I consume less than an hour of digital media a day. 'Cheat days' never helped me cut screen time, but 'NPC hours' did.

The author successfully reduced digital media consumption from an estimated eight to twelve hours daily to less than an hour per day over six months. Initial attempts at going offline led to intense withdrawal symptoms, which the author identified as 'acute withdrawal' after reading Dr. Anna Lembke’s book, 'Dopamine Nation.' The experience taught that sustainable transformation requires a substantial lifestyle change rather than relying on quick tricks or 'cheat days'.