How to Spend Less Time on Your Cell Phone (The 7 Best Ways)

Would you like to spend less time on your cell phone?

The average American spends over five hours using their cell phone each day. ¹ Even if your daily average is not that high, chances are that you would benefit from spending less time using your mobile device. Here are the seven best ways to spend less time on your cell phone.

1. Don’t keep your cell phone around you so often.

If you want to spend less time on your cell phone, the worst thing that you can do is keep your cell phone in your pocket or within reach for most of the day. Make it less accessible, and you will use it much less often.

Exercising at the gym? Keep your cell phone in your gym bag or locker. Working in your office? Put your cell phone in your desk drawer or in another room. Going for a walk outside? Leave your cell phone in your house. You can still check your phone every hour or two, if you feel compelled to do so.

2. Delete distracting apps from your phone.

The more apps that you have on your cell phone, the higher your screen time will be. Delete social media and other distracting apps from your phone, and your screen time will plummet. If this idea sounds too extreme, remember that you can still use social media on a computer. It’s not like you have to abandon social media altogether.

3. Disable notifications on your phone.

If it seems too strict to delete social media and other apps from your phone, another option is to keep them on your phone but to disable all notifications. While not as effective as removing the apps completely, it is definitely better than being interrupted and tempted by notifications all day long.

4. Rearrange the home screen on your cell phone.

Another way to spend less time on your cell phone is to rearrange its home screen. Move any potentially distracting apps and tools to the second or third screen of your phone. That way, you have to swipe over to see and use them. This might seem like a minor change. However, it will make you less likely to be tempted to use an app, surf the internet, check your email, etc. every time that you pick up your phone.

5. Send fewer text messages.

The more text messages that you send, the more text messages that you will receive, and the more time that you will spend on your phone each day. Send fewer text messages, and you will receive fewer messages. You will also spend less time reviewing and responding to them.

6. Keep your cell phone out of your bedroom.

The way that you start and end each day has a big impact on the way that you spend the rest of each day. If you keep your phone in your bedroom, you will use it more often right before bed, if/when you wake up during the night, and right after you wake up in the morning. Keep your cell phone out of your bedroom, and you will use it much less often. You will also fall asleep faster, sleep more soundly, and wake up feeling more refreshed.

7. Track your time spent using your cell phone.

In order to make any change last, you need to track your progress and hold yourself accountable. Most cell phones keep track of your daily screen time in the Settings tab. Check your usage each week to make sure you are trending in the right direction. For even better results, keep track of your daily screen time in a journal or in a simple spreadsheet.

Summary and Final Thoughts

Would you like to spend less time on your cell phone? Here are the seven best ways to do so:

1. Don’t keep your cell phone around you so often.
2. Delete distracting apps from your phone.
3. Disable notifications on your phone.
4. Rearrange the home screen on your cell phone.
5. Send fewer text messages.
6. Keep your cell phone out of your bedroom.
7. Track your time spent using your cell phone.

No matter what your typical mobile screen time is right now, these strategies will help you spend less time on your cell phone each day.

References

1. https://www.zdnet.com/article/americans-spend-far-more-time-on-their-smartphones-than-they-think/

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About the author: Pete Leibman is the Creator of StrongerHabits.com. He is a best-selling author, keynote speaker, executive recruiter, athlete, and peak performance coach. His work has been featured on Fox News, CBS Radio, and CNNMoney.com, and over 500,000 people across the world have read his articles.