- The Reboot
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- The Golden Screen Time Equation
Over the weekend, I came across a Ted Talk from Project Reboot founder, Dino Ambrosi. It has 2.1m (very well deserved) views.
Clearly by the comments, it’s also served as a powerful wake up call for a lot of teenagers about how much time they truly spend on their phones.
Dino begins with a graphic that shows that the average 18 year old will spend 93% of their remaining time on their phone. Nuts.
He then goes on to talk about the importance of living a fulfilling and exciting life, how these apps make money, and how phone addiction is nothing to be ashamed of given the massive amount of Human Resources and capital that apps like Instagram have at their disposal.
But at the end, he offered a simple equation that changed the way I thought about my screen time.
Most adults are self-aware enough to realize that if an app is free, you are the product and that social media apps are selling your attention.
Dino flips the question and asks the audience…
How much would you pay per month for your favorite social media app?
Most people’s hands go down after $20.
He then encourages the audience to place a monetary value on an hour of their time.
For high schoolers, this sits around $20 per hour. For founders, executives, and any other high-earning or ambitious professional, this rate will be way higher.
Then, he proposes a simple equation:
2 hours per day on Instagram (or any other app) x your hourly rate x 30 days in a month = ?
If your rate is $20, you are paying $1200 per month to use that app. If your rate is $250 per hour, you’re paying $15k. Not a great deal.
Quantifying this number makes it a lot more real and even further solidifies the value of having a screen time coach who can help you win back your time.
Real question: What you you pay to win back 30+ hours per month of your time? If you’re open to sharing, reply and let me know. I’m curious.
Resources
Digital Wellness Coaching: I’m looking to take on 3 more screen time coaching clients & build a few great testimonials (this is the cheapest it will ever be). If you think you might be a fit, let’s chat.
Digital Detox Tools: A free directory of 75+ digital wellness products, software, and services. Access it here.
Short Form Video: Been really leaning into short form video and starting to get a few reps on my belt. First few Instagram vids have cracked 1k views (progress!), still slower on TikTok which seems to be pretty consistent with what I’m hearing from other creators. LinkedIn short-form vid is pumping.
Contact Me: If any of my writing resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you. You can reply to this email or DM me on Twitter.