Here’s a step by step on how to reset your relationship with technology.

Step-by-step

Analyze

Reflect on how much of your screen time is actually adding to your life.

• Look at your screen time (today, this week and past weeks)
• Check how many notifications you get from different apps*
• Think about how algorithmically driven apps make you feel: happy, sad or anxious?
• Reflect on how much of your screen time is actually productive**
• Establish which apps are non-essential for your personal life, school or work

* You can find this information easily via Screen Time on iPhone and Notification History on Android.
** Productive = quality time/beneficial to your life.

Purge

Delete all non-essential apps from your phone for a month.

• Remove all non-essential apps from your phone
• Keep them uninstalled for a month*
• Make Do Not Disturb your default**
• Turn off notifications: banners, stacks and badges
• Delete work email/messenger off your personal phone
• (Optional) Remove your personal email apps

* It needs to be a full month. At two weeks, you’ll still be feeling withdrawal symptoms.
** You can set up which contacts and apps can get through (for emergencies).

Limit

Establish your goals and set firm boundaries on your usage of apps.

• Decide which apps will actually support your life goals
• Set boundaries for apps you want to reintroduce (location, time, purpose*)
• Turn on Scheduled Summary

Reintroduce

Only introduce apps that align with your life goals.

• Download only apps that will help you pursue your goals
• Decentralize your use: use an e-reader, real camera, or a physical clock

Maintain

Make it easy to stick to your goals and do  revisions as a part of your lifestyle.

• Do regular check-ins and evaluations of your use
• Make it a habit to delete apps and go on “detoxes”
• Make more social commitments
• Use behavioral activation to develop positive motivation

How to make your make your phone less appealing

• Put it into greyscale mode*
• Turn on Reduce Motion, Reduce Transparency and Increase Contrast
• Clean out your home page and leave bare minimum apps
• Get a privacy screen protector**

* You can set up a shortcut (triple click of the Power button on iPhones) to switch between Color Filters if you need color for something.
** This, combined with DnD will help you not get distracted by notifications when your phone is in your peripheral vision.

Some examples of the “After” photos