My phone finally made it through the day after I changed how I watch videos

I’ve always been baffled by how quickly my phone’s battery drains when I’m watching videos. It doesn’t matter if it’s Instagram reels, a video podcast, or a stand-up special playing in the background while I’m scrubbing dishes—I’m usually not even looking at the screen. I’m just listening. Meanwhile, my phone is blasting its display at full brightness, draining the battery and warming up the device for no meaningful reason.