Simple Limits for the Phone

Simple Limits for the Phone

The phone is one of the biggest addictions(əˈdikSHən) for most people, because it has so many other addictions inside of it! From Facebook and Instagram to news and messages(ˈmesij), it’s all there, anytime you get the itch(ˈiCHē).

Here are some ways you might limit your phone (pick and choose what would work for you):

No phone use in the car, at the dining(dīn) table, while in line, or while talking with other people. If you’re having coffee(ˈkäfē,ˈkôfē) or lunch with someone, agree to put the phones away unless you really, really need to look something up or put your next date(dāt) on the calendar(ˈkaləndər). If you’re eating dinner with family, make the same agreement(əˈgrēmənt). If you’re driving in the car (or riding(ˈrīdiNG) with someone), tell yourself that all messages and other stuff can wait until you get to your destination(ˌdestəˈnāSHən). If you’re in line, there’s a strong tendency(ˈtendənsē) to fill the waiting by looking at something on your phone or doing something useful … but cut that off and see if you can just be present(priˈzent,ˈprezənt).

Delete(dəˈlēt) the apps that are your biggest temptations(tem(p)ˈtāSHən). I recently deleted all social media, news and other distracting(dəsˈtraktiNG) apps on my phone. Now I have Instapaper and Kindle (for long-form reading), Whatsapp (for family messages), Todoist to update my todo list, and some other as-needed apps (Chrome for looking things up, some financial(fī-,fəˈnanCHəl) apps, and some travel apps). Having a phone without the biggest temptations (Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, Instagram, etc.(et cetera.)) will drastically(ˈdrastəklē) simplify your tech life.

Limit messaging to certain(ˈsərtn) times, unless urgent(ˈərjənt). I have given in to the importance(imˈpôrtns) of messaging — I use WhatsApp for family, and Gmail and Slack(slak) for work. But I also believe in limiting all of these, otherwise it’s constant(ˈkänstənt) interruptions(ˌintəˈrəpSHən) and responding to everyone else’s requests. Instead, I limit the responding to certain times — email in the morning and late afternoon, and 1-2 times a day for messaging. I make an exception for urgent messages that need a response sooner, which means I leave my notifications on so I can respond if really needed. My family would love it if I responded more quickly, I know, but setting limits means making tough decisions(diˈsiZHən) like this.

Imagine(iˈmajən) if you implemented limits like this — it would make most of our lives simpler, and give us greater focus. And yes, it could be even simpler, but this is what works for me right now.

https://zenhabits.net/tech-limits/