Screens are not the enemy. Late-night doomscrolling is. The 30-minute routine below does not require a productivity system. It requires three rules and one timer.
The three rules
No screens in the bedroom. No screens for 30 minutes before the wind-down begins. No second screen for a screen — even if the second screen is "quieter."
The timer
Set a 30-minute timer when the screen goes off. The first 10 minutes are a wash — you will fidget. The other 20 minutes are where the body catches up.
The substitution
Replace the screen with one tactile object. A book. A journal. A puzzle. The hands need somewhere to land when the screen is gone.
A routine that feels like punishment does not survive a long week. A routine that feels like permission does.
