Grayscale mode - An antidote for better mental wellbeing?

Here's what I found when I turned my phone into Grayscale mode for 4 weeks!

All in the aim of improving my online habits and my mental health

People who’ve known me a while know I avoided smartphones for a long time.

I was still buying Nokia 8210s up to 8/9 years ago!

Eventually, like many, I succumbed.

And while there are positives, there are downsides.

Like many, I find myself doom-scrolling, and getting lost on my iPhone - it's not only anxiety-inducing, but it also detracts my focus/attention away too much where I feel often unfocussed, distracted and not fully present.

As an experiment, I spent just over 4 weeks with my phone in grayscale mode, and the experience was eye-opening!

What is Grayscale mode?

Grayscale mode is a feature available on most smartphones that removes all colours from the screen, leaving only various shades of grey.

While its a feature to help visually impaired people, I kept hearing and reading how some were using it to improve their digital habits and improve their well-being

So, could this simple change can significantly impact the way we interact with our devices?

Here are some benefits I experienced during my grayscale experiment:

1.   Reduced screen time:

I spent less time on my phone – a lot less looking at my weekly screen time comparisons!

With the vibrant colours and enticing visuals removed - The lack of visual appeal made it easier to resist the temptation of aimless scrolling and mindless app-switching.

2. Less doom scrolling:

Grayscale mode made news, and social media feeds less engaging, which helped reduce my doom scrolling habit.

I used to get frustrated, p!ssed off and berate myself to have wasted time mindlessly scrolling when I could be doing something more meaningful.

3. An improvement in my mental health

The reduced time on my phone, in turn, led to an improvement in my mental well-being and reduced anxiety.

(Not to say it 'fixes' your mental health completely, there's other areas of my life I'm still working on for that)

4. Improved focus:

The grayscale screen made it easier for me to concentrate on day to day tasks and reduced the urge to multitask.

I was less distracted during work times.

This led to increased productivity and a greater sense of accomplishment.

5. Better sleep:

By limiting my screen time and avoiding the blue light emitted by color screens, I experienced better sleep quality

6. Enhanced self-control:

The grayscale mode served as a constant reminder of my commitment to healthier digital habits. It helped me build self-discipline and resist the urge to indulge in excessive screen time.

7. Feeling more 'Present':

Using Grayscale mode may encourage being more present in the physical environment by minimising the visual distractions associated with colourful screens.

This was especially helpful when having time with family.

And an unexpected one:

8. It stopped both my kids wanting to go on my phone (though they went on my wife's phone more instead!)

After the 4 weeks grayscale period, I switched back to colour mode yesterday.

My eyes are struggling to adjust back!

The vibrant colours look more aggressive and overwhelming.

You can see how through colors and notifications how the apps on your phone are all competing for my attention.

While it may not be practical for everyone or every situation to maintain a grayscale lifestyle (and clearly not recommended when buying things on your digital habits and mental well-being.

That said its reinforced my appreciation for the calmer, less intrusive grayscale experience. So I may well switch between the two moving forward.

Have you tried it?

Will you try it?

#grayscale #digitalmentalhealth #mentalhealthmatters #digitalwellbeing