New Year Prompts Workers to Curb Screen Time, Late Nights and Other Persistent Habits

As 2026 begins, employees across multiple desks at CNBC Make It are setting out to eliminate a series of behaviors they say have drained their time, energy and focus. Their goals range from reducing early-morning phone checks to curbing “revenge bedtime,” a pattern of staying up late to reclaim personal hours. Health and productivity specialists interviewed by the outlet outline strategies they believe can help these resolutions outlast the first weeks of January.

Experts favor incremental changes

Margaret Moore, founder of Wellcoaches Corporation, told CNBC Make It in 2023 that swapping an unwanted behavior for a healthier alternative often proves more sustainable than attempting to quit a habit outright. Neuroscientist Anne-Laure Le Cunff, Ph.D., added last week that small “experiments” increase the odds of lasting success by lowering the risk of feeling overwhelmed. Le Cunff advises reserving judgment until an experiment ends, allowing time to assess whether the new routine fits a person’s life.

Technology use tops the list of concerns

Several reporters say their first reflex in the morning is to reach for a smartphone. One described it as “muscle memory,” noting she can no longer recall waking up without immediately scrolling through messages or social media feeds. Another plans to trade aimless browsing for mentally stimulating activities such as puzzles or reading.

Excessive screen exposure before bedtime also surfaced as a common problem. A work reporter cited “doom scrolling” and e-book screens as twin obstacles to adequate rest. A colleague intends to avoid video games for the entire month of January, turning instead to music or printed books when boredom strikes.

Combating ‘revenge bedtime’

The Sleep Foundation defines revenge bedtime as staying awake late into the night to reclaim personal time that an individual feels is unavailable during the day. A video editor admitted to watching television until 12:30 a.m. and has imposed an 11:00 p.m. cutoff in hopes of improving overall productivity. A senior reporter with young children faces a similar challenge: once the children fall asleep at 8:00 p.m., the desire for leisure battles with the need for rest. He aims to balance winding down with securing sufficient sleep.

Maintaining healthy routines

Other staff members are tackling lapses in reading, exercise and diet. One psychology reporter cut her annual reading goal to ten books from twelve in an effort to make the target feel achievable. A money reporter hopes to stop skipping workouts, reduce sugar intake and refrain from hitting the snooze button. Another employee wants to walk more frequently, opting to complete the commute home on foot when possible.

Social obligations can also derail personal plans. A video producer acknowledged difficulty turning down invitations for fear of missing out but intends to decline more often, confident that occasional absences will not jeopardize friendships.

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Room for flexibility

While the ambition to overhaul multiple habits is high, Moore cautions that rigid discipline can backfire. She argues a degree of spontaneity is essential for well-being and advises self-compassion when motivation lags. If new behaviors fail to take hold immediately, she says, the issue may lie in insufficient readiness rather than personal deficiency.

Strategies backed by research

Studies from the American Psychological Association indicate that habit formation hinges on consistent cues, rewards and repetition. Aligning with the experts’ recommendations, the research highlights manageable goals and positive reinforcement as key pillars of success. Participants who replace a habit, rather than eradicate it, are more likely to maintain the change after six months.

What comes next

Whether the challenge involves ditching a phone at sunrise, closing a laptop before midnight or completing a daily walk, the CNBC Make It team plans to monitor progress throughout the year. As Moore and Le Cunff emphasize, small, deliberate adjustments can accumulate, potentially transforming morning routines, sleep quality and overall productivity by the time 2027 draws near.

Crédito da imagem: CNBC Make It