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8 Simple Ways to Reduce Your Cell Phone Screen Time
These settings, apps, and tips can help you ease up on your phone use and find more enriching things to do
Simple steps can help you get your screen time under control.
Smartphones can be a force for good—for learning, entertainment, connection, saving time, you name it. But given how much we can do with the devices, it’s easy to over-indulge and succumb to the kind of mindless scrolling many of us hope to kick in the new year.
The average American spends more than 3 hours a day on their phone—and according to Gallup polling, most people believe they use their device too much. Feverish scrolling comes with potential side effects identified by multiple studies: disturbed sleep, eye strain, a shorter attention span, heightened stress, and even a weakened ability to form social connections in real life. These risks are all the more elevated when it comes to the developing brains of kids, experts say.
“The most important thing is that you are intentional about the way you engage with your phone and not let it take over your life, which it’s designed to do,” says Dr. Dimitri Christakis, principal investigator of the Center for Child Health, Behavior and Development at Seattle Children’s Research Institute.
Ready to give it a try? There are some simple ways to limit your phone usage to healthy doses. Here are eight expert-backed strategies to help you set boundaries with your device and build a bigger off-screen life.
: 12 MORE iPhone Settings You Should Change Now! (ThioJoe)
Setting Better Boundaries
Let’s start with some ways to loosen the bonds between you and your phone.
Take Short Breaks Daily
It’s basic, but it works: Set your phone aside for a brief stretch each day. Leave it in a drawer, another room, or even inside a timed lockbox, particularly when you really need to focus or wind down.
“Learn how to dedicate the time for technology and the time for no technology,” says Dr. Larry Rosen, a research psychologist and co-author of “Distracted Mind: Ancient Brains in a High-tech World.” Designating the early morning and evening hours as smartphone-free is particularly important, as phones can impact cortisol and melatonin production, ultimately increasing stress, disrupting sleep, and interfering with your circadian rhythm.
Delete Time-Wasting Apps
On a deadline? Want to stay present while family is in town? Delete the most tempting apps from your phone—for just a short while. Don’t worry: That doesn’t delete your account; you can return to Instagram or YouTube simply by reinstalling the app and logging in.
Speaking of apps, some can actually help you maintain mindful phone use. Jomo, Opal, and Refocus, all available for iOS, allow you to block certain activities on your device for set periods of time. The Android-only app AntiSocial lets you compare your screen time usage with that of others, while Forest, available for both iPhone and Android, motivates users to stay focused and off their phones by planting both real and virtual trees. Try a few out to see which stick.
Mute Noisy Notifications
It’s easy to get caught up in reacting to your phone. “We act like Pavlov’s dogs,” Rosen says. “Our phone dings and we pick it up.” But there are measures you can take to tame those distractions.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications and click on any app from the list to toggle off “Allow Notifications.” (Want to know which ones are most loudly vying for your attention? Check Settings > Screen Time > See All App & Website Activity, and scroll down to Notifications.) iPhone users can also enable a number of Focus modes—like Do Not Disturb, Work, or Sleep—which silence all notifications except for those you specifically choose. Go to Settings > Focus to customize each mode.
On a Samsung Galaxy phone, go to Settings > Notifications and toggle off notifications for any unimportant app. Mute all distractions for a portion of the day by going to Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb and toggling it on. Customize this mode by scrolling further down to “Allowed during Do not Disturb.” (Other Android phones should have similar settings.)
Go Gray
Phones and the content they deliver are strategically designed to hold our attention for as long as possible with vibrant colors and designs. One way to loosen your phone’s grip is to set the screen to grayscale. You can leave it that way all the time, or just use grayscale when you are trying to minimize distractions.
On an iPhone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Display & Text Size > Color Filters, and toggle it off.
On a Samsung Galaxy phone, go to Settings > Accessibility > Visibility enhancements > Color correction. Toggle on both "Color correction" and "Grayscale" from the options.
Invest in Your Off-Screen Life
Now let’s focus on four ways to keep you off your phone.
Build Up Your Attention Stamina
Poor smartphone habits can stem from short attention spans, Rosen says—and then gradually make them even shorter. But your attention span can be trained, like a muscle. Silence your phone, set a timer for a beginner-friendly 15 minutes, and then place the device face-down, committing to not touch it until the timer goes off. Once it does, check your notifications for a minute or two—then reset the timer.
Over time, as you lengthen the phone-free stretches, you’ll find the desire to reflexively check your device weaken, while your ability to focus on phone-free activities gets stronger.
Arm Yourself With Alternatives
When replacing any not-so-great habit, you need to have healthier options at hand. Invest in learning new hobbies, reading books, creating art, exercising, spending time in nature, and connecting with people in person. Immersing yourself in slower, intentional activities calms the brain while stretching your attention span. When you then return to your device, you’re more likely to do it in a healthful way. “When we’re stressed, we often look at our phones as a reflexive thing—we’re trying to change the channel in our minds,” says Anya Kamenetz, author of “The Art of Screen Time.” "Can you replace that habit with something that’s going to be a little more restorative?”
Enlist Friends and Family
Make your campaign to reduce screen time a team effort. Try to establish clear boundaries with your family, like no phones at meal times, or lead by example by, say, never scrolling social media while spending time with friends. Then, hold everyone accountable. Kamenetz’s family members try to not have phones out at the dinner table, but if they do? “You call me out; I’ll call you out,” she says. Over time, your in-person social connections will likely deepen—and the contagious urge to check your phone while with others will lessen.
Track (and Celebrate) Your Progress
As with any well-intentioned resolution, it’s easy to make changes—and far harder to stick with them. That’s why it’s important to keep monitoring your progress. What’s your goal? While there’s no clear guidance on what constitutes too much screen time for an adult, ask yourself whether your phone use is getting in the way of sleeping and eating well, feeling connected and calm, and engaging in the activities you most enjoy. Then, review your weekly screen time stats and tweak your behavior accordingly.
On an iPhone, you can keep close tabs on your stats by adding a Screen Time widget to your home screen. Hold the home screen down until the apps begin to shake. Tap the plus icon at the top left of the screen, type in Screen Time, and add the widget. (You can choose from several sizes.)
On a Samsung Galaxy phone, go to Settings > Digital wellbeing and parental controls, and set a screen time goal and the device will alert you when you’ve hit your max. (Other Android phones should have similar settings.)
And, finally, pat yourself on the back for moving the needle in the right direction. As Kamenetz reminds us, “Incremental change is still change.”
