My YouTube Addiction - what now?

Summary

In this video, the creator reflects on their screen time habits, particularly their heavy use of YouTube despite cutting down on other social media platforms in 2023. They discuss the realization that YouTube can be as addictive as other apps and share their experiences and strategies for reducing screen time, including setting a goal of no more than 2 hours of phone usage per day. The creator also talks about their efforts to be more intentional with the content they consume and seeks audience input on managing screen time and content consumption.

Takeaways

• 📱 The speaker encourages viewers to check their daily screen time and praises those under 2 hours.
• 🚫 The speaker has consciously avoided social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat in 2023.
• 🎥 Despite avoiding social media, the speaker's screen time did not decrease, indicating YouTube was not considered a social media platform.
• 📺 The speaker spent a significant amount of time on YouTube, sometimes up to 18 hours in a week, which was realized to be excessive.
• 🛑 The speaker made excuses for the high YouTube usage, such as listening to podcasts or watching educational content, but acknowledges it was often unnecessary.
• 🔍 The speaker delves into the habit of consuming 'junk' content on YouTube, including rabbit holes and true crime stories.
• 📉 The speaker admits that cutting down on other social media did not reduce screen time, as YouTube filled the void.
• 🔑 For 2024, the speaker aims to correct the overuse of YouTube and be more intentional with content consumption.
• 🎁 The speaker now uses YouTube as a reward system after a productive day, limiting viewing to one video.
• 📚 The speaker mentions the idea of treating video watching as a focused activity, like watching a movie, rather than mindless scrolling.
• 🚫 The speaker considers deleting the YouTube app to help reduce screen time but has not done so yet, choosing to be more intentional with usage instead.
• 🎮 The speaker also mentions the time spent on Reddit and a new game, Polytopia, as additional distractions from reducing screen time.

Q & A

What is the speaker's initial request to the audience before starting the video?

The speaker asks the audience to pause and check their daily screen time to see if it's under the 2-hour mark.

What does the speaker consider as 'social media' in the context of the video?

The speaker refers to Tik Tok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat as social media, excluding YouTube from this category.

Why does the speaker feel that YouTube was not a problem initially?

The speaker initially thought YouTube was not a problem because it offers long-form content and they felt they were learning valuable things from it.

What was the speaker's realization about their screen time at the end of 2023?

The speaker realized that despite avoiding other social media platforms, their screen time, particularly on YouTube, did not decrease and was actually a problem.

What specific habit did the speaker develop that they consider unhealthy?

The speaker developed the habit of using YouTube videos to fall asleep, which they consider unhealthy.

What is the speaker's strategy to make their YouTube consumption more intentional?

The speaker uses YouTube as a reward system, allowing themselves to watch one history video after a good work day and not being on their phone much.

Why does the speaker believe that watching videos on a laptop is healthier than on a phone?

The speaker believes it's healthier because it treats the video like a movie, allowing focused viewing rather than mindless scrolling on a phone.

What other platform did the speaker end up spending more time on after cutting down on social media apps?

The speaker spent more time on Reddit after cutting down on other social media apps.

What game did the speaker download after reading about Elon Musk's recommendation?

The speaker downloaded the game 'Polytopia' after reading about Elon Musk's recommendation.

What is the speaker's goal for 2024 regarding phone screen time?

The speaker's goal for 2024 is to cut down on phone screen time to no more than 2 hours a day.

What does the speaker encourage the audience to do in the comments section?

The speaker encourages the audience to share their feelings about their screen time, tips for cutting down, and whether they feel in control of their content consumption.

Outlines

00:00

📱 Excessive Screen Time and YouTube Dependency

The speaker initiates the video by encouraging viewers to check their daily screen time and reflects on their own usage, particularly on YouTube. Despite a conscious effort to avoid social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat in 2023, the speaker's screen time did not decrease significantly due to an increased reliance on YouTube. They initially didn't consider YouTube as a social media platform and justified their extensive usage by claiming to learn valuable information and improve their own YouTube content. However, upon reflection, they realized that much of the time spent on YouTube was unproductive and consumed random, non-essential content. The speaker admits to spending up to 18 hours a week on YouTube, which they now acknowledge as problematic and vows to address in the current year by forming healthier habits and using YouTube more intentionally as a reward rather than a daily habit.

05:02

🎮 The Impact of Digital Media and the Struggle to Disconnect

In the second paragraph, the speaker discusses the broader impact of digital media on their life, including the struggle to disconnect from YouTube and the discovery of new time sinks such as Reddit and the game Polytopia. They highlight the addictive nature of social media and the difficulty in maintaining control over content consumption, especially when trying to fill the void left by cutting out other platforms. The speaker also contemplates deleting the YouTube app to curb their usage but decides to keep it for now, focusing instead on being more intentional with their content consumption. They share their intention to treat watching videos as a treat rather than a constant activity and express their goal for 2024 to reduce overall phone screen time to no more than two hours per day. The speaker concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts and tips on managing screen time and content consumption, emphasizing the importance of intentionality in their digital habits.

Keywords

💡Screen Time

Screen time refers to the amount of time an individual spends looking at a digital device's screen, such as a smartphone, tablet, or computer. In the video's context, the creator is concerned about excessive screen time, particularly on mobile devices, and its potential negative impact on daily life. The script mentions a '2-hour mark' as a benchmark for healthy usage, indicating that the creator believes over two hours of daily screen time may be excessive.

💡Social Media

Social media are internet-based applications that allow the creation and sharing of content, as well as communication with other users. The video discusses the creator's conscious effort to avoid social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, which they felt were consuming too much of their time. The creator's experience with social media highlights the struggle to balance online interaction with personal well-being.

💡YouTube

YouTube is a video-sharing platform that allows users to upload, view, rate, share, comment on videos, and subscribe to other users. The script reveals that while the creator attempted to reduce social media use, they spent more time on YouTube than ever before, unintentionally substituting one form of screen consumption for another. This illustrates the challenge of digital detox and the allure of seemingly 'productive' content on platforms like YouTube.

💡Content Consumption

Content consumption refers to the act of engaging with various forms of media, such as videos, articles, and social media posts. The video emphasizes the creator's realization of the amount of time spent passively consuming content on YouTube and the need to be more intentional with what they watch. The creator's narrative shows a shift from mindless browsing to a more curated and purposeful approach to media engagement.

💡Productivity

Productivity is the efficiency of an individual's work or the rate at which products are produced. In the script, the creator mentions watching videos on YouTube that are meant to improve productivity. However, they later question whether the 18 hours spent on YouTube each week were truly contributing to their productivity or if it was just another form of procrastination.

💡Intentionality

Intentionality refers to the quality of being deliberate or conscious about one's actions. The video's theme revolves around the creator's goal to be more intentional with their content consumption, aiming to reduce screen time and focus on meaningful activities. The creator's journey reflects a broader trend of seeking to align online activities with personal values and goals.

💡Habit Formation

Habit formation is the process by which a behavior becomes automatic through repetition. The script discusses the creator's struggle with forming new habits to replace their excessive YouTube usage, such as using the platform as a reward for a productive day. This highlights the difficulty of breaking established patterns and the importance of creating healthier routines.

💡YouTube Shorts

YouTube Shorts is a feature on YouTube that allows users to create and watch short, vertical videos. The creator expresses their skepticism about the value of YouTube Shorts for their personal interests, suggesting that the algorithm doesn't always cater to their preferences. This reflects a broader critique of how algorithmic content curation can sometimes lead to less meaningful engagement.

💡Addiction

Addiction is a brain disorder characterized by compulsive engagement in rewarding stimuli despite adverse consequences. The video script uses the term 'addict' to describe the creator's feeling of dependency on YouTube, indicating a recognition of the platform's potential to foster unhealthy attachment and the need to 'wean' themselves off it.

💡Polytopia

Polytopia is a mobile game that has been mentioned as an example of a time-consuming activity that the creator engaged in, which mirrors the time spent on social media and YouTube. The game's appeal and the creator's subsequent decision to delete it from their phone underscore the challenges of managing screen time and avoiding distractions.

💡Reddit

Reddit is a social news aggregation, web content rating, and discussion website. The creator mentions an unexpected increase in their time spent on Reddit as a replacement for other social media platforms. This highlights the fluid nature of digital consumption habits and the ease with which one platform can replace another in an individual's daily routine.

Highlights

The video encourages viewers to check their daily screen time and assess if it exceeds 2 hours.

The creator acknowledges the influence of two YouTubers who inspired the video's theme and will provide links to their videos.

In 2023, a conscious effort was made to avoid social media platforms like TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat.

Despite avoiding social media, screen time did not decrease, indicating that time spent on YouTube was not initially considered.

YouTube was not categorized as social media by the creator, leading to an increased time spent on the platform.

The creator spent an excessive amount of time on YouTube, sometimes reaching 18 hours in a week.

Excuses were made for the high screen time, such as using YouTube as a podcast or to fall asleep.

The realization that watching YouTube videos was not fulfilling any positive needs in life, despite the content being captivating.

A shift in perspective on the impact of consuming True Crime content and questioning its necessity.

The creator's intention to correct the overuse of YouTube and form healthier habits in the new year.

Implementing YouTube as a reward system for good work days to reduce screen time.

The struggle with being on YouTube daily and the feeling of addiction to the platform.

The creator's consideration of deleting the YouTube app to curb excessive usage.

The unexpected increase in time spent on Reddit as a replacement for other social media platforms.

The discovery of a new phone game, Polytopia, and its potential to disrupt efforts to reduce screen time.

The goal for 2024 is to reduce overall phone screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.

The video serves as a follow-up to the creator's previous video on life changes and being intentional with content consumption.

A call to action for viewers to share their thoughts and tips on managing screen time in the comments section.

Transcripts

so before we get into this video I first

want to ask you to pause and to check

your screen time right now check how

long your screen time is per day if you

are under the 2hour mark good job and

this video probably is not for you if

you are spending more than 2 hours

screen time on your phone every day

let's talk about it I also wanted to

quickly hop in and just say before we

start this video there were two

YouTubers that really inspired this

video for me I think I'll be talking

about a lot of similar things that they

were talking about but wanted to keep

this conversation going so check out

their videos I will link them down below

if you want to learn more and hear

different sides to a similar Topic in

2023 I made a very conscious effort to

avoid social media and by social media I

mean Tik Tok Instagram Facebook Snapchat

Facebook and Snapchat are basically dead

to me um not to be harsh I just realized

that I needed to cut down on these

things and I thought I was doing a

pretty good job at the end of 2023 but

if you actually look at my screen time

it didn't not go down notice how when I

was talking about how I avoided social

media apps I didn't mention

YouTube I personally didn't think

YouTube was like social media I it's

long form content there's some really

cool things I've learned off YouTube I

love posting to YouTube um so I didn't

really think it was a big deal to like

really focus on analyzing how much time

I was spending on YouTube last year

though I think I probably spent the most

time on YouTube in in my entire lifetime

and I think the reason for that was

because I was being so cautious about

spending time on these other social

media apps that then I just like used

YouTube to fill the void like I I spent

way more time on YouTube than I usually

would and um I didn't like to think of

it as like a problem because I still

felt and like to myself I still felt

proud that I was doing better like I

still wasn't going on Instagram for

multiple hours a day or anything like

that but when I reflect on 2023 and how

much time I spent on my phone I realized

it it was a problem you know there were

specifically some weeks I looked at my

screen time and it would say something

like 18 hours on YouTube you know I'm

spending more than a working like a

whole working day just on YouTube

granted I would make excuses like oh

well I like to sometimes like listen to

a podcast on video format on my phone

when I'm working or um I'll use that to

fall asleep which honestly is just like

an unhealthy Habit in general to use a

YouTube video to help me fall asleep but

yeah I'd make excuses like that and be

like oh that's why it's you know 18

hours but it's 18 hours come on and my

other excuses were like oh well um I

love History Channels and I also watch

videos on how to get better at posting

on YouTube or how to improve my

productivity and da d d d da and then I

realized well okay do you need 18 hours

of this material every single week and

if you're really being honest with

yourself there's so much other junk that

you end up consuming probably more than

those videos I go down rabbit holes on

the weirdest things on YouTube I've

learned

about YouTube super beef tea channels

things about celebrities I didn't need

to know I've consumed so much random

content on YouTube and No hate to that

content cuz you know it's captivating it

got me hooked I would go down these

rabbit holes but I I didn't need it for

my own life and it wasn't actually

fulfilling any really positive needs in

my life like for example True Crime that

is something I would watch a lot of True

Crime content do I need to know all

these details about these like graphic

murders or stories no I really don't um

and I really think if I'm honest with

myself about 2023 sure I cut down a lot

on the other social media channels but

did I cut down on YouTube no I probably

went overboard with it and I think

that's why this year I really want to

focus on correcting that problem and uh

you know even now as I'm trying to

correct this issue or I guess form a

healthier habit with YouTube I noticed

that you know I go on YouTube every

single day I don't think there's a

single day I don't check YouTube and yes

I'm posting content on YouTube you know

I'm trying to post twice a week but I

can check that they have like a YouTube

studio um app where you can check like

the analytics and see if any comments

come through I don't need to be on

YouTube every single

day and I do feel a bit like an addict

where I'm trying to like wean myself off

and and fix the habits that I've formed

and and make healthier habits so you

know currently you'll see in my last

video I talk a lot about being more

intentional with the content I consume

and you know I'll now use YouTube as

like a reward system you know I've had a

really good work day I haven't been on

my phone much you get to have one

history video to watch in the evening or

the late afternoon and I feel like that

feels like a healthier way to kind of

detach from constantly being on YouTube

now it's like oh this is like a treat

this is a reward for you know not

constantly browsing now you get to watch

one video and I really try to just like

focus on that video instead of sometimes

I would be on YouTube on my phone I

think the phone is the big problem for

me again hence why I mentioned screen

time I've be watching the video and then

my attention span yes it's long form

content I'm trying to tell myself that

this is like not so bad to consume well

you know the whole time I'm in the

comments reading the comments or if I'm

not in the comments you know the video

is minimized and then I'm back on the

homepage looking for the next video to

click on

like it is crazy actually how social

media gets us so hooked um don't get me

started on YouTube shorts I don't even

think honestly YouTube shorts are that

great as in like the algorithm doesn't

usually find things I'm actually

interested in but I would still just

like be browsing through it so me

cutting out Tik Tok and Instagram didn't

really do much because I'm just

supplementing it now with YouTube and

YouTube shorts so yeah I realize that

YouTube can be a problem um I think it's

a lot healthier for me to watch a video

on my laptop treat it like a movie treat

it like a treat I'm focused on it I'm

watching it versus me scrolling through

my phone non-stop on YouTube and you

know I've really played with the idea of

deleting the app as I mentioned there's

YouTube Studio where I can still see how

my analytics are doing um I've decided

not to delete the app for now because

this week the beginning of 2024 has been

going pretty well with just making sure

I'm more intentional of when I hop on

YouTube and the way I'm consuming

content but I will update you guys you

know if I'm finding it hard to get my

screen time down for YouTube

uh I think I'll have to delete the app I

think that might be the next step and

you know the funny thing is I talk about

you know cutting down on different apps

and everything YouTube was one of the

main app that kind of replaced all the

other social media apps but I also ended

up being someone who read a lot of

Reddit last year I never thought I'd be

a Reddit person as been going on Reddit

a lot again nothing wrong with Reddit I

just didn't think I'd spend that much

time on it but last year I ended up

spending a lot more time on Reddit

because I had cut down on other social

media apps so that's another thing I'm

being careful about this year and then

you know I'll throw this in here as well

this week A new challenge in my life was

I've been cutting down on YouTube I've

already cut down a lot on the social

media apps besides what I'm posting for

my business and stuff I found out in the

recent Elon Musk book that he really

liked a phone game called polytopia um

so I downloaded it cuz I was curious you

know he had like I can't remember was

like seven lessons from polytopia or

something like that I used to love

playing civilization before and if

you're Civ player don't and you get

hooked on it don't play polytopia

polytopia is like the phone game version

of Civ I spent the other night when I

first downloaded it I think I spent like

2 to 3 hours playing it again destroyed

my phone screen time not great and I

will have to delete that app off my

phone you know it hasn't been too bad

this week but I do notice like when I

have downtime and now I'm like oh can't

go on social media can't go on

YouTube Along Comes polytopia

I never have been a big phone game girl

either so it's really interesting these

little things make it harder to cut down

so I think that's why my goal for 2024

is cut down on phone screen time in

general I don't want to be on my phone

for more than 2 hours a day because if

I'm posting stuff for work and

everything even if I'm talking to

friends there's no reason to be on your

phone for more than 2 hours a day unless

you know your job specifically needs

that so yeah this is a little bit of a

ranty video I just wanted it as like a

follow-up for my last video my last

video I talk about how I'm changing my

life this year um the kind of

realizations I've had and how I want to

be more intentional with content I

consume so this is you know a follow- up

on that to me just kind of talking about

why that's so important to me this year

and um I want to hear from all of you in

the comments below that stuck around

that has more than 2 hours every day

spent on their phone how are you feeling

about it what are your tips for cutting

down on you know your screen time do you

feel like you're in control of how much

content you consume I'm really

interested to hear the conversation Down

Below in the comments anyways I will see

you guys all in the next video thanks

for sticking around and uh enjoy the

rest of your week bye

friends