Programmer performance: what I gained from less screen time

In tech it’s easy to buy into the idea that more screens mean more productivity. We tell ourselves we’re good at multitasking and that having several monitors on at once makes us more efficient.

Sorry to be the one to say it, but it doesn’t.

This year I took a close look at how I use technology, both on my computer and on my phone. What I found was a wake-up call: 25% to 30% of my time in front of the computer had nothing to do with programming or my job (TV shows, YouTube videos or background music). For years I’d been used to having background noise while I worked. It made me feel productive when I wasn’t and, if I’m honest, a bit less alone.

My phone was even worse. Social media had me hooked: some weeks I hit up to 8 hours a day of screen time between TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Those hours slipped by without me noticing: during meals on my own, at night before bed, or while waiting for builds and background processes to finish.

In August I decided to put the brakes on and cut out that constant need for instant dopamine. This is the plan I put in place.

The 4 changes that reshaped my day

1. Strict limits on the most addictive apps

I set up Screen Time on my iPhone to cap Instagram and TikTok at 1 hour a day combined (my goal is to get under that hour by the end of the year). iOS lets you skip the limit easily, but that small hurdle makes me stop for a second. It breaks the habit of opening the app on autopilot, and a lot of the time I just put the phone down.

Dopamine: 0 – Antonio: 1.

2. Breaking away from empty hyperconnection

A lot of my social media time went into relating to people through videos: sending clips to friends or keeping pointless streaks alive. It might sound like an exaggeration, but we’ve normalized relationships that consist of nothing more than swapping 15-second stimuli. Relying on that less gave me back time and left me less mentally tired.

3. Music without vocals for coding

I used to listen to anything while coding, from rap and reggaeton to piano. Then I noticed my brain was spending energy, without me realizing, on processing the lyrics. Now I only play instrumental music: soft electronic or melodic techno when I need to pick up the pace, and lo-fi or ambient when I need deep focus (what people usually call deep work).

4. Getting back to reading properly

Short-form content is wearing down our attention span. Many of us struggle to finish a moderately complex technical article, read a book, or even follow a movie with an involved plot without checking our phone after 20 minutes. Since I started reading every day again (novels and long technical articles), I’ve been retraining my ability to stay focused and my reading comprehension.

Results

The changes showed up quickly, both in the numbers and in how I feel:

• From 8 to 4 hours of screen time a day. I now use my phone for essential communication (WhatsApp, LinkedIn), podcasts and learning content.
• From 300+ to about 80 pickups a day. No more checking notifications every two minutes.
• Less stress and better sleep. With less constant overstimulation, my head is a lot clearer.

That time and energy now go into real projects: I get through my work much faster and spend my free hours learning the things I actually enjoy (software architecture, RAG, LLMs and SEO).

I’m still surrounded by technology all day. The difference is that now I’m the one deciding where my attention goes.