As I’ve said on here, and aloud to whoever will listen, our dependence upon these phones, tablets and even computers is harming society. Even if you don’t think it affects you, it does. In so many ways. If you want to learn more, you may enjoy my previous blog posts about digital minimalism. This post, however, is for people who already know they would like to limit screen time. It’s especially for those who have tried digital minimalism, but feel like they haven’t succeeded. As you may know, the smartphones and so many mobile apps and websites are designed to keep your eyes on the screen. The attention economy, you know? So of course their native screen time limit features won’t cut it.
I’m sharing with you my favorite suite to limit screen time, Freedom, both the free and paid components, plus the additional steps I’ve taken to really prevent myself from mindlessly scrolling. Surely I’m not the only one who needs a double rubber sort of system. (Please actually don’t do that, it’s not safe. Or… is it?)
There’s a good bit of information here, and I want the tips to be easy to put into practice. Also I’m trying to finish this up so I can include it in my newsletter, so I’m going to do my best to be brief.
You know you want this newsletter.
Tools to Limit Screen Time
The number of tools you need fully depends upon your self-control and willpower when in the presence of purposefully addictive technology. If you find yourself randomly opening these apps or visiting these websites — and honestly many, many people do — you’ll want to get them all.
Set up the Freedom mobile app and the Freedom computer program. It’s easy!
Do the same with the Freedom browser extensions. Pause helps you stop before you visit certain sites, of your choosing. Limit allows you to set a limit of time on certain sites. Insight shows you where your time online goes.
For iPhone users:
OK so *technically* if you want to stop Freedom from blocking apps, you could just go to screen time in settings and change it. So annoying. And we know the real iOS screen time lock is *somehow* not functional. Here’s what I did to really lock myself out. You can watch a video I posted on Instagram about how to do it, or you can just read along.
STEP ONE
Go to account.apple.com and create an Apple ID using that email address that’s hard to check. Or just annoying enough.
Let Apple generate a long password you can’t remember and then copy it into your Notes app but don’t let it save the password.
STEP TWO
Go to your phone’s settings and then choose screen time.
Hit “lock screen time settings.”
Choose a four-digit passcode you CAN remember.
Where it says set up a screen time recovery email, use that email of the Apple ID we just created and that crazy long password. Mine is one of my website emails I only check from my computer.
STEP THREE
Go to Settings/Limit Usage/App and Website Activity/App Limits
Select each app and type in each website individually, so you can control them separately. Consider these screen time suggestions.
Choose “block at end of limit” for apps and sites you need a hard limit on.
STEP FOUR
Go to Settings/Screen Time/Change Screen Time Passcode and enter that easy four-digit passcode from earlier.
Beep boop the buttons until the passcode is updated or have someone else enter a new four-digit passcode and never tell you.
Delete the Apple ID password from your notes app
And that’s aaalll!
To be clear you will be able to change those settings again if you must, but you’ll have to get a new password sent to the email you hate to check, do all that cutting and pasting, all that.
Using the screen time hack I taught you was great by itself, but I like pairing it with Freedom because I can just shut off all social media for a certain amount of time. Without it, I would stop and unwittingly open whatever app, and then boom I’ve reached my limit because I’m watching a caked up pregnant feline get cheated on by a tomcat built like Fabio. (RIP Auntie Rene.)
And with just Freedom for iOS, I was able to easily stop screen time integration and go hog wild.
The top thing you can do to fall back on screen time or whatever is to have other things to do.
Occupy ya damn time! Stay busy.- Shante Smith
However I don’t like being told what to do, so I’m not good with scheduling apps. I work from home, I’m somebody’s mama, etc. Even those cheesy ass time stamped water bottles piss me off because ain’t nobody finna tell me when to drink water and how much. So I love Finch! I actually saw it in an Instagram ad and am so glad I got it. You can write whatever goals either for the day or to be repeated, and that’s that. No telling you when to do the task, it just says do it. There’s so much more I love about Finch. The timers, the 911 self-care tips for anxiety, the sunshiny app design.
More Than Social Media
You can use Freedom mobile app, Freedom computer program, Freedom’s browser extensions and my little iOS screen time hack to stop more than social media apps. I have a friend who uses it to keep himself from ordering food delivery; you can do it to hide gambling apps; adult content can be blocked; if you work too damn much you can block work stuff. Whatever! All! Some!
