Why YouTube Without Shorts is Better for Productivity

The Problem with Short-Form Content

In the age of instant gratification, platforms like YouTube have adopted short-form video feeds to keep users engaged for longer. YouTube Shorts, launched as a competitor to TikTok, presents an infinite scroll of 60-second videos designed to be consumed rapidly.

But what does this do to our ability to focus and be productive?

The Science Behind the Distraction

Research on media consumption has consistently shown that rapid context-switching — like scrolling through different short videos every few seconds — can reduce our ability to concentrate on longer tasks. This is sometimes called "attention fragmentation."

When you open YouTube to watch a tutorial or lecture, Shorts appear on the homepage, in search results, and in the sidebar. Each one is a potential rabbit hole that can derail your original intent.

YouTube as a Productivity Tool

YouTube has incredible potential as a learning and productivity platform:

Tutorials for programming, design, cooking, music, and more
University lectures and educational content
Podcasts and long-form interviews
Documentation and how-to guides

When you remove Shorts, YouTube returns to being this powerful tool rather than a source of distraction.

How NoShorts Helps

NoShorts is designed specifically to solve this problem. By installing the extension, you get:

A clean YouTube homepage without Shorts shelves
Search results free from short-form content
Automatic redirection away from /shorts URLs
A simple toggle to re-enable Shorts whenever you want

The key is that it puts you back in control. You decide when and how you consume content.

Building Better Digital Habits

Removing Shorts is just one step toward healthier digital habits. Consider also:

Scheduling your YouTube time: Dedicate specific times for YouTube instead of using it on impulse.
Using "Watch Later": Save videos to watch later instead of watching immediately.
Enabling Restricted Mode: If you want to further filter content.
Taking breaks: Follow the 20-20-20 rule — every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

Conclusion

YouTube without Shorts is simply a better YouTube. It's the YouTube that helps you learn, grow, and stay productive. NoShorts makes this possible with zero configuration and zero cost.

Take back your focus. Install NoShorts today.