Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#1

Post by swen-rekcah » Sun, May 02, 2021, 6:50 PM UTC

Hey HN

I’m looking for advice and/or suggestions on how to “lockdown/brick” my mobile (iPhone 8) phone to only be able to do a select number of things.

I currently suffer with OCD and anxiety, and my addictions to my phone is making me lethargic and causing regular migraines and eye strain issues.

I do have a second “dumb phone” (Nokia flip 2720) but due to having a “mobile only” bank account I have to have access to my iPhone.

I only really want to be able to text (not WhatsApp) call, and have access to 3 banking apps. I have tried everything, but when I’m feeling “good” or sometimes when I’m feeling rubbish - I will always end up downloading “scroller” apps - Twitter, Instagram, Shopping apps etc - and I quickly waste days and days hooked to it, before prying myself away from it again.

Any advice would be hugely beneficial.

Thank you

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#2

Post by andrefuchs » Sun, May 02, 2021, 7:10 PM UTC

At least for Android there a launcher that let's you filter apps. Here is one example: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.beforesoft... Maybe you can achieve something like that on iOS.

Also cognitive behavioral therapy could help you with OCD and anxiety.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#3

Post by murm » Sun, May 02, 2021, 7:31 PM UTC

How essential the banking apps are in your everyday life? If you don't need them to be available all the time, maybe you could store your iPhone somewhere behind a time lock and schedule specific times when you deal with your banking needs?

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#4

Post by stabilite » Sun, May 02, 2021, 7:43 PM UTC

1. Settings —> Screen Time —> App Limits 2. Make your App Store/Apple ID password something needlessly complex and give someone else the paper with it on so they need to read it to you over the phone when you need it. 3. Send a screenshot of your app usage to a third party every week and if you exceed limits get them to donate some money you give them to a cause you hate in your name 4. Put your phone on grayscale

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#5

Post by ALittleLight » Sun, May 02, 2021, 8:00 PM UTC

Get a new bank. If the bank is a part of a significant problem for your life you should just swap it out for a bank that will let you access your accounts through a browser as needed. Toss your smart phone and only use the dumb phone.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#6

Post by Daily20 » Sun, May 02, 2021, 8:07 PM UTC

You can use Screen Time to prevent yourself from installing new apps. First, delete all applications aside from your banking apps. Next, go to Settings - Screen Time - Content and Privacy Restrictions - iTunes & App Store Purchases. From here, you can disable installing apps, which hides the App Store on your phone. You can also disable Safari from Screen Time. If you find yourself turning off Screen Time, have somebody else set a four digit passcode for you. You'll be left with a phone that can only text and bank.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#7

Post by thenaturalist » Sun, May 02, 2021, 8:47 PM UTC

ALittleLight wrote: post #5

Get a new bank. If the bank is a part of a significant problem for your life you should just swap it out for a bank that will let you access your accounts through a browser as needed. Toss your smart phone and only use the dumb phone.

This, 100%.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#8

Post by mlac » Sun, May 02, 2021, 9:05 PM UTC

Read “digital minimalism” and try a detox using the Screen Time tip mentioned in another comment.

Make it black and white and as uninteresting as possible. Then find something else to do with your time that is actually solid recreation.

I go in cycles on this and tend to flip from the extremes. Recently bought a 12 Pro Max solely for the camera so I would have the best possible iPhone camera to take photos of my family and a bigger screen to access work resources on the go. But it’s leaking into other areas as well. So I’ll just need to do spring cleaning and delete apps soon. I find email and all communications channels get cluttered if you don’t cull them or put guardrails around them.

I’d love to know any other tools people recommend for dealing with this.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#9

Post by jaredandrews » Sun, May 02, 2021, 9:26 PM UTC

Something I have started doing is decoupling functionality from my phone. For example, I bought a cheap 4GB mp3 player a couple months ago. I bought a standalone alarm clock too. Basically I have tried to reduce the number of things I use my phone for. This means I no longer even have my phone with me a lot of the time.

The other change I have made is keeping my phone on silent by default and blocking notifications for almost everything.

Re: Ask HN: Mobile phone addiction help?

#10

Post by trilinearnz » Sun, May 02, 2021, 10:05 PM UTC

mlac wrote: post #8

Read “digital minimalism” and try a detox using the Screen Time tip mentioned in another comment. Make it black and white and as uninteresting as possible. Then find something else to do with your time that is actually solid recreation. I go in cycles on this and tend to flip from the extremes. Recently bought a 12 Pro Max solely for the camera so I would have the best possible iPhone camera to take photos of my fami…

Can vouch for the monochromatic UI, a friend put me onto this. More details here: https://betterhumans.pub/how-to-make-your-iphone-black-and-w...

Have also had good experience with deleting apps, which forces you to login to them via the browser, which is a much clunkier / less addictive UI.