⭕️ Why is No One Talking About This

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Hey my friend,

Let’s start with a quick challenge.

Check your screen time right now.

📱 iPhone: Settings > Screen Time
📱 Android: Settings > Digital Wellbeing

What’s your daily average?

If it’s more than 3 hours, we need to talk.

read time: 4 mins

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We Are Losing Years of Our Lives to Screens

Earlier this week, I was catching up with my best friends, and somehow the topic of screen time came up.

One of them casually mentioned that their average screen time is 8 hours a day.

Eight. Hours.

That’s 50% of our waking hours—essentially half of our lives spent on screens. If you add it all up, that’s 26.7 years of our lifetime staring at a screen​

And that’s just our phones. This doesn’t even include laptops, TVs, or the hundreds of other screens we interact with daily.

The numbers don’t lie:

• Gen Z spends an average of 7 hours and 7 minutes per day on their phones​

• 50.4% of teenagers spend more than 4 hours daily on screens​

• Excessive screen time is linked to anxiety, depression, and poor sleep​

And yet, we’re not really talking about it.

This is a silent crisis—one that’s affecting our mental health, energy levels, focus, and even relationships.

So, let’s talk about it.

Why Are We Addicted to Screens?

Before you start blaming yourself for scrolling too much, here’s the truth:

This isn’t your fault.

📱 Tech companies invest billions into keeping us hooked.
📱 Social media algorithms are designed to reward addiction.
📱 The longer we stay, the more money they make.

It’s not just about "willpower." These apps are literally engineered to hijack our attention.

Every time you scroll, your brain releases dopamine—the same feel-good chemical triggered by gambling or drug use.

And just like that, you’re in a loop.

You ever wake up feeling exhausted even though you slept?
Ever feel like you don’t have the energy to go out and meet people?
Ever feel stuck in a cycle of scrolling but not actually doing anything?

It’s not a coincidence.

We were never given the tools to navigate this world of unlimited screens.

But we can take back control.

From Consumer to Creator: The Shift That Changed Everything

I used to be stuck in the same cycle.

At the start of this year, my screen time hovered around 4-5 hours a day.

But then I made one mindset shift:

I stopped consuming and started creating.

Instead of passively scrolling, I started using my screen time with intention.

• If I was on my phone, I was writing, posting, or learning.

• If I was on YouTube, I was watching something that fueled my growth.

• If I was using social media, I was using it as a tool, not a distraction.

Today, I average between 1-2 hours a day—and I feel so much better for it.

So, how do you start?

The Three Levels of Taking Back Control

I know not everyone is ready to cut their screen time in half overnight. So here are three levels of action, depending on where you are:

LEVEL 1: The Awareness Stage (Start Here)

If you’re just starting, your goal is to understand your habits.

• Track your screen time daily for a week.

• Identify which apps you spend the most time on.

• Set app limits (even 30 minutes less per day makes a difference).

LEVEL 2: The Boundaries Stage (Reduce Mindless Use)

Now that you know where your time is going, start setting limits.

• Turn off ALL non-essential notifications.

• Remove social media apps from your home screen.

• No screens 30 minutes after waking up and 1 hour before bed.

• Schedule "Phone-Free" Time (start with 1 hour per day).

LEVEL 3: The Intentional Stage (Take Back Control)

Now it’s time to reclaim your attention.

• Replace social media with a creative habit (writing, designing, building something).

• Shift from endless consuming to intentional learning.

• Make your phone boring (grayscale mode, hide distracting apps).

• Find an accountability partner—someone to check in with.

My friend, I’m not saying this to make you feel bad. I’m saying this because we were never taught how to set boundaries with technology—and now, we’re paying the price.

The world isn’t going to slow down.
Apps aren’t going to become less addictive.

But we can choose how we engage with them.

I promise you—once you take back control, your mind will feel clearer, your energy will improve, and you’ll actually start living more.

So let me ask you:

How much of your life are you willing to trade for a screen?

It’s time to take back control.

With you on this journey,

P.S. Reply to this email with your current screen time—I’d love to hear your number and what changes you’re making. Let’s hold each other accountable. 🚀

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