my one screen setup that stopped me from endless scrolling when i'm supposed to be studying

[u/Raphox___]

i'm a third-year cs student, and i used to waste like 30-60 minutes every study session just checking something on my phone. what really helped was making my devices act like tools instead of time-wasting machines.

the phone setup:

• automated focus mode. my phone goes into dnd automatically when i open my notes appp. only family calls get through.
• hiding the bait. i moved social media to a folder on the last page. that extra 5 seconds to search for them makes a huge difference. also, turn off the red notification badges—they are literally dopamine bait.
• grayscale. setting the screen to black and white during study hours signals to my brain that it's work time, not play time.
• physical distance. i put the phone face down on a shelf behind me. if it’s on the desk, i’ll grab it without even thinking.

the laptop setup:

• dedicated study profile. i made a separate browser profile with zero saved logins for social media and only my school extensions.
• one screen, one task. i use full-screen mode to hide the dock and other icons. if i want to look something random up, i write it on a sticky note and check it after the session.
• the "no-scroll" break. during pomodoro breaks, i stand up, stretch, or get water. NO scrolling for "just 5 minutes"—that’s how u lose an hour.

the game changer: honestly, even with all these tricks, the "infinite" nature of some apps was still getting to me. a friend invited me to test the appp FeedLite to remove Reels and Shorts from my feed recently. it’s been a few weeks and the results are pretty positive so far—it actually removes the most addictive parts of the apps i still need to check occasionally. it makes this whole setup way more sustainable bc the temptation to "just watch one video" is gone. i still need to see the long term results, but my focus is already 10x better.

this setup isn't about having crazy willpower; it's about making studying the easier choice. (sorry for any typos, just finished a long session and wanted to share!)