These 7 Simple Tech Adjustments Drastically Improved My Quality of Life

Creating a healthy relationship with technology might seem daunting, but small changes often make the biggest differences. Here are some simple tech adjustments that have significantly improved my day-to-day life.

1 Removing Screen Time and Website Restrictions

Almost every book, article, podcast, and video you consume will tell you to set up restrictions to spend less time on your phone. The same is true if you wish to limit distractions while you work.

To be honest, practicing digital minimalism with site blockers like Cold Turkey was vital for cutting my initial addiction to the internet. But past a certain point, you have to be careful not to let the sites and apps you’ve blocked or limited time on control you. My restrictions reached a point where I tried so hard *not* to do something that I consumed more brain energy than would otherwise have been the case.

It took around four years to remove these restrictions, but I can now focus better because these tools aren’t dragging my attention.

2 Limiting Screen Use on Evenings and Weekends

I already spent more time in front of a computer screen than the average person, but after becoming self-employed, and even more so during COVID, I realized that my boundaries between work and life had blurred.

After realizing that working on weekends was getting me nowhere other than severe brain fog and writing the following week off, I decided to take action. These days, I now turn off my laptop at 6 pm every day. Similarly, I do not use screens on weekends (unless I’m texting a friend to meet up, using Google Maps to find my way somewhere, or something along those lines).

I also try not to use my phone in the evening. Instead, I go for a walk and read a book when I return. I’ll occasionally watch sports highlights, but I’m more refreshed when I set boundaries.

I signed up for social media in 2009 and never stopped to think about my habits, leading to over a decade of mindless consumption. While enduring a difficult period in 2019, I decided to quit all social media completely and indefinitely.

Since then, I’ve reintegrated social media in some aspects. I created a new account after not posting on Instagram for a year, and I also use LinkedIn—plus a handful of others. However, I do not have most social media apps on my phone.

I want my phone to be a place where people can reach out to me and where I can access useful apps like mobile banking and maps. However, I do not want countless apps vying for my attention. I check social media a few times a week and don’t feel like I’m missing out.

4 Changing My Music and Podcast Listening Habits

I love learning, and podcasts let you effectively learn on the go. I’ve spent 5,000+ hours listening to podcasts. I also enjoy listening to music when I’m working, exercising, and so on.

However, things became a problem when I started using podcasts and music to block out the world around me. For example, I would listen to music that distracted me instead of helping me focus. Additionally, I found myself wasting time mindlessly searching for podcasts.

I’ve been putting in a lot of effort to be more mentally present for a couple of years; changing my music and podcast listening habits needed to happen as part of this. Here are some ways I did so:

• I mainly listen to music without lyrics when I’m working.
• I do not listen to music or podcasts while cooking, and I limit my consumption during daily walks.
• When working, I listen to music on my iPad to limit app-switching.

Others have spoken about cutting back on podcast listening, and I feel much happier with fewer daily inputs.

5 Actually Wearing My Smart Watch

While I don’t struggle with intense exercise (I do CrossFit, weightlifting, and running multiple times per week and cycle 10km a day), I didn’t realize how sedentary I was otherwise. I wanted to increase my daily step count and accurately track it, so in November 2023, I bought an Apple Watch.

Although many people will purchase a smartwatch and not use it, my Apple Watch has been a mainstay on my wrist since I bought it. The results speak for themselves; in 2024, up to the time of writing, I’ve averaged over 10,000 steps per day. As you can see, I’m also much more active than in 2023.

I know that 10,000 steps is an arbitrary number, but it’s a sign that you’re active throughout the day. And for me, my mental health and creativity are significantly better when I walk around 10,000 daily steps.

I also use my Apple Watch to train better at the gym, and it’s helped make me stand more during the day.

6 Charging My Phone Outside My Room

When I moved my phone to charge on the other side of my bedroom, my sleep quality improved dramatically. So, I wanted to see what would happen if I charged my phone outside my room. Lo and behold, I now sleep even better on average.

Charging my phone outside my room creates a natural boundary. I also used to wake up in the middle of the night to check my device, which does not happen now.

7 Using Revolut to Intentionally Save Money

I’m much better with money than I used to be, thanks to lots of inner work, though I still have room for improvement. Dividing where I put my money has helped significantly, as it means that not everything is coming out of one account. For example, if I go traveling, I like to have money in a Revolut vault. Doing so lets me know how much I have and whether I’m on track to meet my savings goals.

If you don’t use Revolut, you can always set up another account with your main banking provider. I also use vaults for several other purposes, such as saving up for new photography equipment.

Making small changes will often have a bigger and more lasting impact than trying to overhaul your life at once. You can do several things to improve your relationship with tech, such as considering your social media use and even thinking about where you charge your phone. Everything discussed today has benefited me, and I hope they do the same for you.