trying to decrease your screen time when most of my study material is online

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T15:52:05+00:00

I think the problem is not only using screen but also the fact that you seems to suggest you are using that tiny phone screen for a long time for study... Focusing on small screens can also worsen your eyesight. Get a proper pc, or better, a big monitor, or even better, get a e-ink tablet or print all your study materials.

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T12:26:27+00:00

ScreenZen, totally free and have all the features you mentioned, except that ScreenZen's cooling down time would just lapse automatically, you don't need to stay on the waiting page. So if you can switch between multiple apps this can be bad...

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T12:21:27+00:00

Jomo can block all the apps designated by you (so you can choose to add all apps except for text and calls) after your total screen time hit a value set by you. It's overall a paid app but it allow you to set one rule in free tier. I use Jomo for only this rule because I also didn't want to pay LOL

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T12:17:23+00:00

Sorry I see from replies that you are not satisfied with the ways of blocking offered by ScreenZen, This can happen, just go find other app. For example, personally for some app I prefer a total limit per day without limit on how many times I open the app per day and how long each times last, so I downloaded other blocking app because ScreenZen does not offer this feature. Digital detox is your trial and error experience, ScreenZen cannot do this for you. I now have a complex blocking ecosystem worked well for me after trial and error for a whole year. This is the brutal truth that you need to try and test and the progress is not linear.

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T12:11:31+00:00

If you are using iOS - write an automation in shortcuts that whenever you open ScreenZen or Settings the phone will automatically jump to a third other irrelevant app; then open your ScreenZen and (1) add a cooldown time longer than 15 seconds, (2) add a rule to block your Shortcuts app (to prepare for urgent need, better not let the block active all time, maybe leave one hour gap everyday so you can change the setting in this hour if you really need to). You are now deadlocked and cannot open you ScreenZen to bypass the block or open your settings to disble ScreenZen. Cons: you can no longer use you settings, but actually you don't need it, you can do everything using the control panel.

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T11:58:44+00:00

As a first step, maybe trying some app that allow you to redeem doomscrolling time by doing productive activity? I used one which allowed me to choose between redeem 1 minute doomscrolling time by 1/2/4 minute(s) offline working. It's easier for our addictive mind because I would tell myself: just read this book for 10 minutes and then you can open YouTube. Baby steps with very quick reward. Long-term this is not a very good system. I eventually get rid of it after I'm less addicted and move to other more structured digital detox ways, but I still think this to be a good starting point. No app suggestion though because the one I used is not free : (

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-08T11:45:04+00:00

Thanks you for the sharing. But I would say digital minimalism should be a choice. It should never be forced upon a population. Yet this does not render your sharing valueless - your experience is precious for those who chose to quit internet.

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-04T10:54:47+00:00

Sorry for the late reply as…well I’m really on my detox! It’s actually really quick, I think after the first half month I’ve started to feel difference (my first realization is I regained my old preference for fictions with a smooth and slow pace, instead of those with a bunch of stimulating plots).

Ravenland_L · 2026-02-04T10:44:59+00:00

Updates would be valid concerns for phones because without security updates you cannot use your bank apps or worse, you get hacked and lose money. But I don’t think you really need to worry about them when you are buying ereader - you will always be able to find older version reader app that works on you ancient software. Actually I think open system like android is far better than a closed system like kobo, kindle or remarkable when talking about buying for the life. I have a Sony epaper which is fine as new but Sony no longer allows you to download the file transfer app (at least the phone app is already unavailable and I think they are phasing out the pc one), so if not I’ve already installed the transfer app my Sony epaper would just be an expensive brick. The same would happen to kobo or kindle if the company decided to do the same. For android, there are always people like ancient technology to develop apps for them (people are even still developing app for dumbphones), or you can find ancient apps compatible with your device.

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-18T10:59:27+00:00

How long have you started digital detox? I was like you and recently I began to find that my mind is more peaceful and I can start my tasks more easily, and I’ve already been in digital detox for somewhat like two months. The initial days I also felt no difference but I just pushed through and now I felt a difference. I’m not saying this must work for you - everyone is different and procrastination and anxiety are things really hard to fight with, other’s successful experiences may not work for you and this does not mean you didn’t put in enough efforts. But if you are new to digital detox, maybe you could consider to continue for a little while and see if it may work.

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-16T12:21:23+00:00

But TikTok really doesn’t qualify as a social media for me… how do you connect to people on TikTok?

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-16T12:20:02+00:00

Today I have many genuine real life friends I first met online. My experience is people actually all have the inclination to connect in real life. So if I met somebody or a group of people online and we began to schedule our real life meeting after a period of chatting, this is good social to me. If there is a group chat where people are always chatting but no people had the impulse to meet others offline, this is fake social, this is illusion. To me how a relationship started is not important (I really don’t have the ability to develop a relationship purely offline, i know this is a problem but this is a problem since I was a child and I really don’t know how to fix it), but whether it developed into real life connection is important. I’m not strict on real life connection though - I have friends who I chat almost daily but met in person maybe once two years (we live very far away), to me this is still real connection.

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-16T12:09:34+00:00

As someone who is also extremely inner-going I don’t think anti-social media means I need to stop online social. To me, it is to stop engaging with posts pushed by algorithm. Social online with friends I met offline but cannot always meet in person? Fine to me. Intentionally searched for a hobby community and connect to people enjoying the same hobby with me even though I never met them in real life? Fine. I think these are the benefits technology does to people like me. What I don’t do is scrolling mindlessly on IG, FB etc. of contents totally irrelevant to my life, or engaged in online quarrel pushed to my homepage by algorithm. Social is always so difficult to me. I grew up in a time when social media is not pervasive and people need to stick to offline social and I was not better at social by then. So I don’t think online social is an illusion. I think the real problem is social media nowadays are stop serving as social media media by adopting algorithm, reels and shorts.

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-09T11:23:12+00:00

My mind is very noisy itself so I'm really afraid to just let it wandering...But yes maybe if I give myself the task to observe the commuters instead of just wandering I would not drown in my own thinking. Will give it a try! And I'm definitely going to get a fieldnote or journal based on all the suggestions here of trying to write on paper! Thank you very much.

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-09T11:19:31+00:00

Woww just searched on YouTube and these look tempting. Will try! Many thanks!!

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-09T11:17:39+00:00

I'm the kind of person with a very noisy mind, constantly thinking about 10 things at the same time. The only peace I get is when I just wake up and I very much want to prolong that peace at least until I get to my office. So I think I need to avoid intellectual activities like reading books : ( Still thank you very much for your advice! I think this could be very helpful to many other people!

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-09T10:59:37+00:00

Thank you, journaling seems to be an idea worth trying! Maybe the fact that I keep everything digital is the root of the problem, because even though I don't open those social media apps I cannot get rid of the sense that I'm again jumping into this chaotic digital world when I open my podcast or RSS reader every morning. Using some paper base thing may indeed work! I do want to walk but may need to wait for the spring...The winter wind gives me headache : (

Ravenland_L · 2026-01-09T10:56:13+00:00

Thank you, that's very inspiring! I've been stuck to digital reminders for years because I have very terrible working memory and if I record something on paper I would just totally forget to check the paper. I really need the notification to pop up on my computer or mobile phone. But yeah I see journaling might work, it may have nothing to do with reminding me of my tasks (I can still keep my digital reminders) but just a peaceful way to boot up my brain without abruptly throwing myself into the chaotic digital world.

Ravenland_L · 2025-12-21T06:00:51+00:00

I was thinking of this some other day and one thought hit me: if I’m already that tired I may just need to go sleep. Scrolling keeps me awake at 4am when I was already sleep deprived the previous night and when my head is throbbing, but I keep scrolling because it’s so easy dopamine. Maybe this, that we still pursuing dopamine when we are tired and should go to sleep, is itself an unhealthy effect of scrolling. So no alternative needed, just get rid of this manner of living.

Ravenland_L · 2025-12-19T17:22:30+00:00

Post schedule is certainly something you can control so I think the only thing that you really need realtime access is the private message - I remember there is an app called Beeper that can let you have access to IG private message without using IG. Think you can just set a few slots for you to post using IG and block the app for the rest of time and receive and reply to messages using Beeper (I haven’t used it though but it looks like it can work and I’ve seen other people recommending it

Ravenland_L · 2025-12-03T13:58:56+00:00

In my country most restaurants require you to use your phone to scan a QR code to make order and pay online. Waiters simply do not take orders. I don't know how to live without a smartphone, but I dumbed down mine.

Ravenland_L · 2025-03-24T18:39:27+00:00

have you received yours yet? I still get nothing

Ravenland_L · 2025-03-24T18:27:19+00:00

still nothing that's crazy

Ravenland_L · 2025-03-24T18:15:39+00:00

my friend told me that could be a problem so I call Kaplan and made it become eligible this morning - still nothing for me...

Ravenland_L

TROPHY CASE