A sociologist has revealed how a simple switch to her morning routine dramatically transformed her relationship with technology, cutting her daily screen time by a staggering 65 per cent.
The Morning That Changed Everything
Caitlin Begg, 31, from the USA, used to spend a worrying eight hours each day glued to her smartphone. The academic hadn't fully recognised the issue until one morning in September 2022, when her phone battery died. Forced to find an alternative, she picked up a non-fiction book instead.
That single act sparked a profound change. Caitlin managed to read half the book and noticed her brain felt "distinctly different" – lighter and more present throughout the entire day. This experience prompted her to make reading a permanent fixture of her mornings, a habit she has maintained without exception ever since.
Conquering "Phone Brain"
The new routine has led to a remarkable reduction in what Caitlin describes as "phone brain." She explains that reaching for her phone first thing used to make her mind feel "heavier," as if it needed to be "doing a million things at once."
"What went away in that first morning was that feeling," Caitlin shared. "I was present in one place. I think with technology, it's easy to feel like we need to be everywhere at once." Her screen time has now plummeted to just one hour per day.
Her advice is accessible to everyone, even non-readers. "You can just sit there and look out of the window for a minute. Or you can just shower and brush your teeth before you go on your phone," she suggests. "Anything that's a direct and unmediated experience can help with grounding yourself in the morning."
A Broader Digital Detox
Caitlin's commitment to mindful technology use extended beyond her morning ritual. She also took a three-year break from TikTok, driven by a dislike for the "contentification of everyday life." She found quitting the app surprisingly easy once her new morning habit was established.
Furthermore, eight months ago, she stopped wearing headphones in public. This decision was part of a personal study into how technology shapes our environment. Since 1st January 2025, she has tracked smartphone noise on her subway journeys, finding it disrupts 70 per cent of her trips.
"It is something that plagues us because people are then putting in their headphones to make it quieter," she observed. "Phones are making us more atomized, more individualistic - it is interesting to see the effect it has on our everyday environments."
Practical Tips for a Phone-Free Life
Caitlin's top recommendation for anyone wanting to cut down is straightforward: make the bedroom a phone-free zone. "If you live in a studio apartment, put your phone on the other side of the room or leave it in the bathroom," she advises.
She also urges people to audit their screen time. "Say you are spending two hours a day on TikTok, find an activity you can do in those two hours - whether that is going out with a friend or going for a walk." By consciously replacing screen time with real-world experiences, Caitlin demonstrates that a more present and grounded life is within reach.
