Digital minimalism
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Wait 60 seconds of doing nothing before grabbing your phone when you feel the urge.
This pause serves as a repetition to break the habit.
one person who lived it
If you struggle with impulsive phone usage, have a child set the PIN for your content blockers.
The shame of asking them for access can deter the desire to scroll.
one person who lived it
If you struggle with nighttime phone use, try locking your phone in a physical box from bedtime until the end of your workday.
It prevents staying up all night watching videos.
one person who lived it
Replace fast dopamine hits with slower activities like long walks without podcasts, listening to music while doing nothing, or writing random thoughts.
It is way less exciting, but it calmed my brain down.
one person who lived it
Avoid social apps until after finishing work or learning tasks for the day.
Checking them breaks trains of thought and forces dealing with issues best left for later.
one person who lived it
Turn off Wi-Fi when you want to focus on reading or working for an hour.
It eliminates the temptation to browse the internet and improves productivity.
one person who lived it
Use to-do list widgets on your phone to treat the device as a tool for productivity.
Widgets help use the phone for productive tasks.
one person who lived it
Stick with an older, slower phone model.
To avoid being incentivized to use it more often.
one person who lived it
Install blockers on your computer to limit time on distracting sites like YouTube during work hours.
Knowing you have the site available can serve as a useful release valve.
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Turn off notifications for messaging apps to decide when to check your phone rather than reacting to pings.
Constant pinging from texts or group chats causes distraction.
one person who lived it
Display your purpose or goal visibly, such as on a wall, to serve as a constant reminder.
It ensures you are always reminded of it.
2 people, independently
Read books, listen to audio, or just think during your commute instead of using your phone for mindless entertainment.
It feels good.
one person who lived it
- Listen to podcasts, TED Talks, or audiobooks instead of scrolling.3
Use a simple rescue plan when slipping back into old habits.
It provides a straightforward recovery method for relapse.
one person who lived it
Clean your room and tidy your immediate environment.
You cannot expect control over your life without control of your immediate environment.
one person who lived it
Use automation tools like Bixby Routines to silence your phone and disable distractions when driving, working, or at home.
It helps prevent distraction while driving.
one person who lived it
Switch to physical books and paper newspapers for news and reading.
Algorithms on social media often lead to brainrot rather than informative news.
one person who lived it
Increase friction by logging out of social media apps, removing them from your home screen, and restricting access to desktop only.
Removing the trigger worked better than relying on willpower.
one person who lived it
Delete your primary email account from your phone.
To stop obsessively checking it.
one person who lived it
Create specific 'phone allowed' times and 'phone free' blocks instead of trying to remove the phone completely.
Controlled usage feels more realistic and sustainable than total removal, which can lead to failure.
one person who lived it
Enable app prompts that ask for confirmation before allowing usage of distracting apps.
It forces you to ask if you are sure you want minutes of enjoyment.
one person who lived it
- Block social media apps during work hours to boost productivity.4
Sort and rename files rather than just deleting them to prevent losing important items.
Deleting things can cause you to lose important data.
one person who lived it
Remove suggested videos or recommendations from video platforms.
It forces intentional viewing choices and makes you realize you may have nothing to watch.
one person who lived it
Watch YouTube in browser incognito mode to break the algorithm's grip and reduce passive consumption.
Without the algorithm feeding content, one person naturally watched less and spent more time enjoying movies they genuinely liked.
one person who lived it
Endure boredom instead of seeking digital distractions like social media or web comics.
Digital activities spike dopamine; enduring boredom helps reset expectations so the little hits from the phone lose their pull.
one person who lived it