Focus & productivity
Screen time budget
Enter how many hours you are awake and the share you want to spend on screens to see your daily budget.
Count only discretionary screens here: phone, TV and personal browsing. Work screens are a separate conversation.
Why a screen budget helps
Most of us underestimate how much of a waking day disappears into screens. Setting an explicit budget turns a vague worry into a number you can actually manage. If you are awake for 16 hours and decide a quarter of that can go to discretionary screens, you have four hours to spend, and everything beyond that is a choice you make on purpose rather than by default.
The point is not to hit zero. Screens are how we relax, learn and stay in touch. A budget simply protects the other things that matter, like sleep, movement and time with people, from being quietly crowded out.
Making the budget stick
Pick a share that feels realistic for your life, then watch where the hours actually go for a few days before you judge it.
| Share of waking day | Roughly fits |
|---|---|
| 10-15% | A tight, intentional diet |
| 20-30% | A balanced default for most people |
| 40%+ | Worth a second look at habits |
Use your phone's built-in timers to enforce the budget, keep screens out of the first and last hour of the day, and park the device in another room when you want to be present. Small friction beats willpower.
Frequently asked questions
Should work screen time count?
Usually no. This budget is meant for discretionary use like social media, streaming and browsing. Track work screens separately if commute and job hours are a concern, since you control them differently.
What is a reasonable share to pick?
Somewhere between 20 and 30 percent of your waking day is a sensible starting point for most people. Measure your current use first, then nudge the number down gradually rather than all at once.
How do I stay inside the budget?
Set app timers, turn off non-essential notifications, and keep phones out of the bedroom. Replacing a habit with another activity works better than simply trying to resist the screen.