I reduced my screen time to 2h in the last 2 months.
My phone used to control me, now I control my phone!
I sharpened my focus and gained a lot of free time because of it.
In 10 steps, I will explain how I beat my smartphone addiction.
My phone used to control me, now I control my phone!
I sharpened my focus and gained a lot of free time because of it.
In 10 steps, I will explain how I beat my smartphone addiction.
How I Overcame My Smartphone Addiction:
1. Find your why
2. Delete apps
3. Make it ugly
4. Mute it
5. Set goals
6. Fill in the time
7. Use an extra phone
8. Use blocking apps
9. Combine discipline and environment
10. Set the usage on the background
1. Find your why
2. Delete apps
3. Make it ugly
4. Mute it
5. Set goals
6. Fill in the time
7. Use an extra phone
8. Use blocking apps
9. Combine discipline and environment
10. Set the usage on the background
First of all, it is important to know that I believe smartphones are one of the greatest human inventions.
It's literal magic.
The problem I have with that is that I was under its control.
I believe that man should control the tool, and the tool should not control the man!
It's literal magic.
The problem I have with that is that I was under its control.
I believe that man should control the tool, and the tool should not control the man!
1. Find your why
In everything you want to do, you must have a reason why you want to do it.
My why was I wanted to cut my phone addiction, and get more time in a day.
Find your why.
In everything you want to do, you must have a reason why you want to do it.
My why was I wanted to cut my phone addiction, and get more time in a day.
Find your why.
2. Delete apps
The computer is much easier to control than a smartphone.
That's why I moved almost every app that I use, from my smartphone to my computer.
I deleted everything that I don't need, and the rest I put under strict blocks.
The computer is much easier to control than a smartphone.
That's why I moved almost every app that I use, from my smartphone to my computer.
I deleted everything that I don't need, and the rest I put under strict blocks.
3. Make it ugly
A smartphone is like candy.
Everything looks beautiful, it's easy to use, it's light, you could eat the damn thing.
That's why you have to make it ugly.
How? Change it to grayscale...
A smartphone is like candy.
Everything looks beautiful, it's easy to use, it's light, you could eat the damn thing.
That's why you have to make it ugly.
How? Change it to grayscale...
4. Mute it
The notification completely kills your focus.
It throws you off the task completely.
And the notification you received was from an app you last used 3 months ago.
Turn off all notifications!
Set boundaries and make yourself unavailable.
People will respect it.
The notification completely kills your focus.
It throws you off the task completely.
And the notification you received was from an app you last used 3 months ago.
Turn off all notifications!
Set boundaries and make yourself unavailable.
People will respect it.
5. Set goals
In everything you do, you should have some kind of goal, a clear target that you want to hit.
I set a goal of using a mobile device for under 3 hours a day.
Of those 3 hours, most were related to work/habit.
Not hitting the goal helped me find ways to control it.
In everything you do, you should have some kind of goal, a clear target that you want to hit.
I set a goal of using a mobile device for under 3 hours a day.
Of those 3 hours, most were related to work/habit.
Not hitting the goal helped me find ways to control it.
6. Fill in the time
Once you start controlling your phone, a lot of your free time will open up.
You have to fill in that time, if not, you will get back to your phone.
I filled that time with work, reading, walks into nature, etc.
Once you start controlling your phone, a lot of your free time will open up.
You have to fill in that time, if not, you will get back to your phone.
I filled that time with work, reading, walks into nature, etc.
7. Use an extra phone
The thing l love the most is YouTube.
That's why I banned it on my laptop too. It eats up so much of my time.
So what I do is, I have an older phone which I hide and only use sometimes on my rest days.
That's how I allow myself some breathing space.
The thing l love the most is YouTube.
That's why I banned it on my laptop too. It eats up so much of my time.
So what I do is, I have an older phone which I hide and only use sometimes on my rest days.
That's how I allow myself some breathing space.
8. Use Blocking Apps
Blocking apps are needed because you can't delete everything from your phone.
You can always go on YouTube through the web.
The bad thing about blocking apps is, they are easy to bypass,
So you have to use the combination of self + environment control
Blocking apps are needed because you can't delete everything from your phone.
You can always go on YouTube through the web.
The bad thing about blocking apps is, they are easy to bypass,
So you have to use the combination of self + environment control
9. Self + Environment control combination
There is self-control, then there is environmental control.
If you don't want to eat cookies, you can't have them at home! (Environment control)
Discipline starts in the store. You're gonna eat the cookies you buy. (self-control)
There is self-control, then there is environmental control.
If you don't want to eat cookies, you can't have them at home! (Environment control)
Discipline starts in the store. You're gonna eat the cookies you buy. (self-control)
That's how it is with smartphones too
Ban the apps on your phone, so when you start to use them, the blocks will pop up. (Environment control)
But now it's up to self-control, to not go and bypass the blocking application.
The combination of both helps you achieve the goal.
Ban the apps on your phone, so when you start to use them, the blocks will pop up. (Environment control)
But now it's up to self-control, to not go and bypass the blocking application.
The combination of both helps you achieve the goal.
10. Set the usage on the background
Set your usage in the background,
So the first thing you see when you open the phone is usage.
This raises your awareness on phone abuse, and it helps you hit the goal, or at least remind you of it.
Set your usage in the background,
So the first thing you see when you open the phone is usage.
This raises your awareness on phone abuse, and it helps you hit the goal, or at least remind you of it.
With that said,
Getting rid of the phone addiction isn't easy, and I failed a lot before I got it right.
So, don't beat yourself up if you fail. Muster up the courage and try again!
With every try, you are get better and better!
Getting rid of the phone addiction isn't easy, and I failed a lot before I got it right.
So, don't beat yourself up if you fail. Muster up the courage and try again!
With every try, you are get better and better!
That's a wrap!
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If you enjoyed this thread:
1. Follow me @teodorzrinski for more of these
2. Retweet the thread
Click the link below and up you will go.
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