How I Reclaimed Four Hours Daily by Beating My Phone Addiction
As Meta faces a court order to pay millions for endangering children on its addictive social media platforms, I realised my own screentime habits mirrored those of my kids. This prompted me to take drastic action to reclaim my life.
The Wake-Up Call from Meta's Legal Troubles
My fourteen-year-old daughter, like many teenagers, is constantly attached to her phone. When news broke that Meta was forced to pay $375 million by a New Mexico court for misleading users about child safety on its platforms, I felt a mix of interest and guilt. A jury found that the tech giant, which owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, knowingly put children at risk, allegations CEO Mark Zuckerberg denies as the company plans an appeal.
As a parent whose child uses these platforms, except Facebook, which she dismisses as for older people, my guilt stems from whether I have done enough to protect her from their addictive algorithms. More importantly, I have not been setting a good example at home. Until recently, it was a close contest between me and my daughter over who spent more time scrolling on their phone, despite knowing the potential harms to sleep, social interactions, emotional wellbeing, and memory.
The Breaking Point and a Simple Solution
I have been aware of the risks for years but struggled to stop. By the end of last year, my daily phone usage averaged five to six hours. That changed in January when I discovered a secret weapon that cured my addiction overnight, reducing my daily screen time to just two hours, mostly for calls, work emails, and using the notes app during my commute.
The solution was surprisingly easy: I tried Brick, a small, two-inch magnet device that allows you to select which apps to block, preventing access until you physically touch your phone to the Brick. This is not an advertisement; I purchased the £54 device myself, and it has profoundly changed my life. I cannot stop talking about it, as it feels like falling in love.
Transforming Habits and Rediscovering Life
In just a few months, I have kicked my addiction to mindlessly scrolling through Instagram, late-night Facebook trawls about old acquaintances, and the dopamine hits from watching endless reels and stories. I now realise I wasted hours, even days, that could have been spent reading books or getting much-needed sleep.
Thanks to Brick, I have stopped scrolling and resumed activities I love but had neglected. Since the start of the year, I have read about 12 physical books and saved money by blocking Amazon and Vinted, forcing me to shop at independent stores. This benefits my wallet, supports high streets, and helps the environment, while avoiding funding controversial tech giants like Zuckerberg or Jeff Bezos.
Addressing Skepticism and Personal Reflections
Some may argue to simply stop using apps or delete them, but I tried that and ended up redownloading them. Turning off the phone is not feasible with young children due to worries about missing school calls. Leaving the phone elsewhere did not work either; like the tell-tale heart in Edgar Allan Poe's story, I always knew it was there.
Admitting the problem was the first step. The false intimacy of having Instagram on my home screen led to uncomfortable questions: Did I shush my nine-year-old son to read about Nicole Kidman's beauty secrets? Was I late for the school run to follow Lily Allen's drama with David Harbour? Why do I know Lena Dunham's birthday and star sign better than my cousin's details?
Embracing a New Lifestyle Amid Global Changes
Now, I am a fervent advocate for Brick, especially as governments consider social media bans for under-16s and Meta faces scrutiny. My household shares one Brick, and my teenager has joined in. My current blocked streak is 195 hours, resetting to zero if I unblock, with a previous streak of 300 hours interrupted only for a Vinted reply.
Curiously, I now feel anxious when not using Brick, fearing a relapse into scrolling. I prefer this addiction to not scrolling over the old one. As Mary Oliver's poetry asks, what do we want from our one wild and precious life? For most, the answer is time, and Brick has given it back to me.
