Let’s be honest—if you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you’re doing exactly what you told yourself you wouldn’t do last night. You planned to wake up early, get out of bed, and be productive. Maybe you wanted to read, hit the gym, or work on a side project before the day got busy. But instead, here you are, phone in hand, caught in the endless loop of social media scrolling.
I get it. I’ve been there more times than I can count. Despite creating content on productivity, I’ve found myself lost in social media rabbit holes, wasting precious time. For me, Twitter was the biggest culprit. I’d tell myself I was just checking notifications, only to end up deep in debates over random tweets, losing an hour (or more) of my morning.
But since the start of 2024, I haven’t fallen into that trap once. What changed? One simple but powerful action—I deleted social media apps from my phone.
The Power of Removing Temptation
At first, it seemed like a drastic move. Social media has been a big part of my life, and I’ve made real friends through platforms like Twitter. But I realized there’s a difference between using social media intentionally and letting it consume my time unconsciously.
When you check social media on a desktop, it’s usually a deliberate action. You sit down, open a browser, and engage with purpose. But on your phone, it’s different. It’s habitual, automatic, and designed for instant gratification. The quick dopamine hits keep you coming back, often at the cost of your time and focus.
More Than Just Mornings: A Positive Ripple Effect
Removing social media from my phone didn’t just fix my mornings—it improved other areas of my life, too. No more mindless scrolling in checkout lines. No more extended workout breaks just because I got caught up in an argument online. I found myself cooking more often, keeping my space cleaner, and generally being more present in real life.
The change wasn’t just about cutting out a bad habit but replacing it with better ones. Instead of reaching for my phone, I started using that time for activities that brought real satisfaction. This aligns with a core principle of habit formation: we don’t just break habits—we replace them.
The 20-Second Rule: Make Good Habits Easier
This idea is tied to something I read in The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. He talks about activation energy—the amount of effort needed to start a behavior. If something takes more than 20 seconds to do, you’re less likely to do it impulsively. By removing social media from my phone, I introduced just enough friction to break the habit. If I wanted to check Twitter, I had to go to my computer, making it a conscious decision rather than a mindless one.
The same principle works in reverse: if you want to build a good habit, make it easier to start. Want to play guitar more? Keep it within arm’s reach. Want to read more? Leave a book on your nightstand instead of your phone.
Should You Delete Social Media from Your Phone?
I’m not here to tell you what to do, but I can say that this one change made a huge difference in my life. If you find yourself stuck in the same scrolling cycle, why not try it? See what happens when you remove the easy access and reclaim those lost moments.
And maybe, just maybe, instead of clicking on another article, there’s something else in the real world you could do right now. So go ahead—touch grass.
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