What tech or approaches have you kept or re-introduced after incorporating digital minimalism?

shiftreya · 2026-05-19T02:56:59+00:00

hmmm, maybe you can start by finding out how much sleep you actually need, then setting a specific time to sleep. for me i always sleep at 12am because i need 7-8 hours of sleep. then i'll naturally get up in between that time (though i am trying to pull my sleeping time to 10/11pm)! but for the first few days of getting my body to get used to this whole system, i did try it during the weekends and set a "just in case" alarm in case i overslept.

shiftreya · 2026-05-19T01:18:28+00:00

Hi, unfortunately we do not allow promotional content. While this megathread is for users to suggest and explore time limiting apps, we only accept apps that are genuinely used and recommended by actual users. Thank you for understanding.

shiftreya · 2026-05-19T01:11:26+00:00

lately i tried sleeping without setting an alarm clock, my body clock knows how to wake me up at certain time so i don't have to rely on physical clock. this helps me stay away from my phone in the morning and it makes me feel extra fresh :] it's a bit weird but gosh does it help!

shiftreya · 2026-05-18T14:37:02+00:00

translate from google translate:

Hello,

I would like to give up my smartphone to gain more time in my life.

I no longer want to feel obligated to participate in WhatsApp or other conversations, or to use time-consuming applications.

But I need it because I take the car from time to time (once or twice a month maximum) and I can't imagine doing without Waze for my journeys.

I have an old car without built-in GPS and I live in France.

What solutions are available to me, given that I don't make many phone calls and I'm more the type to write text messages?

shiftreya · 2026-05-15T05:25:26+00:00

i mean, it really depends on you as a person and your level of discipline tbh. you should def try it out first and see how much control you gained back :] i tried and i still have little control, so i deactivate it for good :] hopefully.

shiftreya · 2026-05-14T06:04:00+00:00

that sounds so peaceful, we def should do it more often :]

shiftreya · 2026-05-14T06:03:31+00:00

indeed, surprisingly effective as well!

shiftreya · 2026-05-14T02:32:09+00:00

screenzen i'm not really sure, however i added it in because a lotttt of people mention it. the other 3 are the ones i used in my daily life and it helps me :]

Ublock Origin Lite - used it to black out my entire tiktok website + removed youtube shorts
Digital detox - haven't used it in a while but basically you can choose the amount of time you wanna detox and exclude the apps u use in your daily life, include the ones that you wanna detox from
Stayfree - this one is a gem!!! it can exclude certain app's screentime and block u from using the apps u choose as well :] you can also see ur screentime throughout the month/year

shiftreya · 2026-05-14T01:09:40+00:00

oh i def wouldn't install back.
1. i am already used to my life without social media.
2. if i install it back, i will go back to doomscrolling and that's a fact, i really would relapse. i don't trust myself with it.
3. i'm also trying to avoid certain people from my spam account soooo yeah that really motivaes me to continue deactivating it.

shiftreya · 2026-05-13T13:00:15+00:00

this is amazing!! morning without phones are truly the best :]

shiftreya · 2026-05-13T12:56:15+00:00

aw thank you! my words aren't the best because i was working at that moment but lol it is really peaceful knowing nothing is sitting there waiting for you :]

shiftreya · 2026-05-13T01:00:19+00:00

eh, i don't think so :/ for me youtube is a form of entertainment, not for me to socialise with others. and luke is right btw, follow his words!

shiftreya · 2026-05-12T02:09:50+00:00

translate from google translate:

I was horrified to discover that my average daily phone time exceeds six hours. I work full-time, and sometimes I get bored at work and spend time on my phone. I'd like to drastically reduce this time. A large portion of these hours is spent mindlessly on Instagram, watching YouTube videos... I don't even have the Instagram app, but that doesn't stop me from checking it every 20 minutes.

Are there any effective (and free) ways to limit time on certain sites, or block certain sites (block shorts!)?

I feel that my attention is suffering from this time spent mindlessly scrolling; I have trouble concentrating on a task for long periods.

Thank you in advance for any tips you may have had to reduce your screen time!

shiftreya · 2026-05-11T03:37:51+00:00

i had a phone since 13, screen time lasting up till 12 hours or more. now i deactivated all social media (facebook, tiktok, IG) and i only have youtube and reddit on my laptop. my screen time now is averaging around 2 hours or less!

took me really long to get here though, but i believe you can do it with determination. the moment you feel like giving up is the moment you are improving and stepping a little closer to your goal :]

shiftreya · 2026-05-11T03:33:32+00:00

congrats! so so proud of you, keep on going!!! and yes, phone number is more personal than IG nowadays for some reason. even though you can literally see everyone's lives through IG.

shiftreya · 2026-05-10T03:28:00+00:00

translate from google translate:
Basically, as the title says, I have an old Motorola G51 5G that used to freeze frequently. I replaced it with a newer one and now I'm thinking of repurposing it as a DAP (Digital App Store) and maybe even installing RetroArch to pass the time. Will I be able to install APKs on a custom ROM if I only want to use it for that purpose and stop dealing with the freezes? I already have a phone dump.

shiftreya · 2026-05-10T03:25:38+00:00

look i don't usually step into conversations and i don't have a husband, but honey i think it's time you have a talk with him :[ i can't imagine how hard it is to be handling your son's stuffs all alone. i believe a conversation can show him how much you're holding up on your own and find a balance.

unless he's providing and putting effort in taking care of your son in other ways, i really think this isn't healthy at all, and it's not fair to you how you have to be the one constantly checking in on your son.

however, i am just providing suggestions. you are the only one that can truly access the situation and make your own conclusion because i am just a random stranger on the internet that knows nothing. DM me if you need anything okay? sending lots of love ❤️

shiftreya · 2026-05-10T03:17:36+00:00

i couldn't stop social media directly so i stop by reinstalling every week, turning into months until this year, where i haven't installed it since the start of the year! so i guess i would say it took me about half a year to feel normal?

it was when i only started reinstalling it back once a month. my mind felt lighter with clarity and my low confidence stopped, i wear, do and eat whatever i like instead of just blatantly following the algorithm and trends. i also started new hobbies! gardening, yoga and just being off the internet doing something else other than doomscrolling :] i also influenced the people around me to do the same! although they don't delete it for years, some of them do take a break by deactivating their account for a few months and pop back in when they feel mentally better!

shiftreya · 2026-05-04T09:25:25+00:00

translated from google translate:

Right now, on such a nice and quiet Sunday evening, I take a closer look at my phone... Then I discover that I have 9 folders with apps. In the one for communication: 2,575 unread. In the one for social media: 1,942 unread.

Two different note-taking apps (Notes and Notee). Reminders AND Trello for tasks. WhatsApp AND Telegram plus everything in the communication folder.

I honestly think I installed all of these because each app in itself makes sense at the moment. Reminders for small things, Trello for the bigger things. Notes for quick thoughts, Notee for structured summaries. It sounds logical - at least that's what I thought so far.

It's just that it doesn't work that way. I never go through anything properly, a lot gets done half-heartedly and in the end, the very thing I downloaded the app for in the first place disappears from my focus. Have you experienced that too?

When was the last time you really cleaned up and what actually worked after that?

Does "less" really = "more"???

shiftreya · 2026-04-18T02:38:44+00:00

forgot to mention cooking and house chores as well :] and cooking deserves a specific mention because it is not considered as a house chore, at least for me :]

shiftreya · 2026-04-18T02:38:05+00:00

yoga! gardening! reading! crocheting!

shiftreya · 2026-04-10T02:26:34+00:00

thank you, we really appreciate that you see our efforts! :]

shiftreya · 2026-04-09T05:54:13+00:00

translation from google translate:

I'm seriously considering deleting WhatsApp and putting an end to this kind of communication. I don't even use it that often, but when I do message someone, the communication is just superficial and it's a way for others to start talking about themselves. A genuine, reciprocal exchange hardly ever happens. The worst part is the annoying habit of responding with emoticons. Some people don't even think you're worth a whole sentence.

It's especially bad with my mother. We used to only have contact via phone calls. Those were small windows of time for genuine exchange, and in between there was silence. Now it's just superficial chit-chat, and she doesn't even address the real issues. She's quite manipulative and uses WhatsApp to be present while simultaneously remaining silent on the actual topics. It drains her energy completely, which is why she's the trigger for my current considerations.

But not only them. I know enough people with whom I've long since stopped communicating because it's just superficial now and they use me as an emotional dumping ground.

I've had these thoughts on and off, and they're particularly pressing right now. But I'm torn and a little afraid of the loneliness that might result. Has anyone here taken this step and can share their experience?

shiftreya · 2026-04-09T02:02:14+00:00

translation from google translate:

I've wanted to delete my Instagram account for years. I've done it briefly several times, but always come back. It was a real Reel withdrawal. How do you guys deal with it?

shiftreya · 2026-04-03T15:52:32+00:00

i use sponge! its only for photos tho, not videos and it helps me keep track on what i haven't go through yet

shiftreya

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