The changing of the seasons is always a time of reflection for me. As the school year came to a close, I thought a lot about how I want this summer to feel.

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My intention: slow, spacious, connective, and restorative. I'm sure there will be many moments that don't feel like that, but having guideposts feels good.

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There's one big thing I need to shift before my slow, spacious, connective summer even has a chance.

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​I'm on screens way too much.

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I've had this realization before, made changes, felt the benefits, and then slowly slipped back into my old ways.

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When my devices are in view, I grab them, especially when I'm tired. It's easy to do, but it pulls me away from what I actually want. When I'm on my phone, I'm saying 'no' to doing something else: sleeping, time with my family, and a regulated nervous system to start.

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Screens steal our free time

We lead full, sometimes over-scheduled lives with incredible demands on our time, AND we often spend an enormous amount of our free time on our phones instead of doing things that truly nourish us.
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I picked up my phone 103 times yesterday 🤯, and my average daily screen time outside of business hours was 4 hours last week.
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I'm not alone. Americans spend an average of 4 hours a day on their phones. 25% of our awake time. 😬

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Social media apps in particular are designed with brilliant algorithms that keep us sucked in, questioning our worth, and purchasing. Choosing nourishing activities, instead of our phones, is an act of resistance against systems that thrive on our disconnection. It is a quiet rebellion against being "good" in the ways we've been taught to be.
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Think of the summers we had when we were kids, before screens took over. I want something like that. Slower, freer, and sweeter.

How to make your phone a tool instead of a bad habit

Here are some things I've tried (or a trying) to make my phone less of a big deal in my life. Take what's useful, and leave the rest.

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1️⃣ Use your phone to support you.

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Download an app that explains your usage and helps you lower it. I recommend ​Screenzen​. It's a free app available on both iPhones and Androids.

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2️⃣ Do some spring cleaning.

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Delete the apps that steal the most time. You know the ones.

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If there are apps you need for work that you find yourself checking too much during off hours, put them in a folder on your last screen.

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Put the apps that enhance your life front and center.

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Here's what my home screen looks like now:

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3️⃣ Hide your phone.

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Americans check their phones 144 times/day on average.

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When your phone is out of view, you are less likely to pick it up.

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Create a charging cabinet for devices. When you're done using your phone, return it to the charging station. Even easier? Just leave it in a different room.

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4️⃣ Make your phone less distracting.

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Phone users receive 50 push notifications per day. (This is a conservative estimate.)

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Turn off all unnecessary notifications and put your phone on “do not disturb” when possible.

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5️⃣ Make your phone less visually stimulating.

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Turn your phone's screen to grayscale to make it way less visually appealing.

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→ iPhone - Settings > accessibility>display and text size > Color filters > grayscale

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→ Android - Settings > Digital Wellbeing & Parental Controls > Turn on Bedtime Mode > Customize > Screen Options at Bedtime > Grayscale

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6️⃣ Learn from an expert.

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Read How to Break Up with Your Phone by Catherine Price. This short, easily digestible book includes a 30-day plan for doing the work.

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Start where you are. I'm sure I'll fumble and spend too much time on my phone on a particularly exhausting day. That's ok. I'll just begin again the next day. And so can you.

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Wishing you a joyous and gentle transition to summer and many moments to make, create, and enjoy.
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Happy Summer Solstice!
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Warmest regards,

Sandi

Statistics came from:
• PCMag - Americans Check Their Phones an Alarming Number of Times Per Day
• Business of Apps - Push Notifications Statistics (2023)

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