04-015 · EVIDENCE C · LOW-RISK READING
Set strict daily limits on short‑video and aimless scrolling
给短视频和无目的刷屏设硬上限
No cost at all. The actions take just a few minutes: turn off notifications, delete the apps, or set a daily time cap for them. The real challenge is resisting the urge to open them.
On average, Chinese residents spend 5 hours and 37 minutes online each day. Among those who actually go online that day, the average rises to 6 hours and 3 minutes. In 2018, the same calculation showed only 2 hours and 42 minutes of usage — this is the highest figure in this section. Cutting just one hour per day adds up to 365 extra hours per year.
C
Move “Set strict daily limits on short‑video and aimless scrolling” to Future Me's calendar
The excuse
Future Me has a clearer calendar, more patience, and apparently the same responsibilities.
What feels good now
Today I keep a few minutes, a bit of persistence and avoid interrupting my default routine.
What the source says
The source summarizes the return this way: “On average, Chinese residents spend 5 hours and 37 minutes online each day. Among those who actually go online that day, the average rises to 6 hours and 3 minutes. In 2018, the same calculation showed only 2 hours and 42 minutes of usage — this is the highest figure in this section. Cutting just one hour per day adds up to 365 extra hours per year.” Evidence grade C. The original states the population, caveats, and sources; this is not a personal forecast.
Open the original entry, check who the evidence applies to, then pick one small step that fits.
THE ENGLISH EDITION
Original recommendation and evidence
15. Set strict daily limits on short‑video and aimless scrolling
Cost: No cost at all. The actions take just a few minutes: turn off notifications, delete the apps, or set a daily time cap for them. The real challenge is resisting the urge to open them.
In plain terms: On average, Chinese residents spend 5 hours and 37 minutes online each day. Among those who actually go online that day, the average rises to 6 hours and 3 minutes. In 2018, the same calculation showed only 2 hours and 42 minutes of usage — this is the highest figure in this section. Cutting just one hour per day adds up to 365 extra hours per year.
Benefit: The average daily online time for Chinese residents is 5 hours and 37 minutes; for those who actually use the internet that day it is 6 hours and 3 minutes. People who accessed the web on any given day make up 92.9% of the population. These figures are from 2024. In 2018, the average was only 2 hours and 42 minutes — again the highest number in this section. Removing one hour each day yields an extra 365 hours annually. According to the China Internet Network Information Center, as of June 2025 the average weekly online time for netizens is 30.6 hours, an increase of 1.9 hours over the previous six months. There are 1.068 billion short‑video users, accounting for 95.1% of all internet users.
Evidence grade: C
Sources: National Bureau of Statistics of China (2024). Third National Time Use Survey Bulletin (No. 2). <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202410/t20241031_1957216.html>; National Bureau of Statistics of China (2019). 2018 National Time Use Survey Bulletin. <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202302/t20230203_1900224.html>; China Internet Network Information Center (2025). The 56th "Statistical Report on the Development of China's Internet". <https://www.cnnic.net.cn/NMediaFile/2025/0730/MAIN1753846666507QEK67ZS9DH.pdf>
Notes: Online time includes work, study, and social interaction, so not all of it is wasted. It is rated C because no studies have measured exactly how much time is saved after imposing limits or how that time is subsequently used; we only have overall statistics. For the specific activity of “scrolling to see how others live”, a randomized trial has estimated both the time saved and the resulting change in mood; see Section 3, Item 20.
Read the complete Chinese source and notes
15. 给短视频和无目的刷屏设硬上限
成本: 不花钱。动作只要几分钟：关掉推送，删掉应用，或者给应用设一个每天的时间上限。难在管住手，忍住不点开。
说人话: 中国人平均每天上网 5 小时 37 分。当天真上了网的人，是 6 小时 3 分。2018 年按同样算法还只有 2 小时 42 分。这是本节里数字最大的一项。每天砍掉一小时，一年就多出 365 小时。
收益: 中国居民上网每天平均 5 小时 37 分钟。只算当天真上了网的人，平均 6 小时 3 分钟。当天用过网的人占 92.9%。这些是 2024 年的数字。2018 年按同样算法只有 2 小时 42 分钟。这是本节里数字最大的一项。每天砍掉其中一小时，等于每年多出 365 小时。另据中国互联网络信息中心，到 2025 年 6 月，网民平均每周上网 30.6 小时，比半年前多 1.9 小时。短视频用户有 10.68 亿人，占网民的 95.1%。
证据等级: C
来源: 国家统计局 (2024). 第三次全国时间利用调查公报（第二号）. <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202410/t20241031_1957216.html>；国家统计局 (2019). 2018年全国时间利用调查公报. <https://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/zxfb/202302/t20230203_1900224.html>；中国互联网络信息中心 (2025). 第 56 次《中国互联网络发展状况统计报告》. <https://www.cnnic.net.cn/NMediaFile/2025/0730/MAIN1753846666507QEK67ZS9DH.pdf>
备注: 上网时间里包含工作、学习和社交，不全是浪费。定成 C 级，是因为没有研究算过「限制之后省回多少、这些时间又用到了哪里」，手上只有总量统计。其中「刷别人过得怎么样」这一类，有随机试验测过省回多少、情绪变了多少，见第 3 节第 20 条。
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