How to Make YouTube Less Distracting
YouTube is a gold mine of knowledge and a rabbit hole of distractions. While the app is designed to keep you on track, there are several ways to manage your time on the platform.
1
Read the transcripts instead.
Reading transcripts of YouTube videos instead of watching them at your normal pace can be a huge time saver. A transcript is a text version of a video that can be viewed like an article.
Most YouTube creators speak much slower than the average reading speed, which is why many people increase playback speed. With transcripts, you can watch videos much faster without having to watch them at 2x speed. They also make it easy to see the ratio of unnecessary information to real content in the videos you watch.
Transcripts also allow you to skip ads and sponsored segments to get to the real content.
You don’t need an external transcript generator for YouTube videos. YouTube has an automatic caption generator that works quite well most of the time.
To use YouTube’s built-in transcription feature, open the video you want to transcribe and click more in the description field. In the expanded window you can now find Show transcript button. YouTube shows timestamps next to each line in the transcript box. Clicking on someone will take you to that point in the video.
2
Set a timer for the application
A YouTube timer makes sense, especially if you watch it on your phone. Otherwise, you may find yourself caught up in an endless loop of SNL skits and cute pets acting out videos.
To set a timer for YouTube on Android, open Settings and go to Digital Wellbeing and parental controls. Click Application Timers > YouTube. On the next screen, select Application Timer under again Screen time diagram.
Once the timer is set, you will receive a notification each time it expires and you will have to wait until the next day to use YouTube again.
If you’re using iOS, you can use Screen Time to set a time limit for the YouTube app.
If you watch YouTube during a break, set the timer duration to match the duration of the break. If you open YouTube to watch a specific video, set a timer so that it goes off as soon as the video ends.
You can set the YouTube app itself to remind you to take a break after a certain amount of time. You can choose one of the available options or set a custom time. You can set a bedtime reminder on YouTube that will alert you when it’s time to stop watching the video and go to bed. However, these are gentle reminders compared to setting an app timer in Digital Wellbeing.
Application timers work best if you don’t make any exceptions. If the timer goes off on a particularly interesting video, you should save it to your Watch Later playlist rather than adding extra minutes to the timer.
3
Make a commitment to watch videos only on your computer
The modern mobile phone is designed to be a distraction. In addition to notifications sent every five minutes, apps are designed to be immersive and fill every inch of the viewing area with interesting content. They are quite portable, easily accessible, and can fit in places where a laptop would be clunky and difficult to use.
Your cell phone is an unwitting accomplice in the ploy to keep you involved and watching. By default, the YouTube experience on desktop is less immersive. It’s harder (but still possible) to get yourself into a YouTube binge.
While this isn’t always feasible, I try to only watch YouTube on my computer so I only watch what I need.
Viewing on PC also allows you to use browser add-ons to personalize your YouTube experience and make the platform less time-consuming. You can start with DeArrow (shows exact titles and thumbnails created by the community) and Unhook (removes recommended videos and short films).
4
Be careful about the videos you watch
The best way reduce your viewing time on YouTube it’s just being mindful of what you watch and what you give your attention to.
Before you click on any YouTube video, you should pause for a minute and try to predict how much value you will receive for your time and attention. The video is probably a lot less interesting than the slick thumbnail and clickbait title make it seem.
You may remember old videos you watched and their actual impact. I think life is too short to waste it on videos that don’t add any value. This works well because it involves you making a conscious decision to evaluate how the algorithm benefits you and whether it is worth the investment.
Remember that a video you haven’t actively searched for is likely a waste of time. Every now and then you might find something interesting, but those moments are usually few and far between.
5
Delete and disable browsing history
Although it’s more drastic, deleting and disabling your viewing history is the best way to get rid of your home feed and recommended shorts. On the home page, you will only see a search bar and a prompt to turn your browsing history back on. If you’re using a browser, you can skip the home page entirely and bookmark your subscriptions.
There is no way to recover your browsing history once it is deleted.
If you don’t want to go all the way, an alternative is pause YouTube browsing history. This will make it harder for the algorithm to recommend compelling videos to you. However, the changes will be milder and you will still be recommended videos and shorts based on your likes, search history, and channel subscriptions.
YouTube is an incredible video sharing platform, but it can be seriously distracting. Many people spend more time on YouTube than they would like. I’ll admit, I’m still one of them, but I’m getting better at diverting time away from the platform with the tips listed above.
2025-01-08 15:01:18