The Glow Beyond the Screen

How do you manage screen time for yourself?

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There was a time when my world glowed a little too brightly—an endless scroll of updates, reels, and “just one more video.” I told myself it was for inspiration, research, or even “mental relaxation.” But one evening, as the sun dipped behind my window and the screen still glared at me, I realized the irony—I was missing the world I wanted to write about.

So, I decided to draw invisible curtains between me and the screen. The first rule was simple: mornings are mine. No phone until I’ve met the day—smelled the coffee, stretched my thoughts, and scribbled a few lines in my notebook. That tiny ritual changed everything.

Afternoons, I still slip back into the digital tide, but with a timer humming quietly in the background. It reminds me that time, unlike notifications, doesn’t come back once it’s swiped away.

Evenings are sacred. I walk outside, watch real sunsets, listen to voices that don’t echo through speakers. There’s peace in watching shadows grow longer instead of endless reels shorter.

Managing screen time isn’t about restriction—it’s about reclaiming attention. My phone doesn’t own my hours anymore; I choose where they go. And with every moment spent off-screen, I rediscover what it means to actually see.

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