Sociologist says starting days screen-free and reading before phones eased anxiety and cut screen time
New York-based sociologist Caitlin Begg says three years of morning reading before looking at screens reduced her phone use by roughly two-thirds and improved focus, she told viewers in a TikTok video reported by the Daily Mail.
New York-based sociologist Caitlin Begg says she has begun each day without looking at a phone or other screen since Sept. 5, 2022, and that the habit has led to measurable changes in her mental state and device use.
Begg told viewers in a TikTok video, and in an interview reported by the Daily Mail on Sept. 5, 2025, that she now reads a book each morning before any phone or computer use. She said the practice has helped her feel less anxious, allowed her to concentrate more and lowered her overall screen time.
Begg said her cumulative screen use dropped by about 65 percent after adopting the routine and described the change as a small adjustment with a large effect on her day-to-day well-being. In the TikTok video, she summarized three lessons from maintaining the practice for three years: decreased screen dependence, improved capacity to focus, and reduced feelings of anxiety in the mornings.
The change began on a specific date she cites as the start of a consistent pattern: reading before interacting with any device upon waking. Begg attributed the benefits to delaying exposure to notifications and the immediate demands of digital devices, giving her time to engage in a quiet, reflective activity before the day’s digital input began.
Begg’s account, as reported by the Daily Mail’s Femail section, adds to anecdotal claims from individuals who favour a phone-free start to the day. She described the shift as straightforward and repeatable: replacing the first few minutes of device checking with book reading.
Her report focuses on her personal experience and does not present clinical measurements beyond the self-reported reduction in screen use. Begg’s observations come from a sustained, three-year personal experiment rather than a controlled study; she relayed her findings through social media and in media coverage.
Those interested in testing a similar approach might begin with a defined start time and a specific non-digital activity, Begg’s account suggests, noting that the routine can be resumed or adjusted according to personal schedules and commitments. The effects she describes — lower phone use, better concentration and reduced morning anxiety — were reported as outcomes of maintaining the practice each morning over the three-year period she specified.
The Daily Mail article reporting Begg’s account was published Sept. 5, 2025, and was written by Emily Lefroy.