If you’ve ever been to a casino, you’ll notice that there are no clocks, no windows, and no straight angles. Ugly carpet patterns keep your eyes forward as you wander through curved hallways, your gaze fought over by the endless glow of slot machines. These design peculiarities are not accidental, but deliberately chosen to keep you in a prolonged state of mindlessness.
The Internet today pretty much operates in the same way. Auto-playing reels, bright red notification bubbles, and an infinite algorithmic feed, all meticulously engineered to maximize your engagement. But the difference between Big Internet and Big Casino is that the former isn’t vying for your money, but an arguably much more precious resource - your attention.
Luckily, there are ways to take back our attention from the criminal entities trying to steal it from us. Below I will share five tips that have worked for me so far, but your mileage may vary.
1. Make yourself busy
I’ve had friends suggest apps that set time limits for each app, but I never found them useful or convincing. Presumably if you’re choosing to spend time on your phone, a simple reminder isn’t going to stop it. But if you have other obligations that take time out of your day, by elementary arithmetic that means you have less time doomscrolling.
Once I started making more plans with friends, developed a weekly running schedule, and picked up photography, I naturally lost the time and will to be on my phone all day.
2. Consume long-form content
To me, what constitutes “long-form content” has less to do with its length and more to do with how much mental work it takes to consume it. Usually this includes books, podcasts, and articles, but a well-written social media post on a deep subject matter can be equally effective. Consuming more long-form content not only helps your attention span, but you will find them so fulfulling that you won’t want to go back to those silly cat videos anymore.
3. Browser > app
Use everything from your browser. Literally, delete all your apps - Starbucks, Facebook, Bluesky, and the rest of them. If you need to use Instagram, for instance, open your browser, type in “www.instagram.com”, then enter your username and password. When you’re done, clear your current session.
I recommend Firefox Focus or the DuckDuckGo browser, since both allow you to easily erase all your data whenever you’re done with your current browsing session.
Doing this helps you become more intentional about using social media and prevents you from subconsciously opening your apps whenever you’re bored. As a side benefit, you’ll notice that UIs are less responsive in the browser. Lots of features like pop-ups, auto-playing videos, and animations don’t work, making the whole experience much less addictive.
4. Disable biometrics and use a long password
Disable biometrics - face ID, touch ID, and whatever else is out there. Use a 20-character passphrase with special symbols. This will make unlocking your phone more difficult. Furthermore, if you get arrested, usually law enforcement can force you to unlock your phone via biometrics, but if they ask for your password, all you have to do is stay silent.
5. Spend more time outdoors
Spending time in nature is both physically and mentally therapeutic. It can aid our attention span and calm our nervous system. Furthermore, with total ecological collapse at our feet, who knows when the next time you’ll be able to climb that mountain or see a turtle?