How to spend less time on your phone

How was your weekend? How much time did you spend on your phone?

The average person spends 4+ hours on their phones per day. This equates to 70 days per year spent just on our phones.

The thing is, it’s not due to a lack of discipline.

It’s the way that our phones are designed.

TikTok is currently being sued by 13 states for being designed to be addictive to kids and causing harm.

But what about the effects of platforms like Instagram, YouTube, Gmail, and Facebook on adults?

We need to apply the same level of scrutiny to the overall ecosystem.

Did you know that Instagram was modeled after one of the most addictive machines: the slot machine?

The pull-to-refresh and infinite scrolling releases instant dopamine. It is the unpredictable reward mechanism that just like gambling, keeps us coming back.

Even our notifications, i.e. that little red badge on the apps are designed to get us into a state of hypervigilance. Red signals danger. We feel compelled to check.

As we enter into a new week, here’s how to reduce screen time:
➡️ Set time limits on your most-used apps
➡️ Try a 24-hour detox from your phone, e.g. from Friday to Saturday evening
➡️ Switch to greyscale: this removes colors from your screen and makes it less appealing
➡️ Mono-task: whether at work, watching a movie, or reading, focus on one task at a time and keep your phone in another room

What have you found helps?