Goodmorning - Trying Not To Succumb To Youtube Shorts

20 Mar, 2026

Every morning I have woken up earlier than usual. I ponder about what I could do in bed. Perhaps I can go for a nice walk, do my dishes, or even go to the gym a little bit earlier today. But instead I grab my laptop next to me and open youtube. Just one video that I really wanted to watch last night and
THAT. IS. IT.
Oh wait, but this short looks very interesting, I will just watch one, okay?
cough cough we all know what happens next, because 45 minutes later I am still in the same spot that I was sitting in originally, where I was wondering how I could make the most of my day.

I wish I could be done with it. Every single time I want to reach to some form of content. A tv-show is too long, even the 20 minute episodes, and in the meantime I will be scrolling on my phone, opening youtube. Then I correct myself and close youtube and focus on the show again, but by then I have to click rewind 10 times. So I give up, putting my phone away and grabbing my laptop. I open youtube again, click on a video, and even then I get bored. You know what I do then? Open a new tab and immediately open youtube again, even though I was bored of it?????

This morning I almost did the same, but I stopped myself. I made tea, went back upstairs to my room, put on music¹, and just sat at my desk. I did open my laptop, but specifically with the intention of writing this post, at least this way I am using my digital indignation for the better.
Consuming so much content makes me feel icky. It clouds my mind, my judgement, my passion and my love for the world. My mind is a consumer, and I want to get rid of that mindset. I want to revert back to a time where I had a set computer time from my parents, where every Saturday we would get a little candy bowl, where I did not get everything I wanted. I can try I guess, but I am unsure whether I am mentally ready enough yet.

I am of the opinion that you can only help someone if they want to help themselves. Any advice that you give to yourself, you need to be ready to take. Internally I feel like we all might know what is better for us, but we choose to live ignoring that little voice sometimes. It is okay to not be ready yet and to need more time. But the biggest thing you can do is try. Try to lessen the consumption, make it more intentional, see how just a little bit of it feels. And maybe that will incentivise you to do it a bit more, and more, until at some point you will have changed your way of life.

For me? no more shorts.
I am going to try it.
I suggest you think of something that nags your everyday life, and say to yourself "no more".
Goodluck.

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