A lesson I keep needing to force on myself

Delete YouTube

Delete YouTube from your phone. Yes, right now. If you're reading this on your phone, go to the home screen and delete it. Even if you don't come back here. It's really important. I've had to do this many times, but it's something I must keep doing.

📋 NOTE

This is not a "Never watch YouTube again" post. Far from it. The key words are "second screening".

If you're like me, there's a reason why it is installed or gets reinstalled. We use it to be entertained, or informed, or to have something to pass the time. I'm right there with you. I've listened to goofy commentary videos while I'm working or keep it as background noise as I'm doing something else. Unfortunately, there's a few serious problems that it causes me, and I think they're likely impacting enough people to make a post urging you to stop. If nothing else, hopefully it will be something I read whenever I get the temptation to reinstall YouTube again.

Better Without It Than With It

I don't know about most of you, but my YouTube timeline focuses heavily on news/opinion/drama. It might be Papa Meat, a Penguinz0 video, TL;DR News, Atrioc/Big A, Damon Cassidy, and so many others. Lots of these videos have insightful commentary and can be helpful for knowing current events. However, so much of the videos are "Everything sucks and we're cooked." Examples are:

  • Gen-Z Cannot Read
  • AI Bubble Will Destroy Stock Market
  • Why You'll Never Own a Home
  • Dating is Terrible
  • "You'll Own Nothing And Be Miserable"
  • Great Depresson 2.0
  • No one can afford anything
  • Keep Up Or Get Left Behind
  • Worst job market ever
  • Random Person You Never Met Did Horrible Things

This type of content is insanely popular, and fair enough. But when I second screen, so much of my day is listening to things like this and feeling miserable. I'm almost always 1-2 auto-played videos away from this. It's important to stay informed and knowledgeable, but binging this kind of content constantly has become so emotionally draining. I'll be far less likely to do something about any of these issues when I'm so apathetic and wonder "What's the point? Everything's Broken."

When I'm not doing this, I feel so much better. Sure, I'm bored occasionally, but at least I could play some nice music, or start up on one of the many tasks I've been putting off, or learn a new cheap hobby or play a video game and just...enjoy it. It's so much harder to enjoy things when I'm trying to listen to something else entirely.

I don't feel like I enjoy things when I'm stuck hearing about all the terrible things happening in the world. Absolutely stay informed, but set aside 30-45 minutes a day to do that. Let the rest of the day be focused on you and the things you want to do.

YouTube Videos Are Boring Now

Okay, so now you've deleted YouTube from your phone. One step further now: When on your computer or at the TV, only watch YouTube. Don't have YouTube on in a second tab or second screen articles or something else. Give YouTube your full, undivided attention. Watch the exact same videos you were already going to second screen. Give it 30 minutes.

Did you jump around as much as I did? One of the first times I tried this, I started 5-6 different videos and didn't finish a single one.

There's a reason you second screen. There's a reason that YouTube Premium offers locking your phone while playing videos as a feature. There's a reason it's harder to focus on a video when that's all you're watching.

Because... It's really boring actually.

YouTube wants your mindless consumption. It's chips or popcorn. If you eat it as the main course, it's pretty bland. Paired alongside something more exciting, it's actually pretty good.

Heck, most videos now are not visually engaging to watch. There's still a large chunk of content creators making engaging things, but most videos can literally be watched without actually watching. If they weren't, you wouldn't be able to second screen them very well.

When YouTube has my full attention, it has to be interesting. An animated pilot, the most insane gameplay footage, someone building a house with only a paper clip and $5... When you stop second screening, you spend time watching legitimately engaging entertainment and feel better doing it. You become more discerning about the content, and likely enjoy it way more.

Single Screen All of It, Thank Me Later

In fact, single screen most things. I have to give myself the exception of listening to music, as work/commutes would be considerably slower without it. I've enjoyed filling the time with classical songs and exploring new genres while I consider a fun project or learn about a new hobby or fix up computers to resell on Swappa. There are even times I will simply listen to music and relax.

Try it, not just with YouTube. Delete Reddit, FaceBook, TikTok, X, Instagram, BlueSky (but follow me on there first lol). Or at least set timers for when you can do it. Give it your full attention. See how much it interests you. And if it's boring, use the time for something more exciting to you.

But what do you think? Do you have better second-screening experiences than I do? Let me know on social media or by signing the guestbook. Thanks!