How to Easily Avoid the YouTube Rabbit Hole

As I've scaled back my social media usage, deleting various profiles, I've discovered YouTube is the most challenging platform to leave behind. I've used it for everything from music to home repairs.

I'm not ready to give up YouTube entirely, but I'm determined to stop binging endless videos. Here's how I've cut my YouTube watch-time by more than 75%.

The Blank Slate Strategy

The best advice I've found for limiting YouTube is to only watch videos you intentionally search for, avoiding recommended content. Easier said than done when YouTube's algorithm serves up tempting recommendations, but so worth it.

My solution? Keep YouTube completely blank — no recommended videos.

An actual screenshot of my YouTube screen.

To do this:

• Open the DuckDuckGo browser/app (or another privacy browser)

• Search for specific videos (do NOT sign in)

• Hit the fire button to erase browsing history when you’re done

This keeps my YouTube experience purposeful and intentional. Without recommended videos, there’s no rabbit hole to go down. You end up asking yourself — What do I want to watch? and Do I only want to watch that because I’m bored/procrastinating?

Pro tip: Use a different browser if you need to log in, as signing in reportedly eliminates the blank home screen.

Now, I use YouTube primarily for:

• House repair tutorials

• Background music

• Specific learning content

The Duck Player is a bonus, blocking ads and making the viewing experience smoother.

Now my favorite way to use YouTube is for Friday night dance parties. My husband and I take turns picking a song and dancing with the baby. It’s so much fun for all of us and adds to our life rather than subtracting from it.