If you or someone you love suffers from problematic smartphone use behavior (PSU), a type of behavioral dependence issue, you might struggle with the following:
- Staying off your phone while driving or operating vehicles.
- Sleep problems due to phone usage.
- Dependence on smartphones to cope with symptoms of anxiety or depression.
Even if you don’t use your smartphone excessively, using it habitually can have negative effects on your sleep, your body’s production of cortisol and melatonin, and your stress levels.
With the troubling research surrounding smartphone habits and the latest innovations in dumb phones (cell phones that lack internet browsing capability, app integration, cameras, and sometimes even a screen), more and more people are perking up to the idea of learning how to spend less time on their phones.
Keep reading to explore how you can spend less time online and more time enjoying what Wisconsin has to offer.
Prioritize Me-Time, No Phones Invited
Sometimes, the best way to reconnect with yourself is to disconnect from phones and social media, even just for 10 minutes a day. Phone-free moments can help you feel more grounded, focused, and relaxed. But our phones make up a huge part of our lives, and dramatically cutting down the time we spend on them could be uncomfortable.
These micro habits might make the process less overwhelming and more sustainable:
- Create screen-free zones like the bedroom, kitchen table, or bathroom.
- Setting aside 30 minutes of unplugged time, whether you’re reading, journaling, or just relaxing, could help you reduce your screen time as you form the habit. If you can’t go 30 minutes without checking your phone at first, start with increments of 10 minutes. Then, build up to 15 minutes, and add 5 minutes as you go.
- Setting a timer or using a lockbox to keep your phone out of reach when you want a break might make it easier to commit to phone breaks.
- Consider placing your phone in another room when you sleep so you can start and end your day without it. This will hopefully give your brain a less distracting start in the morning and a more restful sleep at night.
One research psychologist and author says it could help to “dedicate the time for technology and the time for no technology”. Such a simple habit, especially during mornings and evenings, might support more restful sleep and reduce stress.
Nix The Notifications
As one expert put it: “We act like Pavlov’s dogs. Our phone dings and we pick it up”. From text notifications to calendar reminders, even the least urgent notifications have the power to interrupt your focus.
Research shows that smartphone notifications alone increase our stress, weaken our concentration, reduce our productivity, and negatively affect our memory and learning capabilities. Here’s how to make a simple notification adjustment:
On iPhone:
- Go to Settings > Notifications
- Choose specific apps to toggle off “Allow Notifications”
- Use Settings > Focus to customize modes like Do Not Disturb, Work, or Sleep
- Review notification volume under Settings > Screen Time > See All Apps
For Androids:
- Go to Settings > Notifications to toggle off unimportant app alerts
- Enable quiet time via Settings > Notifications > Do Not Disturb
- Customize allowed exceptions under “Allowed during Do Not Disturb”
Cutting down on notification noise—even for part of the day—can be a powerful form of self-care. When you mute those constant nudges, you might give yourself more room to think, breathe, regulate, and create more balance between your mental health and technology use.
Gray Could Be Your New Favorite Color
Colorful smartphone screens and app icons could be another design feature that locks in your attention, but they don’t have to. Switching to grayscale is one evidence-backed approach to making your phone less attractive to your brain’s reward system so it feels less toyish and more like a tool. This subtle visual change may feel stark at first, but it could lessen the appeal of apps designed to keep you hooked, helping you use your phone more mindfully.
Gamify Phone-Use Reduction and Celebrate Phone-Free Milestones
Think of spending less time on your phone as a habit you build rather than a dependence you break. Little wins can add up over time, potentially helping to make your relationship with your phone less consuming or anxiety-provoking.
- Track your progress using built-in screen time tools on both iPhone and Android.
- Gamify and celebrate your success, whether it’s seeing how long you can read without checking your phone, eating an entire meal without looking at a device, or succeeding in never using your phone in no-phone zones for a set time.
- Set app timers that shut down social media platforms or other game-based apps after you meet a daily threshold. When an app shuts off, grab a tiny sweet treat or turn on your favorite songs.
Prioritize Your Mental Health in Wisconsin
Miramont Behavioral Hospital has locations in Middleton and Waukesha, WI, and both are fully equipped to offer behavioral health services for an array of needs. To get more tips for creating a less smartphone-dependent life, contact us today.
