Have you ever felt that nagging guilt after realizing you’ve spent the entire day mindlessly scrolling through feeds? It usually comes with a real fear: that your life will be wasted tapping on a glass screen without purpose. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to discover a simple system to regain control: ’90s Night.
Why You Don’t Have All the Blame
It’s essential to understand that screen addiction isn't entirely your fault. Modern applications are purposely designed to get us hooked. Companies invest millions of dollars optimizing their platforms to steal as much of your time as possible.
On the surface, these apps seem free, but in reality, they charge a price much higher than money: your time and your attention — two of the world’s most valuable resources. The ’90s Night system is a direct way to reclaim these resources and, consequently, regain control of your life.
What Is ’90s Night?
The concept is exactly what the name suggests: living one evening as if you were in the 1990s. The fundamental principles are simple:
- No screens
- No social media
- No doom-scrolling
- No guilt
The idea is flexible — you can call it “80s Nights” or “60s Sundays” if you prefer. The specific style matters less than the fundamental rule: no screens.
Rediscovering Superior Entertainment
Instead of scrolling through endless feeds, this practice encourages you to explore other forms of entertainment — forms that are often more engaging and superior to what modern apps offer.
Reading: Your Portal to New Worlds
Reading, in particular, offers a unique benefit that social media cannot replicate: it can genuinely transport you to a completely new world, providing a level of immersion honestly greater than anything social media offers.
To achieve this, you’ll need to use something you may not have exercised in a while: your imagination. It might take some time to get used to, but once you get involved, you won’t want to leave.
Important Tip for Beginners
If you don’t consider yourself a reader, take this as a sign to start this new habit. The key is to start reading what interests you — it doesn’t have to be anything sophisticated or a profound literary work. Comics are just as valid as the classics.
The Unexpected Benefits of Unplugging
While you may start ’90s Night simply to cure your phone addiction, you’ll likely begin to notice several other positive benefits:
1. Better Sleep
One of the first things you’ll notice is that you’ll sleep much better, like a baby. This is a direct result of your eyes not being bombarded by blue light before bed.
2. Deeper Social Connections
By being more present, you may find that you have deeper, more meaningful conversations with friends and family. Instead of being half-distracted, you’ll be completely present in the moment.
3. Mental Clarity and Lightness
Perhaps the best part of this practice is that you actually feel like a child again. When you spend hours scrolling through feeds, your mind becomes wired and can’t turn off, leading to a constant state of stimulation.
By breaking this cycle, you’ll start to enjoy well-deserved mental clarity and a mind free from brain fog. This is a clarity that was “stolen from you” when you had no choice but to grow up in a hyper-connected world.
Your Challenge to Break Free
The solution to regaining your focus and your life doesn’t have to be complicated. It can start with a simple challenge to yourself:
Put down the phone for a few hours and see how it feels.
By intentionally disconnecting, you create the space needed to rediscover offline pleasures and regain control over your most valuable resources: your time and your attention.
Start today — choose one night this week to be your first ’90s Night and rediscover what it means to live without screens.