Breaking Up (A Little) With My iPhone
Small, steady breaks from the screen have enormous benefits
Hi friends,
I hate how addicted I am to my phone. I hate how almost everywhere I look, another human is glued to their phone, whether it’s at the cafe, on the train to work, at restaurants, or, sadly, while they’re driving.
I don’t love using that word addicted but there are times it feels exactly right. I’ll close an app, set the phone down, and then pick it up again 10-15 seconds later as if something might have changed in that time. I’ll unlock it to do one thing and come out of a daze 15 minutes later, having done everything but that one thing.
It’s not just that phones are distracting, it’s that they’ve reshaped how many of us experience time and space. Silence feels less silent, waiting can feel unbearable, and I’ve noticed that my attention has become so jumpy at times that it’s hard to calmly read a book or even watch a show without checking anything on my phone.
Once again, I’ve been trying to fight back.
Not with grand declarations like “I’m deleting everything forever” (I’ve made those before.) And not with app timers or other screen-time apps.
For years, I haven’t had any social media apps on my phone. But with small, steady breaks from the screen, I’ve reclaimed my mind (slightly).
Here’s what’s been helping:
Lifting or doing yoga. When I’m lifting weights or doing yoga, it’s one of the only times I forget to check my phone. My body takes over, I’m moving, ideally outside, and I’m focused on form, breath, and effort. It’s presence, body, and breath over pings and notifications.
Walking outside without my phone. At first, it felt weird, like I was forgetting something, but then I noticed how the light hit the sidewalk. I made eye contact with a lot of strangers. I remembered how good it feels to hear birds instead of podcasts. The world is more alive when we’re not filtering it through a screen (or headphones).
Airplane mode is my new best friend. I’ve started switching my phone to airplane mode when I’m working, reading, or spending time with someone I care about. It shifts the dynamic: choosing presence over interruption. Notifications can wait…most things can.
No phone in the bedroom.This one’s a game-changer, when I actually stick to it. When my phone sleeps elsewhere, I sleep better, I read more, and I wake up slower and gentler. I don’t usually start my day with email, Instagram, or Facebook. I try to start it like a human being.
I love this tip. I heard someone (Simon Sinek, I think) say you should plug your phone in near the front door and leave it there. That way, if you really want to check it, you have to physically get up and go to it and remain standing the entire time (no sitting with the phone). No more mindless reach-for-the-phone-while-half-listening moments. Just intentional use or none at all.
I’m still working on it, still catching myself mid-scroll, still feeling the pull to pick up my phone for no real reason. But I’m learning to sit in boredom, to notice what’s around me, and to protect my attention like the rare, valuable resource it is.
If you’ve felt this too — that twitchy, glazed-over, always-on feeling — you’re not alone. Try one little shift, maybe a walk without your phone, charging it across the house, or even one evening with it stowed away in a drawer.
Who knows how our phone addictions are impacting and rewriting our brains right now. We might not truly know for years. But we can do what we can. So let’s wake up. Let’s get our attention and get our friggin’ lives back.
Celebrate your life,
Matthew
I might try this myself! Thanks