I was having dinner with a friend a few months ago. They noticed I wasn’t being present. I was completely glued to my phone. There wasn’t a particular reason for why I was on my phone so much. I checked social media, the markets, and Twitter out of habit. But I realized this wasn’t the kind of person I wanted to be. I wasn't always like this. I think a combination of COVID, Crypto Twitter, and algorithms evolving slowly affected my Screen time. And overtime I could feel it slowly affecting my ability to focus and research. So in the past few months I did some research and essentially did a "Focus Tuneup." Here are some things I did that actually lowered my Screen time by 60%: 1. No Screen Time in the First Hour of the Day I’ve gotten into a bad habit of checking messages and the markets as soon as I wake up. I have a new rule now…no screens for the first hour of the day. I’m turning my phone off and charging it in a different room before bed. As soon as I wake up I’ll go for a walk and start my morning routine. 2. Meditate Daily (10 Minutes) Think of meditation like lifting weights for your brain. I use the Calm app and follow the Daily Calm. Just 10 minutes makes a big difference in focus and awareness. 3. Use ClearSpace to Limit Distracting Apps You should eliminate as many distracting apps as possible. But sometimes certain ones (like Instagram or Twitter) are necessary evils. Instead of relying on willpower, I use an app called ClearSpace. This adds friction every time I want to use the app. For example, I’ve limited IG to 30 minutes a day. Every time I try to open it, ClearSpace makes me pause and do a breathing exercise. 4. Greyscale Mode = Instant Dopamine Detox Color makes your phone more addictive and entertaining. Switch to Greyscale to make it feel more boring. Settings → Accessibility → Display & Text Size → Color Filters → On → Select Greyscale Bonus Tip: Set up a shortcut to toggle it on and off by triple-clicking the side button: Settings → Accessibility → Accessibility Shortcut → Select Color Filters I like having the shortcut because if I take photos, I want to make sure the color and lighting looks good. 5. Track My Screen Time (Because What Gets Measured, Gets Managed) Your iPhone tracks daily screen time.. Just like getting stronger in the gym means tracking your weights and applying progressive overload, improving your focus means tracking your phone usage and gradually cutting it down. 6. No Algorithms Algorithms and “For You” pages are designed to be addictive. So limit their power. I don’t use the YouTube or Reddit app on my phone. I use the browser version which doesn’t know my preferences. It’s also a slower experience. Lists > the For You page. When I scroll Twitter on my Desktop, I use my lists. Just remember that change takes time. In order for these habits to stick, I just made a change a week. Too many changes at once can feel too overwhelming. There’s a principle that I’ve lived by throughout my life. The average person lives a pretty unremarkable life. If you want to live a fulfilling life, then simply do the opposite. So if the average person has close to 7 hours a day of phone screentime, you'll have an advantage if it's less. Go to a restaurant and you’ll see nearly every parent and kid glued to their phones. I don’t have a family yet, but I realized it’s important for me to build the right habits now. Some of the largest companies in the world make billions based on trying to increase your Screentime. Time is the most precious resource you have. One day you're going to be old. You're not going to look back and wish you spend more time on your Phone. You're going to wish you spent that time instead pursuing your dreams. Or having those conversations with your parents, friends, or your kids. If you don’t take charge of it now, you’ll spend years living reactively.