It's become a common scenario where modern people might unconsciously use the time spent waiting at traffic lights to watch a short video or constantly check out a trending topic upon receiving a push notification from an app.

To combat this sense of being "controlled" by mobile devices, some young Chinese like Chen are experimenting with digital minimalism and are discovering positive outcomes from their efforts.

They are consciously reducing the disruptions caused by their phones, controlling the time and context in which they engage with social media, hiding apps in folders that require several clicks to access, and turning off notifications.

Chen often shares her practice on minimalism and her exploration of digital wellbeing on a social media platform. With more than 3,600 followers, her posts have garnered more than 46,000 likes.

"Technology should bring you joy, not reduce the time you spend with family or increase your anxiety," she said. "My ultimate goal is to control technology rather than letting it control me."

Taking control

According to a report released by the China Internet Network Information Center, as of June 2023, the average weekly internet usage per capita for Chinese netizens is 29.1 hours, an increase of 2.4 hours from December 2022. The proportion of netizens using mobile phones to access the internet has reached 99.8 percent.

The Annual Report on Beijing Social Mentality in 2020 revealed a positive correlation between mobile phone addiction and anxiety and depression levels. The more addicted individuals are to their phones, the higher their levels of anxiety and depression soar.

With flashy graphics, catchy background music and fragmented content, short videos have become one of the most important ways for people to relax, entertain themselves and gather information, making them a product that easily encourages individuals to spend time watching.

The report indicates that as of June 2023, the number of short video users has reached 1.02 billion, accounting for 95 percent of the overall netizen population.