Screen time
Phone addiction: the signs, and how to break it
You pick up your phone without thinking, scroll longer than planned, and feel guilty afterwards? It happens to a lot of people, and it's not a lack of willpower. Here are the signs of a habit that's slipping away from you, what research says, and how to take back control.
The telltale signs
- You unlock your phone without knowing why.
- You spend much more time than planned on social media.
- You go to bed later because of your phone.
- You find it hard to focus when it's next to you.
- You've already tried to cut down, without sticking to it.
You're far from the only one: in France, one internet user in three has already tried to limit their screens, and one in four says they cut into their sleep to stay in front of one (Insee, 2024).
It's not a lack of willpower
The apps that hold us are designed by entire teams so that we stay a few minutes longer: endless feeds, videos that play one after another, notifications. Against that, willpower alone wears out. We go into it in why willpower isn't enough.
What the phone damages
The studies agree. A phone lying next to you lowers your attention, even switched off (Ward et al., 2017). Evening screens delay sleep (Chang et al., 2015). And less social media means less loneliness (Hunt et al., 2018).
How to break it, in practice
Aim for one hour less, not zero
One hour less a day is enough to improve well-being, and the effect lasts better than quitting entirely (Brailovskaia et al., 2023).
Add friction before opening
A pause of a few seconds before an app opens is enough to drop a third of openings (Grüning et al., 2023).
Keep the apps, remove what hooks you
No need to leave Instagram: removing Reels is often enough. The guides: remove Reels and remove Shorts.
Get the phone out of the bedroom
A cheap alarm clock, and the phone sleeps in another room. It's the simplest move to sleep better.
Replace the time you free up
Emptiness calls for scrolling. Plan what you'll do with that time: read, draw, run, call someone.
A phone on your side. Livetime replaces your Android home screen: a pause before compulsive apps, a time decided before addictive apps, Instagram without Reels, and Sleep and Focus modes. See all the features.
Frequently asked questions
Is phone addiction a real addiction?
The term isn't an official medical diagnosis, but compulsive use is very real and measured. If your use is causing you real distress, talk to a health professional.
How long does it take to cut back?
In several studies, one to three weeks are enough to measure a difference in well-being or loneliness.
Should I switch to a feature phone?
It's radical, but you also lose maps, banking and messages. Many people end up keeping their smartphone on the side. The alternatives: every solution compared.
Sources
All the studies cited are summarized, with their link, on the Studies page.
Written by Emile Clement, a student and the creator of Livetime, after two years of testing almost every screen-time solution out there.
