For a long time, especially since starting university, I’ve had this growing realization: excessive social media and screen time isn't just a waste of hours—it actively harms you, both mentally and physically.
And believe me, I’ve been at rock bottom with this.
Back in high school, my screen time was insane. I regularly clocked 12+ hours a day on my phone. Yes, twelve hours. Most of that was just mindlessly scrolling YouTube and Instagram—and that didn’t even include gaming on my PC. The COVID-19 pandemic definitely made it worse since we were stuck at home with nowhere to go. Back then, I didn't think twice about it because everyone around me seemed to be doing the exact same thing.
Fun fact: Indonesia consistently ranks #1 in the world for daily mobile screen time, averaging over 6 hours a day on apps alone, and nearly 8 hours of total screen time. It felt normal because it was our baseline reality.
The turning point came during university. Like almost everyone online at the time, I came across the controversial "beli kopi 80 ribu" videos by Timothy Ronald. At first, I really disliked his delivery style. But past the theatrics, it sparked something in me: a shift toward a growth mindset. I started taking my future seriously, working harder, and genuinely loving the process of learning new things. And through that journey, I finally confronted how destructive my phone habits actually were.
What really opened my eyes was learning how tech founders and high-net-worth individuals raise their own families. Many Silicon Valley executives strictly limit their children's access to phones and social media. Mark Zuckerberg himself has talked about restricting passive screen consumption for his kids, only really encouraging technology for active communication with family.
Think about the irony: the very people who built these social media empires won't let their own children touch them without strict boundaries. They know exactly how the machine works because they designed it.
These platforms aren't built for your benefit; their business model is to hijack your attention, trap you in a dopamine loop, and keep you glued to the screen until you lose all track of time. TikTok’s recommendation algorithm is probably the sharpest weapon ever built for this.
What terrified me most wasn’t just the lost hours—it was the realization that I was becoming easily swayed. When your entire information diet is fed by an algorithmic feed designed to maximize outrage and dopamine, you slowly become like a robot, programmed by whoever orchestrates the content. Your perception of reality gets altered without you even noticing.
That realization was my breaking point. I set strict app limits on my phone and permanently deleted TikTok.
Attention and time are the only non-renewable resources we have. Once they’re gone, you can’t buy them back.
The fact that I’m able to sit down, reflect, and write this essay in my free time is proof enough: you only get your mind back once you put the screen down.