Is YouTube a net positive in your life? Or just a time suck?

It's a tool - depends how you use it
For me it's a plus, as I watch interviews and podcasts from people I wish to learn from, or stuff from the Tank Museum and the like.
Their business model is to take your time and convert it into $$$
So... make sure you only give the time that benefits you, not the other way around

Absolutely a positive force! YouTube is my favorite app but sometimes I end up in tutorial hell. Lots of videos in the Watch Later playlist...

Set a time limit then log off

As a former YouTuber (50k subs, ~5M views), I've seen the platform change a lot lately. There are some good things, but also some downsides. These days, it's easy to get caught up and waste a lot of time watching videos.

Here are some aspects of YouTube (other than entertainment) that I enjoy and don't consider a waste of time:

• Learning opportunities: tutorials, educational content and how-to videos covering a wide range of topics.

• Personal development: inspiration and motivation, sports.

• Community building: Connect with others who share their interests and passions.

• Exposure: gain exposure and build an audience, which can lead to career opportunities and financial rewards.

I totally understand your struggle with YouTube and other social media platforms. It's a fine line between using them for personal growth and falling into the abyss of endless scrolling.

For me, every social media platform can be a time suck, and I'm still searching for ways to separate valuable content from mindless browsing. Here's what I've been trying lately:

• Background noise: I use YouTube as background noise, so I can't constantly scroll and pick new videos. This gives the platform a more holistic vibe and a bigger purpose, as I listen to content from start to finish.
• Focused viewing: When I actually watch something on-screen, I try to stay focused, just like in the old days with TV. It's challenging to focus on one thing these days, so I force myself to do it.
• Prioritizing platforms: YT is still the most important social media app on my phone. I've deleted IG and TikTok, only keep Facebook for work purposes, and hold on to YouTube because I still believe it offers more value than harm.

So, in short, YouTube can be a positive force if we manage our habits and usage effectively. It's all about finding the right balance and using these platforms mindfully.

Happy YouTubing!

I've received a ton of value from youtube, especially from indiehacker or videos from Rob Walling, but also ones having to do with self-development in general. I pay youtube for Premium so that I can listen to my iphone with the screen off for hours while doing house chores.
But also it's a very time-sink thing, if you're not careful. I have a ton of favorite prank channels, such as Lofe, Eric Kanevsky, Ed Bassmaster, Too Apree too and too many others to count.
I have to be careful. I actually have a notion table of favorites that i hide from view, but they are the channels that publish best-of compilation ones at the end of the year, so I save time and only watch those end of year ones as a christman day treat, and dont watch them all year.

YouTube can be a net positive if I use it to learn new skills, gain knowledge, or watch content that I enjoy. it can also be a time suck if I mindlessly scroll through recommended videos or get caught up in clickbait content.

Sometimes YouTube can actually be a time suck if you don't have a clear plan for what you would like to do each time you get on it.

Sometimes the videos might not be loaded with as much information as should compensate for the time spent watching them.

You see videos of about 20 minutes with the creator repeating the same thing over and over with voice over sound effects. Not always cool.

That's why I'm creating Syncight, a platform to summarize videos , give you specific time stamps of the video containing substantial information and help you save time.

There's a chrome extension I found a while ago called DF Tube that I find very effective. It allows you to block whatever parts of the website you'd like to (recommended videos, your feed, comments etc.). I personally find it works very well, it's not perfect but it helps a lot. I have no affiliation to this by the way, I'm just a user. Here's the link to it: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/df-tube-distraction-free/mjdepdfccjgcndkmemponafgioodelna?hl=en

YouTube can be a positive force but I spend 6hrs+ watching funny podcasts and car videos so I don't think I'm a good example...

I recently cut youtube out of my schedule and I find I spend way more time doing things I actually want to do. There’s definitely a balance to be struck though. I think the Pull vs Push framework helps a lot for this. So, instead of relying on subscriptions or suggestions, know what you’re looking for and want to learn, get what you need out of those videos, and log off.

This isn't to say there aren't many benefits to the internet, or that its impact won't net positively over the longer term.

https://www.ballsportspro.com/pickleball-exercises/

For many people, YouTube can be a net positive in their lives, as it allows them to learn new things, access entertainment and music, connect with others who share similar interests, and even make a living through content creation. However, like any platform that involves user-generated content, there can be negative aspects to YouTube, such as misinformation, harmful or offensive content, and online harassment.

Youtube is very helpful in terms of providing useful material to a problem in minutes, or even seconds. There is so much on that platform that if used properly, is definitely a positive force.