Sounds like you're working for your phone. Simplify, man!
Sun, Dec 28, 2025
I'm no expert on managing distractions with my phone. But I am a person who struggles to spend his time in a meaningful way. This is a list of some of the solutions I've found over my 16 years as a smartphone owner.
Turn off all notification sounds
Notifications aren't important. If it was imporant, then it would be a phone call. So, I turn off all notifications sounds or vibration. Without them, I have fewer reminders to check my phone.
Turn off notifications for almost everything
As I said, notifications aren't important. You usually don't even need them. Do I need to know whenever I get a like on Instagram? No. I'll find that out when it's time to use Instagram. I allow notifications for text messages and photo memories; almost everything else is disabled.
Don't suggest apps that you waste time on
I made an entire post about this in the past. I realized that whenever I thought to do something in my web browser, I'd get suggestions for websites I waste time on. Instead of going to the website I wanted to, I'd click on one of the suggestions and—surprise—start wasting time. I don't need any help remembering the address for Reddit or the local sports news site. So, I disable suggestions like this.
Block apps when you need to focus
When I'm working, I spend all day at my computer. This makes it very easy to get distracted. And yes, some distractions are fine when you're stuck doing something for 8 hours a day. But, I want to completely prohibit some distractions during work time. In Firefox I use LeechBlock NG. In Android I use Focus mode. Both of these options let you choose specific websites or apps and set times when you don't want to use them.
Set time limits
If you're spending too much time on Tik Tok, set a time limit so you spend less time on Tik Tok. I set an App timer for Instagram. Currently I have it set to 0 minutes (which I lowered from 5 minutes). I can still check Instagram when I'm using my desktop computer.
Uninstall apps
When an app timer isn't enough, uninstall the app. A few apps I've uninstalled: Reddit, Instragram, and Twitch. You can still use these apps on your laptop or desktop computer. You probably don't need access to time-wasting apps 24 hours a day.