YouTube might seem like a harmless form of entertainment,
but compulsively watching videos can negatively impact your education, career,
relationships and mental wellbeing.
Even if your binge-watching isn’t a full-blown YouTube
addiction, it might still be causing problems in your life. If you want to stop
wasting time on the internet, here are some steps you can take:
Clear your YouTube history
To keep you wanting more, the YouTube
algorithm combs through your search and watch history to recommend videos it
thinks you would like. The best way to stop it is to delete this information.
Set a daily YouTube limit
Check out our recommended screen time guidelines to
help you decide on a reasonable amount of time to spend watching videos each
day. Then, set a daily limit so you stop using YouTube when you reach that
threshold.
Switch on the take a break reminder
On YouTube settings, there is a ‘take a break’ reminder to
help you manage your usage. It will pause the video until you dismiss it or
resume playing the video. For users aged 13–17, the take a break reminder is
switched ‘on’ but for users aged 18+ or over, the default setting is ‘off’.
Turn off auto-play
The auto-play feature on YouTube bombards users with a
constant stream of videos. You can turn off auto-play by using the toggle
option on the watch page. This may make it easier for you to step away when a
video finishes.
Try a digital detox
If you keep finding yourself pulled back to watching videos,
try a digital detox for 24 hours or longer. The goal is not to step away from
YouTube forever but to use it in a more balanced way.
Delete the YouTube app
If a digital detox is not possible, try deleting the YouTube
app on your smartphone. Restricting access to your desktop or laptop will help
you be more intentional in your use and reduce the amount of time you spend
mindlessly watching videos.
Delete your YouTube account
If none of the above approaches are working, and YouTube is still disrupting your life and causing distress, you may need complete abstinence.
Find new activities
Find other ways to fill your time so you aren’t tempted to spend hours binge-watching videos.