How to Make Your Phone Less Addictive
Summary
Host Christine Sealey discusses how to reset your relationship with your phone alongside Wirecutter tech writer Brenda Stolyar. They explore auditing screen time, managing notifications, and using built-in tools like grayscale mode and app limits to reduce distraction. The conversation also covers the practical challenges of dumb phones and the benefits of physical barriers like the Brick device.
Topics discussed
Sponsor: ADT Security Systems
Introduction and episode theme
The rise of digital detox trends
How to audit your phone usage
Live demo: Checking screen time stats
Contextualizing high screen time numbers
Using the notification count feature
Why apps send excessive notifications
Balancing muting all notifications
Setting up scheduled notification summaries
Customizing Focus Modes for specific tasks
Recap of notification management tips
Sponsors: ADT, Instagram, and Apple Card
Practical challenges of using dumb phones
Real-world examples of dumb phone issues
Setting app-specific time limits
Using Assistive Access to limit apps
Grayscale mode to reduce visual appeal
Third-party focus apps like Forest and Focus Friend
Using the Brick device for physical barriers
Closing thoughts and credits
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