How do I stop endless scrolling and reclaim my attention from apps?

The apps aren't designed to tire you out—they're designed to keep you. There's no shame in noticing this; it's the first honest move. Laozi taught that forcing your way against the current exhausts you. So don't fight your phone with willpower alone. Instead, make the path of least resistance work for you: delete the apps from your home screen (not your phone), set your notifications to silent, or use your device's built-in focus modes. The goal isn't perfection—it's friction. When reaching for TikTok requires three extra steps, your attention has space to remember what it actually wants. I found that naming the time I spend—"I'm taking 15 minutes here"—turns passive drift into active choice. That shift from unconscious to conscious is where your agency lives. Start by observing your patterns for three days without judgment. What times pull at you hardest? What feeling are you actually seeking? Once you see the shape of the habit, you can reshape it without resentment.