We’re averaging over five hours per day on our phones. That’s unacceptable. Here are the three crucial things I did to beat my phone addiction for good.

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Wake up, grab your phone.

Standing in line; whip out your phone to scroll for a bit.

Got a few minutes before that next meeting? Let’s check out the headlines or the latest trend on TikTok.

It’s become a reflex at this point. We reach for our phones without even noticing. Especially whenever the tiniest bit of boredom strikes.

Our relationship with our phones has moved into the addiction category.

This is not going to be a newsletter about breaking up with your phone completely. I still believe they are incredibly valuable and useful.

But, my friend, we need better awareness about what all that mindless consumption does to us.

It’s time you start being more intentional about how much time you spend staring at that little screen.

Today is the day you’ll learn how to develop a better relationship with your phone usage.

Let’s get into it.

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We’re hooked on our phones

The average person spends almost five hours on their phones and picks it up over 60 times throughout the day.

That’s more than one entire day per week devoted to your phone.

And it adds up to even more suck:

• 6 days per month
• 70 days per year
• 12 years over the course of a lifetime

You’re missing out on productivity, for sure. But also your sanity. Especially if you’re spending that time scrolling on social media.

Consuming that much on your screens makes anxiety, depression, sleeplessness all worse.

After the election, I found myself averaging over six hours per day trying to escape reality by burying myself in my phone.

I’d get antsy if I was sitting around for more than just a few minutes without reaching for it.

Sometimes I’d just pick up my phone, look at it, then set it back down—like I was making sure it was still working or something.

Instead of taking restful breaks during my workday, I’d use the excess time to scroll some more. Never wanting to truly deal with reality.

It only made my anxiety worse. And I knew that I had to do better. So I got intentional with a plan to fix it.

Imagine if you had three of four hours back in your day

There’s a whole lot you can do with that kind of time:

• Commit to that workout plan that you swear you don’t have time for
• Catch up on some reading
• Learn some new and interesting things
• Spend the time being present with loved ones
• Get some more quality rest

But let’s be honest: the biggest advantage to less time on the phone is the reduction in anxiety.

Using the methods I’m about to share helped me cut my phone usage down from six hours to just under two hours per day.

I got 3-4 hours back in my day without having to turn my phone into an expensive paperweight.

Cutting back on my phone time has led to far more mental clarity.

And far less anxiety.

It’s no longer my crux whenever I’m bored.

I feel less of that urge to constantly reach for my phone.

It’s like I’m more aware and preset when I’m not permanently plugged into the Matrix.

My three big systems to cut back on your phone

Here’s what I did to reduce my screen time by almost 70 percent.

Instead, I have a much healthier relationship with my phone.

It’s not a brick. I still use it quite a bit. I’m just more intentional about how I use this thing.

And it started by finding a new home for my phone.

The Landline Phone Method

If you’re in your 40s, then you grew up with some kind of a landline phone in your home.

Whenever someone called, you had to physically get up and walk over to the phone to answer it.

And if that phone was connected by cord, you’d have to stay there. Treat your smartphone the same way.

Create a nest for your phone when you are at home.

Whenever you are at home, the phone lives in that nest.

And whenever you need to use that phone for whatever reason you must physically go to that nest to use the phone (pretend you’re attached by cord and can’t walk away).

It’ll greatly reduce the number of times you pick up the phone and drastically cut back on the boredom scrolling pattern.

The News Dump

As a former journalist, I like to stay informed. But doing so in this current timeline comes at the risk of messing with my mental health.

It’s just too much.

I’ve been giving myself news dump breaks one to two times per day for about 10 to 15 minutes each.

Find two to three sources that you trust (Associated Press, Reuters, BBC for example) and stick with them.

Turn off all notifications.

I promise if there is actual, major breaking news, you will not miss it.

Instead, you are taking back control of how you consume.

Consume with intention

Chances are that you are reading thousands of words each and every day.

You read them in whatever flavor of your social media drug of choice: Instagram captions, Threads posts, Substack (even this newsletter).

Might as well get more intentional about what, how and when you are reading.

Swap the bad habit for a good one.

Pick up a book instead.

Use the time to learn something new.

Like any bad habit, the most powerful way to break that addiction to your phone comes from replacing that bad habit with a better one.

Toss on some music.

Do some exercise snacks any time you feel the pull towards your phone.

Go be present with your kids.

Develop a better mindfulness practice and pick up your journal. You could even write about how you’re resisting the temptation to doomscroll.

And honestly, sitting and just being bored is an option, too.

Our phones have us so overstimulated that we don’t know how to be bored anymore.

Breaking away from your phone won’t be easy

Just look around you.

We’ve all been fully indoctrinated. People can’t even walk, drive, stand in line without the need to crane their necks and stare at their screens.

Humans have morphed into walking zombies.

But over time, if you can remove this pull to scroll mindlessly and break free from your addiction, you’ll notice a new sense of clarity and calm.

Boredom won’t feel so excruciating any more.

You’ll start to remember a little bit of what life was like before we were all so damn plugged in.

That’s when you start living again.

I hope you found this useful. If so, I’d appreciate it if you sent this newsletter to one person you think would benefit from my writing today.

And if you’re new here and enjoyed this newsletter, I’d be honored if you subscribed for more at this link.

And as always, if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out.

I answer all of my emails at pete [at] petecataldo [.] com … Hit me up with the subject line “phone addiction” and I’ll answer any questions you have to make this work for you.

Until next time,
Pete