My wife and I recently travelled to Chicago for a 3-day weekend. As I parked in the parking garage and pulled our suitcases from the car to head to the terminal my hands went into my pockets. I immediately developed a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach – my iPhone wasn’t there. I looked in the car, on the floorboards, and checked my carryon backpack. No phone. I had left it plugged in at home. There was no time to return and retrieve it.

I quickly assessed my options and realized that I really did not need my phone for the trip. I still had my wallet, ID, and credit cards. My wife could manage directions, ordering the Ubers, and any research with her iPhone. I decided it would be a good experiment to live disconnected for a few days. 

Our trip was fun, I did not miss my phone, and I realized that significantly reducing my screentime kept me more in the moment and less distracted. I was a better travel partner. This lesson has made me explore strategies to reduce my daily iPhone use and to limit my scrolling.

Phones have become indispensable tools for work, entertainment, and social interaction. Excessive screen time can lead to eye strain, disrupted sleep, and reduced productivity. According to recent studies, the average person spends over four hours daily on their phone, often mindlessly scrolling. Reducing this can improve mental health, boost focus, and reclaim time for face-to-face interaction. Here are some strategies to begin controlling your smartphone habits. 

Apple’s Built-in Screen Time Features

Start with what is already on your iPhone: the Screen Time tool in Settings. This feature tracks your daily and weekly app usage, providing insights into where your time goes. Go to Settings > Screen Time, turn on App & Website Activity, and view summaries by week or day. Set App Limits to restrict time on specific apps like social media—once the limit is reached, the app grays out, requiring a passcode to override. Downtime mode blocks all non-essential apps during scheduled periods, such as bedtime, allowing only calls or approved apps through. Focus Modes, integrated with Screen Time, let you customize notifications and home screens for work, sleep, or personal time, minimizing distractions.

Consider enabling Grayscale mode via Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters. By removing colors, your phone becomes less visually appealing, discouraging endless scrolling on vibrant apps like Instagram. Combine this with Do Not Disturb, which silences notifications except for emergencies, to create focused blocks of time.

Third-Party Apps 

For more robust options, third-party apps add stricter enforcement, mindfulness, and gamification.

ScreenZen uses customizable prompts and pauses to encourage mindful app use, with usage tracking for gradual habit building. It is free and highly flexible. 

Freedom blocks apps and websites across devices with locked modes to prevent overrides. It is great for cross-platform users but requires premium for advanced scheduling.

Achieve! turns screen time into a reward system: Complete real-life tasks to “earn” app access, blending productivity with restriction. It is free and gamified for motivation.

One Sec introduces friction by prompting deep breaths or intention selection before opening apps, helping break impulsive habits. It is free for basic use, with a $20 pro upgrade.

Forest gamifies focus: Plant a virtual tree that “dies” if you exit the app during a productivity timer. Earn coins for real tree planting partnerships, making it fun and eco-friendly. It is a one-time $4 purchase.

Opal has comprehensive blocking and analytics. It calculates your screen time’s life impact during setup and offers customizable focus sessions, requiring intention-setting before access. Priced at $100/year for premium features, it is ideal for deep work.

Android’s Tools

Google Android phones come equipped with Digital Wellbeing, a powerful feature to monitor and manage screen time. Access it via Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls. The Dashboard displays daily app usage, notifications received, and phone unlocks, offering insights into your habits. To set up, enable “Daily device usage” under Manage your data. Set App Timers to limit specific apps, like social media, which lock after reaching the daily limit (e.g., 30 minutes). Focus Mode pauses distracting apps temporarily, and you can schedule it for work or study hours. Bedtime Mode mutes notifications, enables grayscale, and dims the screen to discourage late-night scrolling. Add the Digital Wellbeing widget to your home screen for quick access to your top three apps’ usage.

To make your Android phone less enticing, enable Grayscale via Settings > Digital Wellbeing & parental controls > Bedtime mode > Customize > Grayscale. This removes vibrant colors, reducing the appeal of apps like YouTube. Silence non-essential notifications under Settings > Notifications > App settings, selecting “All Apps” to disable distracting pings.

There are several Android apps (like iPhone apps) to help you manage screen time better. Here are a few: StayFree, Forest, ScreenZen, Freedom, and Rescue Time.

Behavioral Strategies for Lasting Change

Consider adopting habits to curb screen time. Designate phone-free zones, such as the bedroom or during meals, and leave your phone in another room to resist temptation. 

Schedule digital detox periods, like a phone-free evening, replacing screen time with other activities like reading or taking a walk. Hide distracting apps in folders off the home screen to reduce mindless access. Track progress by reviewing Digital Wellbeing and Screen Time reports weekly. Set achievable goals, such as cutting social media use by 25%. 

Final Thoughts

Forgetting my iPhone for my 3-day trip ended up being a non-issue. It made me more attentive and present in the moment. This experience has encouraged me to implement strategies to limit my daily scrolling.

I challenge you to try a personal experiment to reduce your smartphone use. Start small with Apple’s Screen Time, (or if you have an Android-Digital Wellbeing). Incorporate strategies like grayscale and detoxes. Experiment with some of the apps. By reclaiming control, you will enjoy better sleep, sharper focus, and more meaningful connections. 

Ralph Broadwater, M.D., CFP®

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