Functioning phone addict

[Mushroo]

This might not be the right place to post so apologies if this is inappropriate, but has anyone overcome a phone addiction? It sounds so silly but it is taking over my life. I’ve tried putting it in a different room, I’ve tried the apps, but I just end up overriding them.

it’s got to the point where I struggle to hold a conversation without checking my phone, but it is absolutely at its worse when I’m supposed to be working.

I do the absolutely bare minimum at work and it’s really affecting my mental health - it’s a vicious cycle as I know I should be working and I get anxious about being found out / being fired, but not enough to get off my phone. (I wfh so there is no real oversight on how I’m spending my day).

Ive always been a bit like this (I can procrastinate and avoid work by staring at a wall, but obviously the phone is worse).

Does anyone have any tips to overcome phone addiction / procrastination?

I’ve always been a high achiever, so I suspect the procrastination is linked to not being ‘good enough’. I’ve read all the blogs and watched all the videos (procrastination monkey) but nothing seems to help at all.

Any tips or suggestions would be really appreciated.

Im just wondering, before you had a phone did you also have similar difficulties starting tasks, staying on task, multitasking, organising?
If not then the best option you have is to tell all your contacts you are temporarily text and phone call only, put your sim in a cheap brick phone, and put your phone somewhere really difficult to get eg in the back of the attic, in your mums shed etc.

I'm a bit of a phone addict. I don't procrastinate. But as soon as I wake up I'm on it, till bed time when I put it on charge. A bit worrying.

I’m the same. I bought one of these and lock my phone away for the whole day. It’s really helping

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B08Z3NGVTQ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I'm sure quite a lot of us are addicted to our phones.
I think the only way is not to have it. Use an old style phone for calls and text and use a laptop for any online stuff.

It’s so hard though isn’t it @InterstellarDrifter to ‘break up with your phone’ because a phone has so much: music, podcasts, banking - those are the top apps that make going back to a Nokia very difficult for me. Why someone doesn’t invent an app that properly blocks your phone I don’t know. There used to be a good one called SelfControl but it doesn’t work with iPhones.

I'm thinking about changing to a non-smart phone which just does text & calls. If it's not there, I can't use it...

It's really depressing actually. I think of all the books I could have read, the time I could have spent with Dcs, my home could be in a better state, I could exercise more, bake more. Just generally have a life I'd be happier with if I didn't waste so much time on the phone.

I also have a locking box on a timer that I use.

haggisfish Would you mind telling me where you got your box? The ones on Amazon don't have great reviews.

Thank you all for your suggestions - I’ll definitely look into the locked box to start with,
and it’s good to hear I’m not alone!

it’s so depressing, as a child I LOVED reading and could do it for hours. Now I can’t even do that without getting distracted.

I think my job is a bit boring as well so I spend the day doom scrolling and catastrophising.

I’ve always had a tendency to procrastinate but the phone has amplified it to a million times worse! I’ve started going to the cinema twice a week to get myself off it…

It was this one but it wasn’t this expensive when I got it! It is great though and battery still fine after about five years. Kitchen Safe Time Locking Container (Medium), Timed Lock Box for Cell Phones, Snacks, and Other unwanted Temptations (White Lid + 14cm Clear Base) www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00E9J3MLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_XK4NW6MWMBPJC6ZMC8WD?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Find a new job?
Seriously, I don't have time to wee, let alone look at a phone all day.
If you are busy and active, then you won't have all that time to look at your phone .

Good luck. 👍

For me I'm a mix, when I'm on e.g. Mumsnet, I can easily burn an hour, same with console, so sometimes I have e.g. 30min session then spend some time doing x activities, as the information will still be available on my tablet at x time.

I'm terrible for this and like you I also wfh in an incredibly boring job so I'm looking to change that aspect of my life
I just grab it continuously throughout the day sort of subconsciously hoping something new will appear on it in some desperate need to be less bored then quite often feel like throwing it or slamming it down when I find nothing entertaining on it

@fedup078 yes that’s exactly it!

I think I will get a new job but I’m currently TTC so I can’t change jobs yet. Also my job is very easy and chill so I’m almost cutting off my nose to spite my face - I just need to get over the addiction.

What works for me, and I've tried lots of different things, iis when I notice myself on phone when shouldn't be, or heading into a scroll hole, I start tapping my thigh, pop my phone down in a different room, and walk away.

I have also quit all social media except WhatsApp.

Good luck.

get rid of the phone. seriously.

This!

reading with interest and sadness

unfortunately I wfh (very part time job), and there’s a lot of WhatsApp.

I’m a complete addict :(

How are you getting on now @Mushroo ?

I actually I have ADHD - or else phone use has given it to me - but smartphones provide lots of tiny hits of dopamine; the opportunity to hyperfocus; and a way to communicate conceal task terror / task transition / time blindness problems from yourself.

I’m pouring my life down the drain (though coping mechanism for being a single mum with a young child, ashamed to say it but sometimes I’m just so bored (yes, the house is a mess)) :-(

I found putting my kindle app on my phone has helped, I go to that and read some book instead of mindless Instagram! It doesn't stop the addiction, but at least it's a more wholesome pursuit!

@Daftmum47 honestly not well! I’ve made ever so slight improvements by leaving my phone in another room during work time.

Also this sounds odd but I read the unexpected joy of being sober, and a lot of what she said about addiction really resonated (but in my case replacing phone with alcohol). Essentially, I shouldn’t feel bad for not being able to moderate, as phones are designed to be addictive. So by removing the phone completely, I’m a bit better - there’s no reward of phone during a 5 min break as otherwise I’m back to doom scrolling. So in scenarios like
work I just don’t have my phone.

I also suspect I may have ADHD, or ADHD tendencies so I use my phone to ‘research’ whatever my current obsession is for hours.

My other tip with work is I’ll purposely organise meetings and calls for first thing. This stops me picking up my phone first thing and steps up the day.

I’ve also moved to using pen and paper as much as possible, to take away screens.

I still very much struggle though!

Thanks for this update!

The struggle is real!!

I realised the other day that I never have dreams anymore, and I was wondering whether actually that could be a side effect from being on my phone so many times a day….

Nice just to know I’m not alone, but this has to stop!

Also, thanks for the tip @Preggopounds - I may be beyond that stage though!

I got rid of my smart phone for years when my eldest was born. This was great during the day but I’d then be on DH’s phone all evening!

im going to try the lock box, is it basically impossible to get into it before a certain time?

Try teaching! I don't even think about my phone during the day.