertainment videos on YT to try and cut down on the use but I LOVE learning and there are so many fantastic videos for free on this website. It's still addictive. Why is the first tab on RUclips a recommendation? It's because they try to keep you on as long as possible. I try to limit myself to 1-3 videos/day but YT is so addicting that I almost always fail and spend 2 hours on it.
@@luizaumaeva6284 Well I just bought an old Razor flip phone, no internet , I'm switching back to my Garmin gps in my car, and I have my sony mp3 player ready for the gym, and maybe I'll carry a little camera, but now that seems kind of weird. 🙄
@@oriantalist Good book, and I've tried using some of his guidance, but man it can be hard to break free from all of the distractions and focus. Definitely have to be very strict and unwavering about practicing it.
two weeks ago I started using airplane mode to be able to focus for my guitar practice and Its very difficult but Im loving it. Im also turning airplane on when Im with people because I want to enjoy my loved ones. Covid has taught me a valuable lesson. Cheers
0:23 No email. No social media. Have air plane and silent mode. Remove the friction points of an habit 2:17 Onlypult 3:10 Do all those things. 4:02 Let your phone be silent. We over estimate our importance.
I got Tim beat, I don't even have social media and don't getany emails and have my phone set to screen everyone I don't know. The only thing I'm addicted to is watching shit like this to help me grow.
If your phone screens so many people, does that mean you turn that screening off if you are, for example, looking for a job? It would block the call from an unknown number when it was HR calling you to schedule an interview. Would you turn off the phone call screen on the job hunt?
I've done pretty much the same with social media apps and browser, except that I'm using a browser where I'm not logged in to any social media apps or email. This has been great.
Really great video. Went to our 2nd home in a different state with family last week and did a tech detox. Left my phone in a drawer for 2 weeks. So surprised by how much I didn't miss it, actually felt freeing not having it on me AND like he said the world kept spinning just fine
That's true only if you're not a parent. If you have kids, close family and community, you want to be there when they need you. If you have kids, you have Whattsapp groups of their schools saying what's going on tomorrow, social events etc. and you want them to be notified (my kids don't have cell phones yet). So this is a great method, and I really wish I could use it also, but when your son can call you from school saying he's not feeling so good and wants you to be with him, you don't want to be on silent mode...
Thank you Tim, this is a huge topic and getting even more intense these past few years. Taking off the social media apps from the phone is a big one. Appreciate you taking the time to share how you dont get used by the phone. Blessings
@@lynntfuzz at least he can say, that he used to have a good routine and may benefit from it the rest of his life and even his kids. whereas other parents might still be hooked to the phone and the first thing their kids learn is "swipe and pinch"
Instead of deleting the social media apps on my phone, I log out on them. I find this is enough of a friction point to make me turn back when I opened the app compulsively but allows me to use the app when I actually need it for a good reason.
Thanks for these tips Tim! -Disabled my Mail app -Put my phone on silent immediately -Did not delete instagram for now (the only social media app on my phone) but will be working towards it. Loved your thoughts on minimizing input from the world and not letting others agendas hijack your day, i definitely need to learn to start my day with Meditation and Journaling.
Excellent video, came at the right time. I’ve become addicted to using RUclips on my new iPad, I usually average 8 hours of sleep each night which has declined to almost 5 each night. Last night I put my iPad in my office and went and watched a comedy show in the living room, and feel asleep by 9 pm. I woke this morning feeling much brighter so this video is a great reinforcement to my recognition of screen time overload. Thanks Tim.
Definitely agree about friction points! In fact have also tried to implement a lot from the book “getting things done” and have had good success. Not being on the phone in the morning or before bed is the hardest part for me. I try to keep it out of arms reach at night though
My legs fell asleep while I was lost in an app on the toilet in an airport. Nearly missed my flight as I had to wait for my legs to wake up before i could walk back to the gate.
I made immediate changes after watching this vid. I didn't realize how compulive I was with my e-mailing app and social media until I took time to think about it.
Oh I love this! I've switched my phone to silent for the past year. Never going back. Another thing I've done (can't recall how) is activate a feature that skip all incoming calls from unknown numbers (i.e. spams or truly unknown numbers). If it's important, they'll leave a message and I'll return the call. And that fraction is so very small. Very worth it.
Oh man! Just yesterday i was thinking, few years ago i had so much time to myself, i could think better, more creative & productive. I now understand why. MIND opener. Thanks for posting this Tim!
Say to yourself: “These RUclips videos, cat videos aren't going anywhere. These will be here for atleast next 500 years. I can watch them later. Now, I'll do my work”
This is all true, friction points are great... I hid my bottles of scotch on a high shelf after pouring two shots and now I can drink responsibly with bottles around. I don’t turn off my phone or notifications, but check when I want and I’ve virtually quit social media just by force of will, it’s very toxic energy at times, I log on once every 2-3 days for 5 minutes to check notifications. Much happier now🤞
I don't watch TV save for sports, I have fb and the gram, but RARELY use them (it's been months for fb and I'll go weeks to months without the ig). He is 100% correct on people dramatically overestimating their own importance. RUclips is another story.
My phone is always on do not disturb unless I am expecting a scheduled call, and my device notifications are disabled or managed to the extent that they are uncluttered and only inform critical things. This alone was life changing for me. Also the social media accounts signed into my phone don't follow mindless distractions but rather authors/thinkers/etc that make me think or inspire. Would go full on no social media/email if I was at the end of a project with a non negotiable deadline, but my work is mostly in strategy and complex systems so deadlines are convoluted and I see thinking and interacting with ideas as this type of vice to actually be a net positive on my work.
What I do is ... I switch of the internet before sleeping and turn it on 3hrs after I wake up after I'm done with my breakfast... so I've completed my morning routine without looking at my phone... Slowly I'm gonna unfollow all the unnecessary accounts like meme pages on insta or maybe restrict them so they don't come on my feed ... watching youtube on laptop/ PC helps...and switching of all the screens before going to sleep and reading a book or doing your night routine is also what I do
I found very useful in general to block the feeds page of all social media. The feeds are the only part that we have no control over, because an algorithm is deciding what content we should visualize in order to keep us the longest possible time on the platform. There are many extensions to do this (unfortunately not on mobile). A great one that I have been using is called UnDistracted (free on chrome store)
Great video Tim. For me, I’ve set boundaries around my phone usage. Instead of deleting social media apps like Instagram, I’ve set it to notify me when I’ve spent 15 minutes on it and stay away then. Instead of airplane mode, I just turn it off completely. I think this adds another layer of friction (having to turn phone back on, instead of just off airplane mode). Silent I do, and I’ve also asked friends, family to message or email instead of calling unless vitally urgent to keep that autonomy. Thanks again and hope you’re well 🙏🏻. Ben.
This is great advice! I have already been using the latter 2 techniques, but I will start with the first 2 tips today. That’s how important it is to me to maintain my time management and ability to focus!
I am Happy to share that I have been doing this for quite some time. Though I have email and other social media apps, I have put their notification off. And I allow myself a distraction period of 5 min twice or thrice a day to get all the information and connecting. Jay Shetty has also such ideas from whom I learnt 😊
Excellent points. Another great option for social media posting is Buffer. Allows scheduled posting to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. all from one dashboard. Helpful for social media planning and posting, and you can then get out before you get sucked in.
I use the app applock to block apps based on time of day, location. I also set up an annoyingly complex password instead of using a fingerprint to stop me from checking my phone compulsively. works well, 10/10 would recommend.
Summary: Rules to follow- 1. No email app on phone- check it on your computer at scheduled intervals through a browser; use friction points to your benefit if trying to prevent compulsive behavior. Conversely, if you are trying to install new behaviors , remove friction points. 2. No social media app on phone - if you need to post to social media , use apps that remove exposure to your feed or other people posts. Apps like onlypult. 3. Airplane mode and silent - airplane mode after dinner and keep it on until ready for input the next day. First few hours of the day, prevent the assault from input, pings, and notifications so you can get creative work or other stuff on your agenda done. The rest of the day, phone is on silent to reduce interruptions. Benefits: you will be nothing but more productive by closing the door on unsolicited input and using your phone instead of it using you
never thought about the email thing, thank you for that. don't use social media at all (not just on my phone), and in a few days will remove the only thing that still draws me to pick up my phone, whatsapp. hava a 12+ hours job where i'm not allowed with my personal phone (security reasons) and never missed it
Great tips! If I may add, most social media apps these days have a timer you can set up to alert you that you've used it long enough. If want to keep the app but moderate your usage I like to use an app called Stay Focused (android & free). You can set up limits for yourself as well as blocks for when you don't want to use the app or even be notified. Additionally you can set limits for how long you're on an app and there will be a button that counts down when you'll get blocked. I haven't gotten rid of emails on my phone (parent with kids online) but I set limits to how long I use the email because I know I tend to spend too much time writing and having a pc that won't shut me down is problematic Lol I personally like to use the feature where you block an app until you've spent a certain amount of time in another app. So for example I cannot access a game or webtoons app until I've completed my reviews in a flash card app I'm using to study Japanese. Or I can't access RUclips until I've spent a certain amount of time in an exercise app, etc. I really like this app and use it for myself and my kids. Also if you just want to focus on a task and block everything quickly without much set up and own a Samsung device, you can click Focus Mode within the drop down menu and have it block all apps that you deem unproductive. The nice thing with this feature is that it's quick and easy to turn on and off and let's you know, once you're done, the alerts you missed. The previous app does the same, but you have to look for the missed alerts section as it won't tell you otherwise when you lift the block. Good luck y'all!
I've been using airplane mode from the evening until, say, 9:00 a.m. for ages. I will definitely explore the rest of your advice, it all makes great sense.
I personally have notifications off for every single app on my phone. The only time my phone goes off is when im getting a call, but that's only when it's not on silent. If there is an emergency, my family members will get a call, and they'll tell me.
Yay, I've been doing those things for years. I'm happy my phone behaviour is endorsed by Tim Ferriss :))) thank you sir. My ex used to get livid when he couldn't reach me. "your phones always on silent!!" Yes. It is. Simplify.
There are people in my life who will send me an e-mail and also simultaneously send me a text message to inform me that they sent me an e-mail, asking to make sure I have received it. This can be incredibly frustrating when I try to set parameters for myself yet people get upset if I don't respond soon enough.
I’ve experienced this as well. It can be difficult, but you have to learn to tell others no and to not give them special treatment just because they think they’re entitled to your time and attention. If you stay consistent, they will adapt and they will be perfectly okay.
We have to distinct what a mobile phone was built-for, before it became a screen that takes our time (and life) . So I agree on all you said except the silent mode ( for phone calls ) . emails, text ,social... , all of them can wait and be silent . Call back someone who called me 15 min before , and maybe looking for urgent help or offering a great opportunity , sometimes could makes things go (very) different than what we'd like them to go.
The same with every addiction! I am in some way compulsive in eating, and still- I have to do so much to control my brain. And I'm on a good way to be healthy (mentally).
I have been following the silent and airplane mode for more than 6 years now and now I stopped having my email account for almost 6 month , next is the social network
Totally agree. People are posting so much.. and TMI. I feel so overwhelmed. So i decided to deactivate social medias and get my peace of mind in return
I hate people who think they are to important they can call me whenever they want because of something they could easily solve themselves but pulling me out of my focus for literally nothing
My phone rings but unless I'm by myself or waiting on a specific phone call, I just let it ring. Drives people crazy that I don't dive for it mid-sentence.
Tim's advice is always so helpful that I implemented his tips as I watched this video. Email app gone. (Plus I saved $12.99 a month on it.) Social media apps. Gone.
Thanks! It is hard but the right thing to do! I compare it to the one ring from lotr. Don't let it corrupt you. Use it as a tool rarely and wisely like Bilbo^^
Hi Tim, thanks for all your amazing help over the years! it probably gets burried and nobody will read this: im using special hardcore 'blocking' apps for my phone and computers for many years. For me, the following just works: 1. Detox (Android) - simple phone use blocker with simple timer and whitelist. 2. Lock Me Out (Android) - app use blocker with a LOT of options. 3. HeyFocus (mac) - simple app blocker with hardcore mode and good whitelist. 4. Cold Turkey Blocker (Win) - good app blocker and whitelist apps for windows with lots of options. This combination just WORKS. As you can see, i cant find good blocking apps for iphone/ipad. I own latest iphone just for pictures of my kids, but i never use it as a 'phone'. If anybody has a good tutorial on this please comment ;)
Minus the part of using the loo (ugh), this video was on point and beneficial! I like your closing statement regarding the estimation of ourselves. That was a good and reasonable reminder.
I’m a long time listener/reader of Tim’s work. I listen to things like this and fall in love with a life like he describes. Breaking yourself if compulsive tech usage is one thing. But the societal and corporate/employer/economic expectations are another thing entirely. Yeah yeah... find a better employer. No employer expects you be a slave to your phone. But pretty much all of them expect you manage fire hoses of work and teams of people all over the global.... which sure makes one feel like you have to have your eye on slack/email constantly to keep from drowning in it
Same, constantly getting calls like hey did you get the memo I sent out? Huh? We have an emergency meeting in 5 mins and you didn't accept in outlook. We can only get this room now. I emailed you 30 mins ago to throw something together and move those slides around. 😩
And not responding ultimately makes more work for you - right? And on goes the cycle. Those people are dealing with their own version of this hell and don’t mean harm. It’s really hard.
Hi Tim, I really appreciate that you brought this topic which many know yet taking it slow lightly as if it doesn't make any difference. Phones are consuming our lives. I tried many app locks to prevent myself from using more time on phone yet no use. But I think there is a necessity of an alternative stock android which has minimal apps and allows only non gaming, non entertainment apps. Just like Minimalistic phones, which actually namesake although priced high. Instead we need OS that is minimalist. I would be the first to invest in that crowd funding project and would ask many to do so, because that's need of the hour
I regularly take off the safari app too...on iphone Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps > Safari: turn it off and it won't be on the Home Screen anymore.
Good video , I just abandoned it all together and got an old flip phone no voicemail just talk and text . Smartphone is only on wifi and only for Binance to look at charts . My friends gramma always used to say “phones are the devil” back when they first came out , and we’ll we’d all laugh and say she’s crazy and old. but the truth is , she was right .
2 factor authentication is my secret weapon. not only do i have to manually fetch my login for social media, but i also need to memorize the 6 digits to actually get in. i'm cursing myself to a point where i don't even bother :) problem solved! great tips
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
Take 10 seconds and sign up for my free "5-Bullet Friday" newsletter: go.tim.blog/5-bullet-friday-yt/ Each Friday, you’ll get a short email from me with five things I've discovered that week, sending you off to your weekend with fun and useful things to ponder and try. 🙌
Obviously, you have seen the harm of social media and you are trying to avoid consuming social media. I Know you look after the wellbeing of your audience, so why use social media as a communication medium? Why don't we all just drop out of social media? And look for alternatives of one-to-many communication (as Imagine you need for your network).
Tim I am leaving this comment today on 12th of January 2023 and am gonna force stop all the apps and gmail including my Google account. I have a job to do for next 5 months. The next time i am on YT again, the first thing I am gonna do is come here and give you an update.
Till then THANK YOU and GOOD BYE. ❤
Write a book
I am not going to sign up for this nesetter as this email will distruct me, exactly for the reasons you just explained, Tim 😀
3:57 - "I want to be in command of my time, and I don't want everybody's agenda to become my to-do-list." - *What a statement that is!*
I’m so agreeing to this as I watch it in the toilet 🤣🤣🤣👍
Just read your comment, on the toilet.
Even I read your comment on the toilet
Man i am also watching in toilet 😂😂
Me too lol 😂 I wonder what percentage of people are doing this
Yes, I’m in the toilet also
"We dramatically overstimate our own importance"
That one is a great wake-up punchline
I stopped taking my phone to work 7 months ago. I now take a book to read in my break and the sense of peace is palpable.
That's impressive.
Watching how to avoid media addiction while being addicted to RUclips.
Same we need help
This happened to me. I was able to quit Instagram and lessen fb, I just replaced them with RUclips and pinterest. 😅
But I must say quiting instagram really improved my mental health.
Lol!!!
@@machi-full-of-coffee I have just started Instagram and I spend hours and hours on it ...
@@mikereigns8134 LOL try using playlists like watch later and see if that helps.
I haven't had work email on my phone in 8 years. Life is good. Removed social media apps from my phone 3 years ago. Struggling to remove youtube from the phone.
RUclips is the only thing I use, so many good videos, audiobooks, I've tried using a kitchen timer to limit my time on it, but keep coming back to it.
Don't let all the things you can learn on YT cover up the fact that it's super addicting. I stopped watching entertainment videos on YT to try and cut down on the use but I LOVE learning and there are so many fantastic videos for free on this website. It's still addictive. Why is the first tab on RUclips a recommendation? It's because they try to keep you on as long as possible. I try to limit myself to 1-3 videos/day but YT is so addicting that I almost always fail and spend 2 hours on it.
If you have android, you cant remove RUclips unless you brute force it.
Ive been wanting to but too lazy to go through hoops and stuff.
Remove appstore from your iphone
@@luizaumaeva6284 Well I just bought an old Razor flip phone, no internet , I'm switching back to my Garmin gps in my car, and I have my sony mp3 player ready for the gym, and maybe I'll carry a little camera, but now that seems kind of weird. 🙄
Cal Newport's book "Digital Minimalism" is a good one on this subject
Nir Eyal's Indistractable is also a goodie.
Cal Newport has a new book out called “A World without e-mail”. Has Cal ever been a guest on Tim Ferriss podcast?
His other book "Deep Work" builds on the foundation laid by "Digital Minimalism". His advice is apt for the distraction riddled world of today.
@@oriantalist Good book, and I've tried using some of his guidance, but man it can be hard to break free from all of the distractions and focus. Definitely have to be very strict and unwavering about practicing it.
two weeks ago I started using airplane mode to be able to focus for my guitar practice and Its very difficult but Im loving it. Im also turning airplane on when Im with people because I want to enjoy my loved ones. Covid has taught me a valuable lesson. Cheers
0:23
No email. No social media.
Have air plane and silent mode.
Remove the friction points of an habit
2:17
Onlypult
3:10
Do all those things.
4:02
Let your phone be silent.
We over estimate our importance.
So glad my phone updated me with this video. This is great!
I got Tim beat, I don't even have social media and don't getany emails and have my phone set to screen everyone I don't know. The only thing I'm addicted to is watching shit like this to help me grow.
If your phone screens so many people, does that mean you turn that screening off if you are, for example, looking for a job? It would block the call from an unknown number when it was HR calling you to schedule an interview.
Would you turn off the phone call screen on the job hunt?
I've done pretty much the same with social media apps and browser, except that I'm using a browser where I'm not logged in to any social media apps or email.
This has been great.
Really great video. Went to our 2nd home in a different state with family last week and did a tech detox. Left my phone in a drawer for 2 weeks. So surprised by how much I didn't miss it, actually felt freeing not having it on me AND like he said the world kept spinning just fine
That's true only if you're not a parent. If you have kids, close family and community, you want to be there when they need you. If you have kids, you have Whattsapp groups of their schools saying what's going on tomorrow, social events etc. and you want them to be notified (my kids don't have cell phones yet).
So this is a great method, and I really wish I could use it also, but when your son can call you from school saying he's not feeling so good and wants you to be with him, you don't want to be on silent mode...
Great tip, Tim! I’ve followed this for a couple of years, reclaiming many hours of my week and vastly improved attention.
Thank you Tim, this is a huge topic and getting even more intense these past few years. Taking off the social media apps from the phone is a big one. Appreciate you taking the time to share how you dont get used by the phone. Blessings
Thanks for this Tim, you have consistently provided value over the years, God bless you man!
I think using social media should be viewed as eating candy: the occasional treat is alright, but don't base your diet on it
Some people can't resist the cookie jar
Social media is designed to be addicting, billions are spent on making this possible , this isn’t a flaw it’s a feature
@@superiorspider-man1720 and i felt "superior" because i avoided social media, not realising that i was addicted to youtube. It tricked me
The best quote about social media I found on internet, Thank You.
why do people make things like this complicated?
When you don't have a mission passive consumption becomes your vice.
This is the truth
100%
@Tim Ferriss funny....
@Aswath Damodaran Why did you make me call a strip club?
sometimes the vice is what gets in the way of your mission
I can't wait until Tim has a kid and we get his updated morning routine
I can't wait until he has TWO kids
@@deleyton how bout four
I was just thinking wait till he has children! He will get some hop 😄
Or sick elderly parents AND kids. Ohhhh the simplicity of life when I could just work on self-actualization... or just work on ANYTHING of my choice!
@@lynntfuzz at least he can say, that he used to have a good routine and may benefit from it the rest of his life and even his kids. whereas other parents might still be hooked to the phone and the first thing their kids learn is "swipe and pinch"
Instead of deleting the social media apps on my phone, I log out on them. I find this is enough of a friction point to make me turn back when I opened the app compulsively but allows me to use the app when I actually need it for a good reason.
i deleted them and if I need anything from them I open them in the browser, works out well
Good tip Brad
Thanks for these tips Tim!
-Disabled my Mail app
-Put my phone on silent immediately
-Did not delete instagram for now (the only social media app on my phone) but will be working towards it.
Loved your thoughts on minimizing input from the world and not letting others agendas hijack your day, i definitely need to learn to start my day with Meditation and Journaling.
Commenting 2 years later-- how is your phone usage now? Did any of these changes last?
Excellent video, came at the right time. I’ve become addicted to using RUclips on my new iPad, I usually average 8 hours of sleep each night which has declined to almost 5 each night. Last night I put my iPad in my office and went and watched a comedy show in the living room, and feel asleep by 9 pm. I woke this morning feeling much brighter so this video is a great reinforcement to my recognition of screen time overload. Thanks Tim.
Definitely agree about friction points! In fact have also tried to implement a lot from the book “getting things done” and have had good success. Not being on the phone in the morning or before bed is the hardest part for me. I try to keep it out of arms reach at night though
Def related to the “20 min later, I’m still on the toilet checking Instagram.” 😂 can’t even feel legs anymore at that point
Ha ha!! I love witty RUclips comments!
😂💯
My legs fell asleep while I was lost in an app on the toilet in an airport. Nearly missed my flight as I had to wait for my legs to wake up before i could walk back to the gate.
Hahaha
😂😂😂
I made immediate changes after watching this vid. I didn't realize how compulive I was with my e-mailing app and social media until I took time to think about it.
I haven’t had email on my phone since 2012 and it was the best thing I ever did.
Oh I love this! I've switched my phone to silent for the past year. Never going back. Another thing I've done (can't recall how) is activate a feature that skip all incoming calls from unknown numbers (i.e. spams or truly unknown numbers). If it's important, they'll leave a message and I'll return the call. And that fraction is so very small. Very worth it.
Oh man! Just yesterday i was thinking, few years ago i had so much time to myself, i could think better, more creative & productive. I now understand why. MIND opener. Thanks for posting this Tim!
Tim is looking more and more like a Monk as he is continuing his journey towards wisdom.
this is not monk life, its what was life before...2005
Say to yourself: “These RUclips videos, cat videos aren't going anywhere. These will be here for atleast next 500 years. I can watch them later. Now, I'll do my work”
Yeah! it works! and indeed they are there the next week!!
My like goes to the importance of cat video point
Your fault if you use youtube to watch cat vids .
@@abhayagarwal5097 AYO THAS KINDA SUS NGL
This is all true, friction points are great... I hid my bottles of scotch on a high shelf after pouring two shots and now I can drink responsibly with bottles around. I don’t turn off my phone or notifications, but check when I want and I’ve virtually quit social media just by force of will, it’s very toxic energy at times, I log on once every 2-3 days for 5 minutes to check notifications. Much happier now🤞
Thank you, Tim Ferris!
Damn... This is actually such a great way to help me with setting boundaries. Thanks for sharing!
Excellent, absolutely necessary tips to overcome compulsive addiction,,,,
Perfect timing for this. I’ve deleted so many apps recently to keep me off it.
Delete RUclips
@@tblightningbolt8902 RUclips is essentially an online library. Just like in a regular library, you just have to ignore all the stuff that's crap.
This is such great advise, what a daunting task this must be for so many people.
First few hours of my day... meditation, journaling, inspiration... this guy obviously doesn´t have kids. Oh nostalgia!
I don't watch TV save for sports, I have fb and the gram, but RARELY use them (it's been months for fb and I'll go weeks to months without the ig). He is 100% correct on people dramatically overestimating their own importance.
RUclips is another story.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT !!
thank you for this important message Tim!
My phone is always on do not disturb unless I am expecting a scheduled call, and my device notifications are disabled or managed to the extent that they are uncluttered and only inform critical things.
This alone was life changing for me. Also the social media accounts signed into my phone don't follow mindless distractions but rather authors/thinkers/etc that make me think or inspire. Would go full on no social media/email if I was at the end of a project with a non negotiable deadline, but my work is mostly in strategy and complex systems so deadlines are convoluted and I see thinking and interacting with ideas as this type of vice to actually be a net positive on my work.
So appreciate your beautiful mind Tim (your whole being is so generous!!!) Full of creative ideas 💡 Thanks for sharing these 🤗☀️
Oh I have been doing the same method for a while now. It is great to have the same idea with Tim on this ☺️
What I do is ... I switch of the internet before sleeping and turn it on 3hrs after I wake up after I'm done with my breakfast... so I've completed my morning routine without looking at my phone... Slowly I'm gonna unfollow all the unnecessary accounts like meme pages on insta or maybe restrict them so they don't come on my feed ... watching youtube on laptop/ PC helps...and switching of all the screens before going to sleep and reading a book or doing your night routine is also what I do
I found very useful in general to block the feeds page of all social media. The feeds are the only part that we have no control over, because an algorithm is deciding what content we should visualize in order to keep us the longest possible time on the platform. There are many extensions to do this (unfortunately not on mobile). A great one that I have been using is called UnDistracted (free on chrome store)
Great work. I put my phone on grayscale, do not disturb 24/7, don't check social media before I post, and go for mindful walks.
Grayscale! Cool idea!
take your password out. write it somewhere thats hard but possible to access. so you its hard for you to download apps when you delete it
apple password
I appreciate you sharing your experience, sir.
Great video Tim. For me, I’ve set boundaries around my phone usage.
Instead of deleting social media apps like Instagram, I’ve set it to notify me when I’ve spent 15 minutes on it and stay away then.
Instead of airplane mode, I just turn it off completely. I think this adds another layer of friction (having to turn phone back on, instead of just off airplane mode).
Silent I do, and I’ve also asked friends, family to message or email instead of calling unless vitally urgent to keep that autonomy.
Thanks again and hope you’re well 🙏🏻.
Ben.
This is great advice! I have already been using the latter 2 techniques, but I will start with the first 2 tips today. That’s how important it is to me to maintain my time management and ability to focus!
I'm addicted to youtube, and especially videos like this haha
That's why only 1% people are happy and successful on this earth 🌎
I am Happy to share that I have been doing this for quite some time. Though I have email and other social media apps, I have put their notification off. And I allow myself a distraction period of 5 min twice or thrice a day to get all the information and connecting. Jay Shetty has also such ideas from whom I learnt 😊
You are the man, Tim. Your low information diet has added 3,650 hours back to my life in the past ten years.
Great and timely video Tim - I am working with lots of youth and this problem is a key productivity and life engagement blocker. Thanks...
Excellent points. Another great option for social media posting is Buffer. Allows scheduled posting to Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. all from one dashboard. Helpful for social media planning and posting, and you can then get out before you get sucked in.
“We overestimate our own importance” - Tim Ferris just attacked my ego 😜
He’s fucking right though
I am doing all these from past 2 years. And it changed my life totally as I become more productive now.🌺
So, "don't use your phone" is the secret....... Genius!
Can’t produce if you’re consuming!
I use the app applock to block apps based on time of day, location. I also set up an annoyingly complex password instead of using a fingerprint to stop me from checking my phone compulsively. works well, 10/10 would recommend.
Need to start that now!!!!
One of the greatest video on the internet
Summary:
Rules to follow-
1. No email app on phone- check it on your computer at scheduled intervals through a browser; use friction points to your benefit if trying to prevent compulsive behavior. Conversely, if you are trying to install new behaviors , remove friction points.
2. No social media app on phone - if you need to post to social media , use apps that remove exposure to your feed or other people posts. Apps like onlypult.
3. Airplane mode and silent - airplane mode after dinner and keep it on until ready for input the next day. First few hours of the day, prevent the assault from input, pings, and notifications so you can get creative work or other stuff on your agenda done. The rest of the day, phone is on silent to reduce interruptions.
Benefits: you will be nothing but more productive by closing the door on unsolicited input and using your phone instead of it using you
Great Insights from Tim Ferriss, will practice them asap
2030: Every human using third-party apps to post on social.
2030: 0 humans on social seeing posts.
never thought about the email thing, thank you for that. don't use social media at all (not just on my phone), and in a few days will remove the only thing that still draws me to pick up my phone, whatsapp. hava a 12+ hours job where i'm not allowed with my personal phone (security reasons) and never missed it
Great tips!
If I may add, most social media apps these days have a timer you can set up to alert you that you've used it long enough.
If want to keep the app but moderate your usage I like to use an app called Stay Focused (android & free). You can set up limits for yourself as well as blocks for when you don't want to use the app or even be notified. Additionally you can set limits for how long you're on an app and there will be a button that counts down when you'll get blocked. I haven't gotten rid of emails on my phone (parent with kids online) but I set limits to how long I use the email because I know I tend to spend too much time writing and having a pc that won't shut me down is problematic Lol
I personally like to use the feature where you block an app until you've spent a certain amount of time in another app. So for example I cannot access a game or webtoons app until I've completed my reviews in a flash card app I'm using to study Japanese. Or I can't access RUclips until I've spent a certain amount of time in an exercise app, etc. I really like this app and use it for myself and my kids.
Also if you just want to focus on a task and block everything quickly without much set up and own a Samsung device, you can click Focus Mode within the drop down menu and have it block all apps that you deem unproductive. The nice thing with this feature is that it's quick and easy to turn on and off and let's you know, once you're done, the alerts you missed. The previous app does the same, but you have to look for the missed alerts section as it won't tell you otherwise when you lift the block.
Good luck y'all!
I've had my phone on silent for countless years now, It's the only way to go
I've been using airplane mode from the evening until, say, 9:00 a.m. for ages. I will definitely explore the rest of your advice, it all makes great sense.
what about friends? I like to text and call friends at night and early morning
I personally have notifications off for every single app on my phone. The only time my phone goes off is when im getting a call, but that's only when it's not on silent. If there is an emergency, my family members will get a call, and they'll tell me.
What if the emergency is regarding the family members and they need help? I, too, need a solution for this
Gives you more time to spend 4 hrs a day on RUclips
Yay, I've been doing those things for years. I'm happy my phone behaviour is endorsed by Tim Ferriss :))) thank you sir.
My ex used to get livid when he couldn't reach me. "your phones always on silent!!" Yes. It is. Simplify.
There are people in my life who will send me an e-mail and also simultaneously send me a text message to inform me that they sent me an e-mail, asking to make sure I have received it. This can be incredibly frustrating when I try to set parameters for myself yet people get upset if I don't respond soon enough.
I’ve experienced this as well. It can be difficult, but you have to learn to tell others no and to not give them special treatment just because they think they’re entitled to your time and attention. If you stay consistent, they will adapt and they will be perfectly okay.
We have to distinct what a mobile phone was built-for, before it became a screen that takes our time (and life) . So I agree on all you said except the silent mode ( for phone calls ) . emails, text ,social... , all of them can wait and be silent . Call back someone who called me 15 min before , and maybe looking for urgent help or offering a great opportunity , sometimes could makes things go (very) different than what we'd like them to go.
Good tips if you are free. If you work for a company, the boss expects you to pick up or call back within a short period of time
if works pays for the phone and service, yes, but if not and you are off the clock..
Can’t you get a work phone though?
The same with every addiction! I am in some way compulsive in eating, and still- I have to do so much to control my brain. And I'm on a good way to be healthy (mentally).
Tool kit ... how to be a perfect introvert !
Wise words. Free up your time to pursue creative projects is an excellent reason to curb your phone. Thanks.
I have been following the silent and airplane mode for more than 6 years now and now I stopped having my email account for almost 6 month , next is the social network
Totally agree. People are posting so much.. and TMI. I feel so overwhelmed. So i decided to deactivate social medias and get my peace of mind in return
I hate people who think they are to important they can call me whenever they want because of something they could easily solve themselves but pulling me out of my focus for literally nothing
How old are you?
Bro just decline
I don't have the addiction to social media, but the last part was pretty wise!! loved it
My phone rings but unless I'm by myself or waiting on a specific phone call, I just let it ring. Drives people crazy that I don't dive for it mid-sentence.
Thank you for your amazing contributions! The world is a better place because you are in it Tim
We LOVE you, Tim. It's okay to smile and have fun with the camera (us, your audience) :) :) :)
Leadership at it’s best right here.
Tim's advice is always so helpful that I implemented his tips as I watched this video. Email app gone. (Plus I saved $12.99 a month on it.) Social media apps. Gone.
Best video I've watched this entire 2021
Thanks! It is hard but the right thing to do!
I compare it to the one ring from lotr. Don't let it corrupt you. Use it as a tool rarely and wisely like Bilbo^^
Hi Tim, thanks for all your amazing help over the years! it probably gets burried and nobody will read this: im using special hardcore 'blocking' apps for my phone and computers for many years. For me, the following just works: 1. Detox (Android) - simple phone use blocker with simple timer and whitelist. 2. Lock Me Out (Android) - app use blocker with a LOT of options. 3. HeyFocus (mac) - simple app blocker with hardcore mode and good whitelist. 4. Cold Turkey Blocker (Win) - good app blocker and whitelist apps for windows with lots of options. This combination just WORKS. As you can see, i cant find good blocking apps for iphone/ipad. I own latest iphone just for pictures of my kids, but i never use it as a 'phone'. If anybody has a good tutorial on this please comment ;)
Minus the part of using the loo (ugh), this video was on point and beneficial! I like your closing statement regarding the estimation of ourselves. That was a good and reasonable reminder.
Been doing this for years, has helped me tremendously!
So true. Thanks a lot Tim!
Easy practical tips! I have definitely taken a way a few new ideas and will think more about the others for temporary screen respites.
I’m a long time listener/reader of Tim’s work. I listen to things like this and fall in love with a life like he describes. Breaking yourself if compulsive tech usage is one thing. But the societal and corporate/employer/economic expectations are another thing entirely. Yeah yeah... find a better employer. No employer expects you be a slave to your phone. But pretty much all of them expect you manage fire hoses of work and teams of people all over the global.... which sure makes one feel like you have to have your eye on slack/email constantly to keep from drowning in it
Same, constantly getting calls like hey did you get the memo I sent out? Huh? We have an emergency meeting in 5 mins and you didn't accept in outlook. We can only get this room now. I emailed you 30 mins ago to throw something together and move those slides around. 😩
And not responding ultimately makes more work for you - right? And on goes the cycle. Those people are dealing with their own version of this hell and don’t mean harm. It’s really hard.
Has reading/ listening to Tim’s work changed your life as you’d hoped? Let’s dump this dude.
Hi Tim, I really appreciate that you brought this topic which many know yet taking it slow lightly as if it doesn't make any difference.
Phones are consuming our lives.
I tried many app locks to prevent myself from using more time on phone yet no use.
But I think there is a necessity of an alternative stock android which has minimal apps and allows only non gaming, non entertainment apps.
Just like Minimalistic phones, which actually namesake although priced high.
Instead we need OS that is minimalist.
I would be the first to invest in that crowd funding project and would ask many to do so, because that's need of the hour
I regularly take off the safari app too...on iphone
Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > Allowed Apps > Safari: turn it off and it won't be on the Home Screen anymore.
Beautiful.. Overestimating our own importance was a great point.. 👌
This is valuable for maintaining internal peace and our own direction. Thanks Tim
Thanks for amazing blueprints 🙏
Good video , I just abandoned it all together and got an old flip phone no voicemail just talk and text . Smartphone is only on wifi and only for Binance to look at charts . My friends gramma always used to say “phones are the devil” back when they first came out , and we’ll we’d all laugh and say she’s crazy and old. but the truth is , she was right .
2 factor authentication is my secret weapon. not only do i have to manually fetch my login for social media, but i also need to memorize the 6 digits to actually get in. i'm cursing myself to a point where i don't even bother :) problem solved! great tips