How to reclaim your attention by limiting screen time

New product after new product after new product. New feature after new feature.

With the ever growing “attention economy” of the tech industry fighting to keep our attention glued to their page, feed or stream, how do we take our attention back from Silicon Valley?

Sean Young, PhD, of the UCLA Center for Digital Behavior outlines his personal process for taking back control of his own attention so that he can stay focused on what he—not his phone—chooses.

“I think we all need to counter what these tech companies are doing to compete for our attention,” he says. “Personally one thing I do in my own life is I keep a digital cleanse from Friday night to Saturday night.” 

It’s a growing trend in Silicon Valley to steal your attention for its own benefit while at the same time protecting itself from the detrimental effects. Even titans of tech such as Steve Jobs didn't allow his own family to use technology during dinner time. 

With Silicon Valley constantly fighting to steal every second of your attention throughout the day, it’s important to remember who that attention really belongs to: you.

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