The silent threat to your health and focus 🤕

For the last 10 days, every night at around 3am, I wake up with itchy eyes.

And the rest of the night is spent tossing, turning, and itching.

The scientist in me blamed the usual suspects: humidity, changing weather, fall allergens.

But today, my girlfriend hit me with a new hypothesis:

“Maybe you’re spending too much time on screens.”

Of course, I rejected it.

I had data. I had logic. I had my reputation!

But as I was just preparing to give a workshop on digital burnout this coming Thursday… it hit me.

She’s right? (let’s see if she’s actually reading my newsletter 👀)

I’ve been buried in the preparation for the launch of unhookd…

And ironically, while building a tool to help others unhook, I might’ve gotten a little too hooked myself 😄

The Silent Threat: Digital Burnout

Digital burnout is a state of mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion caused by prolonged and excessive digital use.

It’s the tax we pay for constant connectivity.

And it makes you feel:

• easily irritable

• mentally “always on”

• unable to focus for long

• guilty after doomscrolling

• disconnected from real life

• like your day just… vanished

Why It Matters

The average person now spends over half their waking life on screens. Nuts!!!

And while not all screen time is equal, too much of anything takes a toll.

Health isn’t binary.

It’s not just “fit or unfit.”
It’s not only diet and exercise.
It’s rest, relationships, environment, purpose, and yes your digital habits too.

Sometimes it’s all about coming back to the basics.

The Basics

Here’s what I’m bringing back into focus:

• Taking longer walks without my phone.

• Creating no-tech times: first 30 mins after waking, last 30 before bed, etc…

• Creating no-tech zones: dining table, kitchen, bed, subway, etc…

• Spending more time in nature

Whenever I get these right, everything else falls into place.

And you:
👉 How do you feel after long hours on screens?

Hit reply, I’d love to know.

See you next week,
George