How to Actually Use This Thing

The Problem with Time Limits (And Why Your Brain Hates Them)

So you've tried setting screen time limits on Instagram and YouTube, right? And let me guess — you just tap "Ignore Limit" every single time without even thinking about it. Welcome to the club.

Here's why time limits don't work: they hit you in the middle of a video. You're halfway through watching some guy explain why bananas are berries but strawberries aren't, your dopamine is firing, your brain is fully locked in, and suddenly... "You've reached your daily limit!"

Of course you're going to ignore it. Your brain is literally mid-reward. It's like someone interrupting you right before the punchline of a joke. Time limits are asking you to make a rational decision at the exact moment your brain is least capable of making one.

The Secret: Count Videos, Not Minutes

ScrollBudget doesn't care about the length of videos. It cares how many you watch. When you can see your budget counter the whole time, your brain starts planning and expecting how many videos you'll watch. You start treating your budget like a resource. You start being intentional.

Plus, when you run out, it happens between videos, not during one. Your brain isn't mid-dopamine-hit. Way easier to stop in that half-second gap between reels.

Replace the Apps with Safari

Here's the deal: Instagram and YouTube's mobile apps don't let you install browser extensions. Obviously. They're apps. So if you want ScrollBudget to actually work, you need to delete the native apps and use Instagram and YouTube through Safari instead.

I know, I know. "But the apps are so much better!" They are - specifically engineered to keep you locked in and scrolling forever.

The browser versions work perfectly fine for watching reels and shorts. The main difference? In the browser, you can enforce the dynamic budget with ScrollBudget.

TL;DR: The Setup

1. Install ScrollBudget from the App Store
2. Enable it in Safari settings
3. Delete Instagram and YouTube apps from your phone
4. Bookmark instagram.com and youtube.com in Safari — you can even add them to home screen
5. Be empowered to be intentional with your scrolling

That's it. The extension does the rest. Your budget is always visible, you know exactly how many reels you have left, and your brain adapts.