🧠 I Tracked My Screen Time for Three Days — and Honestly, I’m Embarrassed

By: Jaden Dazevedo



When I Realized My Phone Might Actually Own Me

When my professor told us to track our phone usage for three days, I kind of laughed. I didn’t think it would be that bad. I figured I was on my phone a few hours a day — texting, checking socials, maybe watching a few YouTube videos before bed. How bad could it really be?

Well… it was bad.

After downloading the YourHour app and letting it track my activity for 72 hours, I realized I spend around six and a half hours a day on my phone. Six hours! That’s basically a part-time job — except instead of earning money, I’m just losing brain cells scrolling through TikTok. Even worse, the app told me I picked up my phone more than 140 times a day. That’s like every ten minutes. No wonder I can’t focus on homework.



The “Addicted to Distraction” Wake-Up Call

After reading Tony Schwartz’s “Addicted to Distraction,” everything started to make sense. He talks about how our brains get hooked on that little dopamine hit every time we check a notification or refresh a feed. It’s like we’re training ourselves to crave constant stimulation.

I saw that exact thing happening to me. I’d open my phone “just to check something real quick,” and next thing I knew, twenty minutes were gone and I couldn’t even remember what I was originally doing.

As part of the assignment, I also included some political media in my 72-hour test. I thought that would at least make my screen time feel more productive. But honestly? It wasn’t. I spent about 45 minutes a day watching political clips on YouTube and Instagram Reels, and most of it was just people yelling over each other. The more I watched, the more annoyed I felt — and I realized those apps know exactly how to keep me hooked through outrage.

My Attention Span Has Left the Chat

That part of Schwartz’s article where he says distraction has become “a compulsion, not a choice”? Yeah… that hit me hard. Sometimes I’d be working on an assignment for one of my classes, and without even realizing it, I’d reach for my phone. It’s like my brain couldn’t handle quiet for more than five minutes.

By day two, I started noticing how badly this constant scrolling was messing with my concentration and even my mood. I couldn’t sit still long enough to read a full chapter without getting the itch to check notifications. By the end of each day, my eyes hurt, I was mentally exhausted, and I hadn’t actually done much of anything.

Facing the Numbers (and My Habits)

When I looked back at my three-day report, I was embarrassed. I thought I was mindful about my phone use — but nope. Those numbers told the truth. Most of the time I wasn’t even doing anything meaningful; I was just filling silence.

The worst part? I noticed I wasn’t choosing how to spend my time — I was reacting. Notifications were basically running my day.

So yeah, I think it’s time for a change. Since finishing this experiment, I’ve started keeping my phone across the room when I study, and I put it on “Do Not Disturb” in class. I even tried a no-phone hour before bed, and my sleep felt amazing. It’s small stuff, but it helps.



Do I Need a Detox? Maybe.

I don’t think technology is evil — it’s actually kind of amazing when we use it right. It helps me keep up with TSC assignments, stay in touch with family, and keep up with the world. But I do think I’ve let it control me a little too much.

We’ve gotten so used to being constantly connected that it feels weird to just be present. I don’t want to spend my twenties glued to a screen. I want to actually live moments instead of recording them for Instagram stories.

This whole challenge reminded me that time and attention are the most valuable things we have. And honestly, I’ve been giving way too much of mine to apps that don’t give anything back.

Final Thoughts

Tracking my phone time for three days was uncomfortable, but it opened my eyes. I’m not swearing off my phone completely — I know I’ll still scroll sometimes. But now, I’m at least aware.

Maybe the next time I get that “screen time limit reached” notification, I’ll actually listen to it instead of clicking “ignore.”

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