I’ve successfully replaced too much screen time with reading. To do so, I always have at least one “heavy” book (typically non-fiction) and one light book (typically fiction) that I’m reading at the same time, mixed with constant access to both (kindle with synchronized kindle apps) and a strong desire to change my habits. It takes time but is well worth the effort.

Your desire for change is the most important step, don’t belittle it. Many people never have that voice. Let it fuel you. Small changes will build into a big transformation if you foster them.

I think it is OK to "veg out" sometimes. Down time can be very good for you, you don't always have to be "on" or productive.

I would warn against dropping whole categories of things like TV/movies because it throws the baby out with the bathwater. Plenty of great and worthwhile TV and movies and IMHO you do yourself a disservice by disallowing them.

Learn to play an instrument. Try a hobby; crafts, woodwork, painting. Learn a language. Join a local chess club. Volunteer for a local charity. Just keep trying stuff until you find something that is right for you.

Do the books have to be heavy? What about audio books?

I really enjoy reading but haven’t got much time for it, audio books have helped with that in the sense that I can still consume stories while doing other things.

I really enjoy going for long walks in the forest with my dog while listening to a good book. Few things beat that.

As for your concentration difficulties, that sounds like something you perhaps should investigate? Is it rooted in something lifestyle related, like stress? Or maybe it’s something you might need medical aid for? It sounds rather debilitating so it’s probably best not to ignore it.

Well I guess it depends how much free time you have each day. Books, meditation, exercise (or even just going for a walk), cooking your own meals, getting more sleep…those things fill a lot of time in the evenings if you’re working full time. If you have more time than that, consider volunteering at local organisations that need help. Or find new hobbies that don’t involve looking at a screen and involve spending time with other people.

Any kind of exercise. Don't need much thinking to do things like walking, yoga, body weight exercises. It's even encouraged to let go of your thoughts.

Learn lock picking. Hours of endless frustration until it literally clicks and it feels amazing. Plenty of free (short) tutorials online (I used the MIT guide to lock picking at the time), or the lock picking lawyer on youtube.

Do you enjoy writing? I find it deeply rewarding to write fiction, and when I feel too strung out to produce anything worthwhile, I go through my work to edit/improve.

This is my thing: e-ink. I have a color e-ink tablet and a color e-ink phone. I can technically watch video on them, but... Just no. I can technically doomscroll, but again, it's not the same. It's easier on my eyes, doesn't mess with my circadian rhythms, still lets me text friends, look up directions, Google trivia, etc. Plus, all my ebooks, all my podcasts, all my music. Great battery life, too.

Have you tried reading when you go to bed?

That's the only time I read and it helps me to concentrate and also helps with falling asleep.

People have given lots of advice about picking up hobbies which I agree with. One thing I'd add is that you can make a list of movies and shows that you're genuinely interested in and try to stick with those. It gives you an outlet when you don't want to work on a hobby, it's more rewarding than passively consuming the crap that Netflix churns out, and when you're mostly watching high quality stuff, you might find the mass produced stuff becomes boring enough to you that you'll be driven to work on a hobby instead.

What broke me out of this cycle was music. Picked up guitar and learning in earnest to sing as well. Both are bottomless skills that can keep you occupied and fulfilled for a lifetime if you embrace them in the right way.

Right, so I don't suppose you've been screened for ADHD or other mental illness, have you? Gonna be tough to change while fighting your own body.

Improving attention span? I would consider trying tai chi or qi gong and consider some meditation alongside it. You can move the body and still the mind. It's been helpful for me.

I would suggest mindfulness activities, with a focus on just sitting and breathing, with focus on the breath itself. As others have recommend, tai chi, yoga, qui gong, or martial arts.

I'm a theater musician and have a lot of down time during some shows I do. I had found myself playing too much "Words with Friends" during those times. I learned how to knit, which is something I can both do in a pit, but also take with me wherever I go. I feel much more productive when I'm able to make things rather than just scroll or play games. It's pretty simple to learn using YouTube videos, and you can often get materials secondhand.

Get your eyes checked.

Realized my vision has changed from getting older and that was the reason I no longer can’t sit or read for shit. It’s exhausting instead of relaxing like it use to be because I have to put in effort to adjust my eyes. (Also, the cookie cutter copy-paste plots of modern books makes me want to die because of how predictable they are. But that is a different rant) I can however still listen to an audiobook for hours just fine. It also fees my hands so I can crochet or sew or latch hook while I listen.

The Shallows is a painfully plausible answer for why you might be finding it harder to concentrate.

Basically, the way phones/computers work is designed to mess with our basic brain functions.

Books from your local library! It helps to actually read them in the library as you have less possibilities for giving up and doing something else. You can even go there without your phone!

Who says you have to sit to read? Do squats between paragraph breaks for awhile!? ;-P

Seriously, your body might be trying to say that you crave exercise, so maybe go for a 5K+ jog first, then relax with a book, to meet both needs.:-)

Edit: or take in content with videos - like while standing. I recommend the Crash Course YouTube series, it's amazing.:-)

How about learning a skill? I spend a stupid amount of time knitting, especially in the winter. I like knitting socks in particular - learning different techniques is absorbing, the variety of sock yarns is wonderful, they're something small you can carry around, and you end up with warm feet. Plus they make nice gifts.

And the knitting community is amazing. Ravelry.com has stacks of free patterns, forums etc etc. People post their projects, so you can see what things look like in different colourways. I started out knitting cotton dishcloths to get the hang of it.

If you get stumped on anything there is almost always a YouTube video of a kindly Canadian lady showing you how it's done.

Part of it is how you engage with the media. I worked in film for a while and when I watch a well-made TV show, I'm constantly analyzing the shot composition, editing, and sound.

What lens is this shot on? Where is the camera placed? How is it moving? What does that say about this character or moment?

When does a scene choose to use it's closest shot on a character? Why that moment and not another?

How is the story or scene structured and do I think that works? What order are they revealing information to us and why?

When the scene pivots, what are they doing with craft to underline that. How is the balance of power between the characters changing and how is that being visualized?

Whose scene is it? Is that choice surprising? When they chose to show a character reacting rather than the one speaking, why?

Are the actors making surprising choices in their performance? Are they playing big moments small or small moments big? What ticks are they giving the character? What are they trying to say about who this person is with all that.

Visual media, like any other craft, is filled with hundreds of intentional choices every frame. Taking it in doesn't have to be a passive experience on the viewers part. We don't listen consider reading a book passive, and watching a film or television series doesn't have to be pace either.

Just like books, not all television has the same depth to it's choices, but as you actively take in various pieces of media, you'll start to get a feel for the level of intentionality sleeping was made with. Like Andor has a lot more intentionality in it's craft than The Book of Boba Fett.

I'm not saying that it's good to watch hours of TV every day, but the time that you do spend watching television need not be time that you're brain isn't exercising itself.