How Watching Youtube Videos Gives a False Sense of Productivity and Learning

And what can you do about it.

I am an avid watcher of Youtube videos. That’s probably one of the main passive activities I do and, to be honest, I would be ashamed of the weekly hours I spend on the platform. But, to offset that feeling, I can comfort myself by looking at the content of the videos I typically watch: Science, Philosophy, Digital literacy, Productivity hacks, Exercise plans etc.
There are actually very few entertainment videos in my history, so it must be a good use of my time right?
I learn new stuff, and it must be quite similar to reading a book, except that I get the main points in 15 minutes instead of 300 pages.
That’s what I still thought a few months back, but that’s not the case anymore, and if you are anything like me, then this article might be interesting to you. Let’s see why I think that that sense of learning and productivity is false, and how you can switch to the real deal. But be warned: doing so will force your brain to work a bit more than it currently does.

1. The Problem

Let’s first identify the problem. Take a look at your Youtube history. Can you actually recall the content of the last video you watched? If it has not been too long since…