EPISODE · May 10, 2026 · 25 MIN
Ending Excess Screen Time (Habits that actually work)
from Immersion · host Pamela Carey
We’ve all heard the basic advice: turn off notifications, put your phone in grayscale, or just "try harder." But if you’re like me, those tips didn't stick. After years of experimentation and diving into the psychology of habit formation, I’ve finally found a system that is working for me.In this episode (Part 2 of our series on technology), we are moving past the philosophy and getting into more specific action steps. We’re talking about building friction, managing decision fatigue, and finding the "why" that actually keeps you away from the screen.In this episode, we discuss:The Power of Friction: Lockboxes, website blockers, and "dumb phones." Beating Decision Fatigue: Creating a "Guidelines List" so you don't have to make constant difficult choices.Drilling Down to Your "Why": Finding a compelling reason to change. Why adding fulfilling activities is better than just "stopping" (Shout-out to Cal Newport and his "Deep Life" work!).Analog Switches: Why using tools such as paper planners, watches, and physical notepads helps more than we may have initially thought. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro: The bold claim about ending screen time01:10 Strategic Friction: Using lockboxes & blockers to break the habit07:20 Ending Decision Fatigue: How to create your "Guidelines List"15:39 The Deep Life: Why "just stopping" doesn't work (inspired by Cal Newport)17:29 The Core Shift: Digging to your compelling "Why"19:27 Analog Wins: The psychology of paper, pens, and watches23:46 Join the Conversation: How to leave a voice note (SpeakPipe)24:33 A Personal Note: Life update & why the schedule changedResources and Episodes Mentioned: Changing Your Relationship With Technology (Part 1): https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318937/episodes/17789635Finding Purpose and Meaning: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318937/episodes/18932472How to Organize Your Mind: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2318937/episodes/17960805Cal Newport’s The Deep Life Podcast: https://www.thedeeplife.com/Gretchen Rubin: Abstainers vs. Moderators: https://gretchenrubin.com/articles/abstainer-vs-moderator/Leave a voice message hereNewsletter sign upYouTube - channel Instagram - we will be posting here soon
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We’ve all heard the basic advice: turn off notifications, put your phone in grayscale, or just "try harder." But if you’re like me, those tips didn't stick. After years of experimentation and diving into the psychology of habit formation, I’ve finally found a system that is working for me. In this episode (Part 2 of our series on technology), we are moving past the philosophy and getting into more specific action steps. We’re talking about building friction, managing decision fatigue, and fin...
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Ending Excess Screen Time (Habits that actually work)
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