10 tricks to reduce cell phone use

Environmental Tricks (Remove the Stimulus)

The simplest way to reduce cell phone use is to apply basic behavioral psychology: "out of sight, out of mind".

The first trick is to create friction. Don't carry your cell phone in your pocket; leave it in another room while you work or study.

The sheer effort of having to get up for it will drastically reduce impulsive checking.

The second trick is to establish "mobile-free zones" in the home; the most important is the bedroom. The cell phone should not enter the bedroom for sleeping.

The third trick is to buy a traditional alarm clock.

Using the cell phone as an alarm clock is the worst habit: it tempts us to check it before going to sleep (affecting sleep because of the blue light) and it is the first thing we look at when we wake up (starting the day with a shot of dopamine and stress).

A 10 euro alarm clock eliminates the main excuse for having the cell phone on the bedside table.

Digital Tricks (Deactivate the Addiction)

We can use the settings of the phone itself against you. The fourth trick is to set the screen to grayscale.

Apps are designed with vibrant and attractive colors (red in notifications) that our brain finds irresistible.

A black and white screen is boring, ugly and drastically reduces visual pleasure, making the mobile less appetizing.

The fifth trick is to turn off 99% of notifications. The cell phone is designed to interrupt.

Every beep or vibration is a wake-up call that breaks our concentration.

You have to go into the settings and disable all push notifications except the essential ones (calls or messages from key people).

This puts us back in control: we look at the mobile when we decide, not when the mobile tells us to.

Behavioral Tricks (Habit Substitution)

Compulsive cell phone use is a learned habit, often to avoid boredom.

The sixth trick is to substitute the habit: when you feel the urge to pick up the cell phone, have an alternative action ready (read two pages of a book, drink a glass of water, do five squats).

The seventh trick is to measure to manage: use your mobile's own "digital wellness" tools to see how many hours you spend and on which apps.

Seeing a "4 hours a day" report is often enough of a shock to motivate a change.

Eighth, set non-connection schedules (e.g. "airplane mode" from 9pm to 9am).

Ninth, delete toxic applications: delete apps that genera