phone-fewer-distractions post

Author: cberes

articles/phone-fewer-distractions/index.html

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+---
+tags:
+  - articles
+  - digital detox
+title: Sounds like you're working for your phone. Simplify, man!
+date: 2025-12-28
+---
+<p>
+  I'm no expert on managing distractions with my phone.
+  But I am a person who struggles to spend his time in a meaningful way.
+  This is a list of some of the solutions I've found over my 16 years as a smartphone owner.
+</p>
+<h3>Turn off all notification sounds</h3>
+<p>
+  Notifications aren't important.
+  If it was imporant, then it would be a phone call.
+  So, I turn off all notifications sounds or vibration.
+  Without them, I have fewer reminders to check my phone.
+</p>
+<h3>Turn off notifications for almost everything</h3>
+<p>
+  As I said, notifications aren't important.
+  You usually don't even need them.
+  Do I need to know whenever I get a like on Instagram? No.
+  I'll find that out when it's time to use Instagram.
+  I allow notifications for text messages and photo memories; almost everything else is disabled.
+</p>
+<h3>Don't suggest apps that you waste time on</h3>
+<p>
+  I made an <a href="../no-scrolling-2024/">entire post</a> about this in the past.
+  I realized that whenever I thought to do something in my web browser, I'd get suggestions for websites I waste time on.
+  Instead of going to the website I wanted to, I'd click on one of the suggestions and&mdash;surprise&mdash;start wasting time.
+  I don't need any help remembering the address for Reddit or the local sports news site.
+  So, I disable suggestions like this.
+</p>
+<h3>Block apps when you need to focus</h3>
+<p>
+  When I'm working, I spend all day at my computer.
+  This makes it very easy to get distracted.
+  And yes, some distractions are fine when you're stuck doing something for 8 hours a day.
+  But, I want to completely prohibit some distractions during work time.
+  In Firefox I use <a href="https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/leechblock-ng/">LeechBlock NG</a>.
+  In Android I use <a href="https://www.android.com/digital-wellbeing/#dwb-focus-mode">Focus mode</a>.
+  Both of these options let you choose specific websites or apps and set times when you don't want to use them.
+</p>
+<h3>Set time limits</h3>
+<p>
+  If you're spending too much time on Tik Tok, set a time limit so you spend less time on Tik Tok.
+  I set an <a href="https://www.android.com/digital-wellbeing/#dwb-app-timers">App timer</a> for Instagram.
+  Currently I have it set to <strong>0 minutes</strong> (which I lowered from 5 minutes).
+  I can still check Instagram when I'm using my desktop computer.
+</p>
+<h3>Uninstall apps</h3>
+<p>
+  When an app timer isn't enough, uninstall the app.
+  A few apps I've uninstalled: Reddit, Instragram, and Twitch.
+  You can still use these apps on your laptop or desktop computer.
+  You probably don't need access to time-wasting apps 24 hours a day.
+</p>