A Guide to Breaking Up with Your Phone
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How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. According to a Pew Research Center poll finding that 84% of Americans are online several times a day or “almost constantly,” we’re apparently spending our lives glued to our screens. Thankfully, we now have a better understanding of how to break up with our phones.
The Benefits: People who use their phones less move more, have better mood and lower stress, can focus longer, and have sharper memory. Despite the clear upsides to kicking our scrolling habit, reducing screen time can be difficult.
How to Do It: There is no “correct” way to use your phone less. Whatever method works for you is the right one. But if you’re looking to get started, this rough outline can help you build a habit that lasts.
– Pick one metric to reduce by 20% this week (screen time, pickups, or your most-used app).
– Set one boundary where phones are off-limits (bedroom, table, first hour up, last hour before bed).
– Choose one replacement you’ll do instead (10-minute walk, book by the couch, stretch, or call a friend).
To make it stick, set a two-minute weekly check-in to review your metric and adjust.
For more inspiration, the podcast Search Engine covered the topic of how to stop being so phone addicted without self discipline.
