The Self-Help Podcast with Deepali Nagrani · Deepali

Reclaim Your Attention: Sleep, Boundaries, And Digital Detox With Colin Corby

December 12, 2025·52 min·2 clips

Deepali introduces digital detox as something most people wrestle with. Colin is presented as someone who has lived digital well-being, studied it, and built a career around it. He comes across as a technologist turned digital well-being expert, a direct speaker, an endurance athlete, and a voice in conversations about attention, identity, burnout, and what it means to be human in an AI-driven world. The talk treats attention as a practical human problem, not a slogan. Colin starts with sleep. He says people need to protect sleep because rest helps them perform well and supports their well-being. He recommends leaving the phone alone for at least an hour before bedtime so the mind can slow down. A physical book is one of his preferred alternatives, and he says it often helps him fall asleep. He also suggests talking with a partner as a surprisingly therapeutic end-of-day routine. The conversation then turns to the bedside itself. Colin says a phone near the bed creates a quiet pull even when it is not being used. If a smartphone has to serve as the alarm, he advises keeping it well away from the pillow. A separate alarm clock is his ideal version of that setup. Morning habits matter too. After a good night's rest, people may feel ready to direct their own day. Reaching for the phone immediately can hand that control over to scrolling, news, and social media. Colin warns that the first inputs of the day can shape the rest of it. The exchange keeps returning to boundaries and practical next steps. The episode ends by pointing listeners toward Colin's Substack, website, and TEDx talk for more of his work.

As heard by us

A steady case for protecting sleep and attention before the phone sets the tone.

This episode makes a plain case for digital detox and ties it to mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Deepali gives Colin Corby enough room to spell out the point, and the clearest strength is the focus on boundaries, attention, and keeping control of the day instead of…

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Why you'd press play

When your phone keeps tugging at your sleep and your morning focus.

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