① I stopped using color on my smartphone (switched to grayscale)
Last year, I changed my smartphone's display settings from color to black and white.
https://x.com/ysk_motoyama/status/2001237654093099281
It seems like a small change, but the effect was enormous.
The moment I switched the screen from color to grayscale, my cognitive load dropped dramatically. It is said that the amount of information decreases by one-third, from 24 bits to 8 bits in terms of bit count.
In fact, colors function as reward signals to the brain. Humans have been programmed through evolution to react strongly to vivid colors like red and yellow.
The reason app notification badges are "red" isn't accidental; it's designed to stimulate the brain's reward system and trigger the impulse that "something important might be happening," causing a dopamine rush.
So, I made my smartphone display in black and white. There is research on the effects of grayscale displays: according to "Is life brighter when your phone is not? The efficacy of a grayscale smartphone intervention addressing digital well-being," using a grayscale smartphone for one week reduced daily screen time by 20 minutes (from an average of 287 minutes to 267 minutes).
There is just one caveat: when looking for restaurants or ordering Uber Eats on a black-and-white screen, food doesn't look appetizing. So, I switch back to color mode only when viewing food. I've set up my phone so that pressing the side button three times toggles between color and grayscale.
Therefore, I highly recommend switching your smartphone to black and white.
② I stopped sitting all the time while working
People say "sitting is as bad as smoking," and this isn't a threat—it's true.
When you sit continuously, the muscles in your thighs don't move, metabolism slows down, and blood circulation stagnates. This reduces oxygen supply to the brain, significantly impairing judgment and decision-making.
So, I introduced a standing desk.
However, I made a mistake too. Even after buying a standing desk, I ended up sitting most of the time anyway. Human willpower is more fragile than a cookie.
So, I set alerts on my Garmin (previously Apple Watch) to remind me if I've been sitting for an hour straight.
This is just based on my personal experience, but making sure to stand at least once every hour has noticeably reduced my evening fatigue.
③ I minimized keyboard typing
I shifted my text input method from finger typing to voice input. Currently, about 50% of my input is done via voice.
In cognitive science, it is known that "speaking" and "writing" use different areas of the brain. Speaking places a lower load on working memory and allows for output without interrupting the flow of thought.
Also, average typing speed is about 40–60 words per minute, whereas speaking speed is 120–150 words per minute. That's a simple 2–3x difference in speed.
However, the weakness of voice input is that it doesn't produce polished sentences. So, I adopted a workflow of "input via speech → polish with AI."
By doing this consistently, I found myself thinking, "I should speak clearly and logically so the AI can polish it properly," which improved my ability to speak clearly.
Regarding devices, I always wear Shokz headphones so I can use voice input anytime. They are lightweight, have long battery life, and are great.
https://x.com/ysk_motoyama/status/2008758023930667351
Since adopting this workflow, my writing speed has felt 3x faster. The biggest benefit is eliminating the reluctance to start writing. Since I just need to talk, the psychological barrier is drastically reduced.
I've written about 5 more "things I stopped doing" in a life-hack style on note. If you're interested, please check it out:
