Anyone overcome a phone addiction?

[TheWaterNokk]

Anyone..? I’m wasting my life away on this thing. It’s just a bad habit.

Same I have fear of missing out 😭

Nope. So far:

Tried setting use time limits for certain apps - i just end up disabling them

Tried switching to reading physical books instead of mindless scrolling - moderate succes, but screen time still over 5h a day sometimes

I hate it and it's ruining my already bad eyesight

Very interested in how others did it

At the beginning of this year I deleted all my social media. I also invested in a bedside alarm clock, and so stopped taking my phone up to bed at night time as I didn't need it for an alarm. It's uncomfortable for the first week or so, but you feel the benefits straight away.

I really need to do this but I’m on my own a lot and unemployed so it’s just a bad, comforting habit. I’m not sure where to start.

I deleted social media apps about a year ago, they weren't doing my any good and I found it weird I knew so much about people I hadn't met or people I hadn't seen in ages. I still access Instagram online a few times a week but there's no endless scrolling. I also deleted rightmove (I'm not even house hunting!). And I keep my phone in a draw during the day when I'm working.

I do spend far too much time on Mumsnet though!

I’m going to try and shut my phone in a drawer or something.

It’s not just social media my family and friends seem to message constantly too

I have had 'some' success with this. Realising how many times a day I would pick up my phone , check msgs etc re read msgs etc look through phots over and over etc etc I knew I needed todo something. I dont get emails on my phone, haven't uploaded any music on it, Ian on WhatsApp but all notifications are muted, so I choose when to check my msgs. I out my phone away in a drawer when at home so consciously know when I am looking at it. I check it if I hear it (not immediately though) and if I dont hear any calls/textes etc I check it after breakfast/lunch/dinner and before bed. I have had some success with this discipline but I am far from nailing this! Good luck!

Put on do not disturb and set a time in your mind to go on it and reply to things only in that window.

Turn off notifications for emails and use your computer once a day instead for the sole purpose of checking and responding to emails and that's it- no internet surfing.

Run a paper diary that you can look through to know when you have social events planned etc and only confirm the day/night before rather than days and days of back and forth messaging.

Put a special ring tone on for your family so that you'll always answer in an emergency.

Set yourself a future reward if you achieve say 50% less time spent scrolling by going for a massage/ manicure/ special coffee shop- whatever floats your boat

Don't feel bad or guilty if you've missed a trend / meme / gossip and return to the fact you're making space for your emotional well being which in the long run is far more important

My family/friends did message constantly too. I then realised I responded constantly to them aswell. I dont now and they dont msg like they used to anymore. It means I have much less drama in my life...but that suits me nowadays.

@lovenotwar149 same here. It was just too much contact with people I just don’t need to hear from that much and it was draining. I muted the messages and started replying slower. I feel much better for it.

An app called LockMeOut has worked for me to block time-sucking apps. Leechblock blocks specific time-sucking websites.

No social media apps on phone. Notifications disabled.

And putting my phone across the room instead of on the bedside table when it's time to go to sleep.