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RE: [BrainDump] How to deal with smartphone addicition, especially with kids!
I turn off alerts for everything except hive replies, email, text, messenger and calls. Those are the things that are most important to me.
I make my phone go "black and white" after 10pm everynight, which makes the other things way less enticing.
I set a time limit of 30 minutes per "doomscroll" type app - so that means 30 minutes across reddit, instagram, and the others like it. I don't watch shorts. I hate shorts / reels / tiktok. If a friend sends me one, I tell them I don't watch them.
They keep sending them. I ignore their messages that are shorts, and try to send them the same message again. I try to "save" them.
I much rather do things on the browser, on my PC. It ensures that the Internet is a place.
Having said this, there is an AMAZING YouTuber who has done a video on that very topic.
This lady creates so much brain food on her channel (particularly her newer videos) that if you can make the time for JUST ONE YouTube video - please let it be that one. Even watch it on slightly faster speed to use up your time wisely, but the pauses for effect really work well with Sarah's content.
She's created a big inspiration in me in terms of the sort of, and the styles of things that I want to write / enquire / focus on. These small, esoteric things that can mean so much when presented in an interesting and engaging way, without it being a lecture about things being "bad" and ending there.
In South Australia, where I live, smart phones have been banned from the classroom. They go into a "holding zone" (I guess) at the start of the school day, and kids cannot have them until its time to go (not sure about lunch / recess breaks) - but it definitely encourages play - (There's a school close to the gym I go to, and the yard is always full of kids actually interacting with each other! - instead of what we do as adults, which is stare at the device in our palms)
We really do get better value out of our lives be looking at each other's faces, and not looking at our phones.
Thanks for your reply!
Turning off 99% of the alerts really helped me reduce the number of times I unlocked my phone significantly. I even had 'phantom vibrations' when in the days after I turned it off. That was a sign that I had done the right thing.
I removed all doom scroll apps and games from my phone. I've tried tools like you mention, that give you limited time, but even the half hour was brainless consumption for me. But that might be because of my algorithm 😂
100% Real interaction is very important!
I'm only replying instantly because I just posted my thing about my upcoming photography exhibition.
Android has built in time limiters for apps, buried deep in the settings. I use that. I used to think Android Auto was amazing when I first got my new car in November last year, now I literally only use it for music and maps (or audiobooks if its a longer drive).
I have turned off message alerts and calls for while I'm driving. They can fkn wait.
Please let me know your thoughts after you get the time to watch the video. It is so beautiful.
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