It’s easy to get into a streaming slump, whether your favorite playlist is stuck on repeat or your Netflix home feed feels like it hasn’t changed in ages. There are many reasons it can happen (and your recommendation system itself is a big one), but how do you beat it?
Lately, I have found myself fighting a Netflix slump that has left my mealtime streaming feeling stale and repetitive. But a few simple tricks have helped me mostly overcome it. Here’s all you need to know.
My problem with how I stream lately
Need to find titles geared toward my taste
The primary platform I use for video streaming is Netflix. Unfortunately, my Netflix habits are going through a weird phase. Although I try to refresh my watch list and stream new content regularly, my day-to-day streaming has been facing some consistent issues.
One of these was how much time I wasted trying to find the perfect watch for the day, and given how flooded my recommendations were with more mainstream, new content that is constantly promoted, it was a constant struggle to find titles that aligned with my tastes. While an algorithm reset helps to a large extent, it’s a problem that many regular viewers face. Recently, when facing this issue, I just gave up and began recycling nostalgic shows and films, and this slump has prevented me from streaming new titles and made me feel like I’m wasting my subscription.
It’s easy to feel fatigued when you’re streaming, from finding the right watch to being overwhelmed by how many subscription services there are, with everything you want to watch being spread across platforms. Streaming fatigue can be incredibly annoying for several reasons, and if you ever feel like you need a reset or a break, these simple tricks can help you beat the slump.
Set a time limit
Try app blockers
An easy place to start—and a method that has worked well for me consistently—is to limit your channel surfing to a set time. When my “Continue Playing” section is empty, I try to find something to watch by exploring for five minutes, after which I either exit Netflix or switch to offline/physical media.
This can extend to streaming itself if you are someone who easily falls down the binge-watching rabbit hole. A neat way to do this if you stream on your phone is to set time limits through Screen Time features or use an app blocker. For desktop, you can experiment with site and app blockers.
Netflix Was a Mess Until I Discovered This Feature
Tired of abandoned shows and movies clogging up your Continue Watching row?
Hit pause on your service
Take a quick break from Netflix
And if you really want to take a clean break from streaming due to fatigue, excessive screen time, or binge-watching, you can do so for a short term for a quick reset. While you can cancel your Netflix subscription, a better temporary solution is to pause it instead. This will retain all your history and profile while giving you time to change and reset your streaming habits. Pausing your subscription can also help you declutter your subscriptions, so it’s easy to figure out which services you actually want to subscribe to in the long run.
You can pause your Netflix subscription for a month, with an extension being available for an additional month towards the end of your pause. It also pauses billing for the pause period, and once you resume, you can simply resume streaming with your existing profiles. Alternatively, you can also cancel your subscription while on a break.
Reset your algorithm
Start over from the beginning
If you relate to my streaming fatigue problem of being overwhelmed by a Netflix feed that pushes more popular and repeated recommendations that don’t align with your tastes, don’t worry. You can (try your best) to reset your Netflix algorithm so that you are able to find titles that suit your likes.
Before doing that, make sure that you have all your bases covered—use separate profiles for shared accounts, prevent autoplay, etc. You can then go about resetting your profile, checking your watch history, and rating every title you watch so that you can best the recommendation system.
Find a subscription tracker that works
Write it down
If a major problem you face in terms of streaming fatigue is that you have too many subscriptions that tend to overwhelm you, it’s a good idea to find a subscription tracker. Not only can this help you figure out hidden subscriptions and track which services you actually need, but it can also help you save money in the long run.
You can use a simple spreadsheet to track these, or use an app like Trim or Bobby.
Swap it out
Utilize physical media
And finally, the best way to combat streaming fatigue, be it video or audio, is to swap out your subscriptions for offline and physical media. While this may not be feasible in all scenarios, it is definitely something to consider when you travel or are trying to do a digital detox. For me, this includes downloading more information-focused media (offline podcasts/audiobooks) and simply swapping out my regular Netflix programming for physical media like books and my old, somehow still functional, iPod.
Physical media can be a good option to look into for your budget management as well, especially if you feel that your watch list requires multiple streaming subscriptions.
Other than these tips, my personal experience with getting out of my Netflix slump has always tied back to not relying on the platform’s recommendation system too much. If you can use human-driven recommendations (I use Reddit and community chats), you may be able to find some gems that your algorithm will not dig out.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
