How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over

Today, you’re getting a wake-up call that will forever change the way you see your phone, your attention, and your time. 

Mel is pulling back the curtain on the hidden game that Big Tech is playing with your brain—one designed to hijack your focus, drain your energy, and keep you scrolling so they can profit off of you. 

But here’s the good news: once you see the game for what it is, you can stop losing and start winning. 

In this episode, you’ll learn why you feel exhausted after scrolling, why you can’t stop checking your phone, and how social media is manipulating you in ways you don’t even realize. 

Mel breaks down the science of dopamine, motivation, and attention—and how simple, research-backed changes can help you reclaim control. 

Mel also shares her conversation with renowned psychiatrist Dr. Alok Kanojia, also known as Dr. K, who reveals the shocking truth about what your phone is doing to your brain—and how to undo the damage starting today. 

By the end, you’ll have the tools to take your power back, set boundaries with technology, and start using your phone as a tool rather than being the tool. 

If you’re tired of feeling distracted, overwhelmed, and drained, this episode is the wake-up call you need. 

To hear more from Dr. K, listen to this episode of The Mel Robbins Podcast, that goes deeper into the themes discussed today: Before You Waste Time, Listen to This

For more real talk from Mel that cuts right to the heart of what you’re facing today, listen to this episode: When Nothing Seems to Be Going Your Way, Here’s Exactly What to Do

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In this episode:

• 08:39: The Shocking Amount of Time You Spend Consuming Media.
• 14:49: 5 Questions to Evaluate Your Screen Time Habits.
• 30:11 The Impact of AI in Today’s World.
• 34:43: Why You Can't Put Down Your Phone. 
• 37:44: The Attention Economy: How Your Time is Being Stolen.
• 43:14: Dr. K's Insights on Dopamine & Why You Feel Exhausted.  
• 49:49: Practical Steps to Reclaim Your Time & Attention.
• 1:02:16: The Importance of Physical Boundaries with Your Phone.
• 1:05:59: How to Make Your Feed Work with You, Not Against You.
• 1:08:35: The Role of Exercise in Reducing Internet Addiction.

‍Featured Expert: Dr. Alok Kanojia

• Read Dr. K’s book, How to Raise a Healthy Gamer
• Follow him on Instagram
• Dr. K’s psychiatry practice
• Visit his website
• Subscribe to his YouTube.

‍Additional Resources:

• The Verge: How to turn your phone screen to grayscale
• Nielsen: Time Flies: U.S. Adults Now Spend Nearly Half a Day Interacting with Media
• Frontiers in Psychology: Stress and Problematic Smartphone Use Severity: Smartphone Use Frequency and Fear of Missing Out as Mediators
• United Nations: Attention Economy 
• Berkeley Economic Review: Paying Attention: The Attention Economy
• National Institute on Drug Use: Can Too Much Screen Time Harm You?
• Harvard Medical School: Screen Time and the Brain
• Stanford Center on Longevity: What Excessive Screen Time Does to the Adult Brain
• The Wall Street Journal: Reduce Your Screen Time With This Simple Trick
• Mobile Media & Communication: Is life brighter when your phone is not? The efficacy of a grayscale smartphone intervention addressing digital well-being 
• Frontiers in Psychology: Exercise-Based Interventions for Internet Addiction: Neurobiological and Neuropsychological Evidence
• Harmony Hit: Are You Addicted to Your Phone? American Phone Usage & Screen Time Statistics
• King’s College London: Teens with problematic smartphone use are twice as likely to have anxiety – and many are eager to cut down
• Forbes: Lost In The Scroll: The Hidden Impact Of The Attention Economy
• Interacting with Computers: The Second Wave of Attention Economics. Attention as a Universal Symbolic Currency on Social Media and beyond