How can I reduce data extraction while still using necessary workplace apps?

You're describing the real constraint most people face. Complete avoidance isn't an option if you need to keep your job. So the question shifts: where can you push back without creating friction? Start with what you control. Use a separate browser profile for work apps; limit what you sync across devices; turn off notifications that train you to check compulsively. This isn't about winning—it's about not making their job easier. At work, you have less leverage, but you have some. If your company uses Slack or Teams, ask IT about data retention policies. Many don't know what their vendors are doing. Sometimes simply asking creates awareness up the chain. The deeper move: protect your attention during off-hours. Don't install work apps on your personal phone if you can help it. The boundary between 'work data' and 'you' becomes the boundary between 'monitored' and 'free.' That separation matters more than you'd think. You can't escape the current at work, but you can refuse to let it pull you under when you're home. That's not paranoia. That's wu wei—working with your actual life rather than against it.