Cutting Out (Part II)
Week 2 of reducing my phone screen time
If you haven't read the Part I of this series, read it here first.
I'm having withdrawals. Not as bad as before, because I think I've prepared for this. But I find myself looking for my phone for no absolute reason and getting disappointed there was no new message, or notification... anything that would have justified my fishing around for my phone.
I find that I reach for my phone when I need to find comfort or stimulation e.g. bored on the MRT, bored waiting for a bus, something bad happens and I need to run away from the uncomfortable feeling of dealing with said bad thing.
Checking my phone made me feel deflated. It's like, oh, there's nothing new. There's no novelty. It's kinda useless now but I still , like a maniac, keep reaching for it in hopes that it'll cure whatever maladie I'm suffering from, and being extremely disappointed when it fails to do so.
This past week, I've learned that a phone is truly just a tool for life, and not life itself. I've started pushing myself to leave my phone at home or away from me, assuring myself that nothing bad and urgent would happen.
And thankfully, nothing bad and urgent did happen.
Week 2
Average screen time per day last week: 2 hours 17 minutes. 35 days per year. 9.6% of 365 days. That's not too bad!
Sunday, 22 June 2025
Screen time: 1h 8 mins
I worked at the café so I picked out a paperback from my collection. I know I had to speedrun through my books before I donated them, so this was a good time to read my books.
However, I didn't bring the book as I knew I didn't have much downtime on Sundays. Heh.
During my break, I joined a queue for the toilet. A lady was in front of me, watching what seemed to be reels on Instagram. 2 bathroom stalls were vacated, and so I asked if she was waiting for one. She finally looked up and said yes, she was.
GURL. I need to pee! These damn kids and their phones, my inner aunty screamed.
I had a movie night with my husband. I told him that I'm currently doing this challenge and that I have shared it with him before. He asked if I shared it on whatsapp.
"No babe, on email."
"Oh when?" He exclaimed, surprised.
I sighed. "February, babe. I sent it to your personal email."
He furrowed his brows and then burst into laughter. "That was FOUR months ago! Okay, I'll look at it." Valid. A lot has happened since then.
We proceeded to watch the movie and I sobbed so much, my husband had to ask if I was okay. I was not.
Monday, 23 June 2025
Screen time: 0h 39 mins
My husband found the email I forwarded to him in February, and proceeded to sign up for the challenge. He started week 1!
For this week, I deleted some apps that I haven't used in a while such as Booking and SNCF (French train system). I also turned off all of my notifications except for necessary ones from apps like banking, phone, whatsapp and telegram. The rest...khlass!
I was also asked to create a physical boundary, such as putting my phone in a separate room before going to bed. It's a bit hard this one, because I live with my parents. So I took the suggestion of acting like I lived in a studio apartment. I placed my phone on my TV stand, on the opposite wall to my bed. I even took it a step further and hid my phone behind bags of coffee beans (yes, I have those in my room...) I put my phone on automatic Do-Not-Disturb mode from 10pm to 7am.
I wrote this week's newsletter in the morning at home, on my laptop. I had to use my phone, on the MRT, to check the email for this week's Reclaim Your Brain newsletter because I forgot to do it before I left for work. In the evening, I used my laptop to send out some promotion emails for my friend's business.
I was so tired, I crashed out early. Which meant I used my phone a lot less on this day! Sweet.
Tuesday, 24 June 2025
Screen time: 1h 12 mins
I woke up early and managed to: make a pourover coffee, have a peaceful breakfast, WORK OUT, vacuum and mop the floor - all before 11am.
My Whatsapp was popping off. I'm not sure why but I had a couple of lively conversations via text.
I had, however, time to do my makeup before heading out. 💅
I went to work earlier to send more promotion emails for my friend's business. I ended up talking to said friend and shelving my plans to write some character planning for my novel. Yes, I have been in the middle of writing the same novel since 2021. The story has progressed significantly in my head and all that's left is to put it on (digital) paper. I know, it's been 4 years. Please forgive me. I spent too much time on my phone!
Anyway, I found that since I'm on my phone less, I have been a bit bolder to strike up conversations with people I run into outside of work. Usually, I would avoid them, even if I knew them in a personal capacity. I know, embarrassing. But I managed to speak to an ex-manager in the MRT, and then a neighbour in the bus on the way home. I wonder if I'm now that annoying aunty who won't leave people alone. Will people start avoiding me when they see me in public?
I got home at 7.30pm and spoke to my sister and mum over dinner until 9-ish. We had a lot to talk about, apparently.
After washing up, I didn't feel sleepy so I went to my room to check some emails and ended up doom scrolling on my laptop which, goodness gracious, was what I wanted to avoid when I started this challenge!! AGH.
Wednesday, 25 June 2025
Screen time: 1h 35 mins
The night before, I resolved to wake up earlier to work out. I did not. I need to listen to my body and rest. Even at my peak, I had to take one day rest in between each work out day - let alone now.
It was a weekday at the café so I expected some downtime. I finally brought the book Amanat with me and started reading it properly.

At some point, I decided to push this whole less-phone thing further by going to the restroom a few times without my phone. I thought I'd be more anxious about it. Turns out... it's fine. I don't need a phone in the toilet. The world is not going to burn down. My job isn't life and death. People can survive waiting 5 more minutes for their coffees. (If they can't, that's something they need to discuss with a doctor)
I used my phone to check flights randomly while waiting for my bus. I... could have done that at home. I resolved to write down my searching desires on paper and wait until I'm home to decide if it's worth satisfying the curiosity.
Thursday, 26 June 2025
Screen time: 0h 38 mins
I woke up slightly later than usual to the sound of my cat slamming his paws against the tv in the living room. Someone must have put one of those cat games videos on youtube.
I had my journal on my table but I have resisted writing my morning pages for a couple of days now. Instead, I went to check my emails on my tablet and saw my schedule for the upcoming term. 🤦
I had a slow morning - made breakfast, helped my sister with her laundry, and finally threw away a broken wiper that has been with my family for probably a decade now.
For the rest of the day, I replied some emails, made some calls, did my job, and even started writing this post. All of them on my trusty old macbook.
Friday, 27 June 2025
Screen time: 3h 7 mins (!!!!)
I woke up to a text from a friend asking if I was working today, which made me panic a little because I thought I might be. As it turns out, I chose this day as my off day because I was going to work more than usual on the following day.
I decided this would be a great day to replicate the work out I did on Tuesday.
I then took a shower, skipped breakfast and headed out to have lunch at the nearby mall. This time, I decided to leave my phone at home to push the boundaries of my phoneless-induced anxiety. I promised to nobody that I would only be away for a 1-hour lunch and went on my way.
I wondered how people used to just walk out of the home without any means of contacting them. I remember my dad used to have a pager, where someone would "call" the pager, and he would need to return their call using a payphone or something. You didn't even have a contact list! He'd recognise who called by their phone numbers!
Don't ask me for my husband's number because I haven't had it memorised. Maybe I should.
Anyway, nothing bad happened. Food was great. The thing I noticed though was the noise. I was using my phone, all this time, with airpods in and a video I could enjoy, to block out all the noise from the crowds and the alerts from food takeaway apps blaring in the background. General, generic, gnarly everyday urban noises.
I don't think I'm sensitive to noise or if it's a sign of sensory-related issues. I just think our world is a lot noisier now, especially in a packed urban city like Singapore.
Oh wait, something bad did happen. The coffee from Dunkin Donuts was horrible. I spent the past year training my palate to taste the best coffees possible only to drink something that tastes like regret. The (free) boston creme donut was a consolation. It didn't even save the coffee.
I came home, checked my phone, realised nothing important had happened in the 1-hour I left it alone, then lounged around like a cat in the 34 degree weather.
I missed my husband dearly, so I looked at our photos and videos together on my phone. I then asked if he was free for a chat. I had nothing worthy or important to say, I just wanted to speak to him. He was free for a chat.
Contributed to the high screen time on this day. But so worth it ❤️
Saturday, 28 June 2025
Screen time: 2h 23 mins (!!!)
I started the day with already 38 minutes of screentime due to my video call with my husband but like I said, worth it. The whole point of using a communication device was to build relationships, no?
Despite starting work at 9am, and needing to travel about an hour to it, I had time to write in my journal AND do a 10-minute meditation session with Sam Harris.
The rest of the day was a blur: I worked, then ate lunch while reading a book, I worked some more, and went home.
I used my phone quite a bit today but the two main things were: replying texts (getting updates about my friend's graduation from Sciences Po! and; our wedding photographer telling us our album will be ready soon!), and ordering food - twice! First was during lunch, where I had a paper menu to use before deciding on what to order on my phone, and during dinner where there was no paper menu and I wasn't alone so we used my phone and passed it around the table for everyone to key in their order.
I'm a bit iffy about this. It relieves the work of servers who would have to listen to your order, repeat your order, and then put the order in. But at the same time, it feels too...sanitised. I much prefer the paper and pen method to skip the whole server-takes-your-order process. I guess it helps to reduce errors*?
*My BIL's order was wrong even though my sister swore she tapped the right order, and that when I read out everyone's order before submitting it, she confirmed she heard the correct orders. Systems make mistakes too, not just humans!
Anyway, my mum forgot her phone in the car and I witnessed first-hand the effect of phone addiction withdrawal. My mum asked my sister if she could return to the car (parked in another building, a few floors down) and take her phone because she wanted to watch tiktoks. I joked that she could talk to me instead.
We actually did. My sister, mum and I talked about whatever came to mind while waiting for our food. When she retrieved her phone, she shrugged and said "Oh, well, nothing much actually. No messages."
It's a Saturday, mum.
Read the rest of the series here.