How can I beat my phone addiction?

27 comments

1. Go camping g for 7 days without it.

2. I’m picturing you typing this out on your phone all angrily lol.

3. Get a flip phone or one of the old school Nokias. Snake got old after too long.

4. Sex

5. Instead of just scrolling use your phone to be productive

6. Get rid of your social media. Next weekend day you have, leave your phone by your bed and don’t touch it all day.

7. I have the same issue, I’m planning on downgrading to a flip phone soon.

8. When my teenagers wouldn’t stop going on Tick Tock, I laid down the law. First, I firmly told them that they were not permitted to waste time when they should be spending time watching cable news with me. Then, when they still kept using their phones, I took their phones out back and hit them with a sledgehammer. My daughter said “but what if I need you to pick me up from school?” and I said “you should have thought about that before becoming addicted to your phone” and strutted off, secure in the knowledge that I am the world’s greatest father.

9. go back to pre app phones, it’s what I did

10. Start setting small goals, don’t use for hour before bed is a good one also try leaving it at home when you make small trips like to the gas station or a quick trip to Walmart.

    Separating yourself from the phone in small ways leads up to less desire to be on it all the time.

    Taking a break from social media is also helpful.

11. Beat ya meat instead.

12. I’ve torn my achilles and required surgery. Was quite painful. Are you sure you want to break the addiction?

13. Don’t pay your bill. Like a sniper it just shows up.

14. We could ignore you?

15. What’s your alternative than being on your phone?

    If you have no hobby or activity or backup plan lined up, it’s unnecessarily difficult

16. Delete the apps you spend most of your time on.

    I recently did this for Twitter and I only check it out in my desktop.

    [This episode](https://hubermanlab.com/controlling-your-dopamine-for-motivation-focus-and-satisfaction/) of Huberman Lab really opened my eyes to motivation and getting things done.

17. Honestly I did a few things a couple of years ago that turned my phone from a fun toy into a tool.

    The first thing I’d recommend is to pick like only the most important apps that are time sensitive and have them be able to send notifications, and turn notifications for everything else off. For me, I left on phone calls, text messages, and video calls.

    The second thing that I did was I made the lock screen, wallpaper, etc. all just a black screen. The reason that you picked up your phone was to do a task, make a phonecall, google something, send an email. If you see a picture you’ll either consciously or unconsciously start thinking about photos, instagram, loved ones, anything other than the reason you got on your phone in the first place.

    The last thing that I did was I turned the phone into a grayscale mode, which really twisted the knife. I don’t think you realize how much fun on the phone comes from looking at pretty colours. Scrolling tiktok or instagram felt so boring in grayscale and it’ll help you realize just how much garbage you’re consuming.

18. install some minimal launcher, or lock your phone away and use those old schoole type of phones

19. If you have an android phone, there are apps that exist that can lock you out of other apps or your phone entirely if you prefer.

20. ironically watch this video on YouTube then put your phone down and go and meet your soulmate when you’re lost in the streets… https://youtu.be/Z7dLU6fk9QY

21. Get rid of all the apps that are keeping you checking it; games, socials etc. Only keep apps for their utility.

    Turn off all your notifications so you’re only pulling out your phone when you need to and aren’t seeing a dozen messages dragging you back into apps.

    Address why you are spending to much time on it. Is it loneliness, boredom, anxiety? You might try a hobby, meditation, read a book or get a fidget toy to help with the root cause of your reliance on it.

22. Ask someone to keep it from you and no matter how much you beg for it don’t tell them not give it to you for a week , then a 2 weeks, after that try a month and you will find more things to fill your time , and finally try a month

23. Delete all time wasting apps. Make your phone into a tool for productivity and connectivity. Now there’s suddenly no reason to pick it up randomly.

24. Replace it with a different addiction, like crystal meth.

25. You and me both (and tons of other people I know).

    First off, don’t be too hard on yourself. There are literally millions of dollars being spent every year to keep you staring at that thing. Here are some things are sort of working for me.

    * Set up app timing restrictions: there’s always a bypass available, but hitting the bypass button will make you think twice before you do it.
    * Think of other apps or activities that you can swap out instead. Anytime I sense that I’m mindlessly scrolling through IG, I swap over to DuoLingo and do a quick language lesson.
    * Activities where you’ll be forced to leave (or do not absolutely need to take your smart devices with you). For me that’s going for a drive or a run.
    * If it’s social media in particular that’s keeping you hooked. Take long, conscious breaks. As in a whole month off.
    * Delete all the apps you don’t absolutely need in your life. Go as far shutting down accounts on sites/apps you know you don’t need.
    * Maybe actually set time for yourself to scroll? Not gonna lie, there are certain times when I’m not meant to be doing anything where that’s actually what I want to do. I allow myself that.

    Hope that helps. Probably going to read the comments myself here.

26. Smash phone into tiny bits with hammer. Dispose of said bits. Do not replace phone. Forward calls to your office phone or something. Problem solved.

27. Read the book How to Break Up With Your Phone.
    I’m not anywhere close to beating my addiction but the awareness helps.
    Start setting reasonable goals. Mine is to be under 2hrs a day of phone screen time in a year’s time.

    Edit: and turn off notifications besides messages and reminders if you haven’t already.