I first realized my phone had become a problem when my dreams began mimicking the endless scroll of Instagram Reels. I thought deleting the app might be the solution, but instead I traded my social media habit for doomscrolling the news, which left me too depressed and anxious to fall asleep. So I tried something else: I bought an alarm clock for my bedside and started leaving my phone in the kitchen overnight. But after a week or so, it was back in my room — a source of mindless comfort after a few tiring days at work.
I’m hardly an outlier. These days, we’ve all become increasingly dependent on our phones, which are a constant source not just of information but of gratification. Experts equate it to frequent and small dopamine hits because our cellphones are with us everywhere we go. Plus, phones are specifically designed to deliver that dopamine hit quickly.
According to a 2025 YouGov poll, the majority of Americans say they spend more than five hours a day looking at screens, and for a lot of them, their smartphone is the last thing they see before going to bed and the first thing they look at when they wake up. And yet, as it was for me, the relationship between people and their devices can be a conflicted one: Over half of American adults reported wanting to cut down on phone usage. There’s a reason devices like the Brick, and apps designed to curb screen time, are gaining popularity.
If you, too, want to use your phone less, start by taking these three steps.
Turn your phone into a tool rather than a distraction
As Kasley Killam, social health expert and author of “The Art and Science of Connection,” pointed out, our phones are too distracting. You may pick up your phone to send a text message only to get pulled into scrolling TikTok, which turns into 30 minutes or more of unintended time spent on the device.
“We’re spending so much time on technology that we’re missing out on the true value of life, which is being present with each other,” Killam said. “Technology can be a very powerful tool for keeping us connected, but it is way too often more like junk food than a nutritious meal, and it is too easy to just eat those empty calories and not get the nutritious connection that we truly crave.”
Killam suggested making your phone less interesting by deleting certain apps, so the device becomes a tool rather than a source of distraction. Killam found that deleting social media and email from her phone helped her cut down on screen time. She still has those apps on her computer, but she now has one dedicated space to engage that isn’t attached to her at all times.
Using the phone with a singular intention can also help limit time spent on the device and create opportunities for more fulfilling connections. When you’re bored riding the train on the way to work or feeling exhausted at the end of the day, it’s easy to grab your phone in search of immediate relief. As a healthier alternative, Killam encouraged people to go with a more personal connection first.
“Instead of going for the podcast or Instagram, text a friend or call a family member. Replace that instinct with the instinct to connect,” Killam said. “Research shows that those simple touch points, even if you call someone and say, ‘I just have five minutes to chat, but just wanted to hear your voice,’ that can still be meaningful and help you sustain that relationship long term.”
Try to accomplish some daily activities without using your phone
Artist, musician and writer August Lamm tried many different techniques to curb her phone use. She downloaded the apps that block users from their social media accounts after a certain amount of time. She hid her phone around the house. She deleted apps. But nothing seemed to work long term, in large part because she made her income as an Instagram art influencer. It wasn’t until she got locked out of her social media accounts for several months in 2022 that Lamm realized the full extent of her smartphone dependency.
“It made me realize how negative that had been for my mental health, but also how reliant I was, how intertwined my career was with social media — and that I didn’t have a career outside of it,” Lamm said. “When my account went down, I didn’t have any network anymore. That made me realize that I had to build a new network and rebuild my career.”
Lamm started writing. The forced break from her smartphone inspired her to become a self-described anti-tech activist who now uses a flip phone. She’s written essays about her experience and urged others to consider switching to a “dumbphone.” Her debut book, “You Don’t Need a Smartphone: A Practical Guide to Downgrading Your Phone and Upgrading Your Life,” is set to be released in October.
For those who are interested in curbing their smartphone dependency, Lamm suggested taking notes of the reasons you use it on a daily basis and examine how many of those activities can be done sans screen. “Anytime you’re using your smartphone for something, think about, like: Can I do this later at home from my computer? Or can I do this with an analog alternative? And you might never get to the point where every single thing is transitioned off of there,” she said. “But if you, for example, got a camera, and every time you open your phone to take a photo, it’s like: Okay, I’ll do that with the camera instead, you might find that you make the smartphone obsolete.”
Find activities that are so engaging, you don’t reach for your phone
A common approach people take when attempting to cut back on technology involves restriction, while failing to address the underlying causes of the behavior, said Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist, technology addiction expert and founder of Omega Recovery.
“A lot of times when people do digital escapism, they don’t love their lives. They feel disempowered. They’re doomscrolling. They feel for whatever reason they’re not living the lives they want to,” Kardaras said. “The issue is to work on that stuff. Find hobbies and recreational activities that give your life joy, passion and meaning.”
In many cases, excessive phone use increases feelings of anxiety because smartphones keep our nervous systems on high alert with constant access to work, social media and news — creating a “dysregulation effect,” Kardaras said. To combat this, he recommended a weekly digital fast to remove the constant stimulation that can exacerbate anxiety.
If you can, try not to use your device for one day every week. On that day, you could choose a feel-good activity like going for a hike, sitting in the grass or spending time with loved ones. “I call it dopamine replacement therapy through something that is engaging, compelling, that’s face-to-face and real-world immersive,” Kardaras said.
Scaling back on phone use means reframing how we view the problem — and ultimately creating enduring solutions, Kardaras said. “If you want to make your phone small, make your life bigger.”
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