Principles
Less screen time, less willpower
Design your environment so the right choice is the default.
screen timehabitsproductivity
Willpower is a bad strategy
Willpower fluctuates with sleep, stress, and workload. Environment is stable. That is why friction and defaults beat motivation.
Three default changes
Pick one per week:
- Notifications: only human messages and essential alerts
- Home screen: keep only tools (maps, calendar); hide feeds
- Time windows: feeds allowed only in a set window (e.g., 20 minutes after lunch)
Replace, don’t just remove
If you remove screen time without a replacement, your brain will find another distraction. Add a tiny replacement for boredom and stress.
- Micro-walk
- One page of reading
- Message a friend
- 2-minute stretch
Family version
If you have kids, align on one shared rule and one shared ritual. Mom&Dad Tracker can structure the conversation and reduce fights about phones.
Quick checklist
- Turn off badges for feeds.
- Move social apps off the first screen.
- Choose one daily feed window.
- Add one family ritual for the regained time.
Make the default calm
Use Social Pause for the moment-to-moment interruption. Use Mom&Dad Tracker for the weekly family agreements and rituals.