My iPhone was taking up too much of my time. I decided to enable this setting and it’s the best I can do

I’m part of that large percentage of people who have symptoms of being addicted to their cell phones. And that, as far as my work as a technology writer is concerned, is in some ways positive. The problem is that It transcends the professional, invades the personal, and attacks my mental health.. Fortunately, I realized this in time, before it became a real problem.

For a long time, it was me who was in control of the iPhone and not me, completely turning off notifications (except calls) and trying to figure out how I’m using it. However, I kept falling into something that a lot of people fall into: have your cell phone nearby even when you are watching (or trying) a movie or series.

Objective: disconnection and rest

I do not intend to generalize on this subject, even if I feel and have certain certainties that what is happening to me is something more widespread than it seems. I’m talking about being addicted to your cell phone and unlock it almost accidentally. What is typical is that you touch it to see the time and a few minutes later you find yourself browsing social networks.

Well, it happened to me and it happened to me a lot. Too much. During the day, I’m usually busy with some activity, whether it’s working, cleaning, shopping, meeting a friend, or just going for a walk. East during the night when I have my free timesince I take the opportunity to disconnect while watching a series or a film on my Apple TV.

The problem came when Several times I had to backtrack because I didn’t find out what happened. Because of the iPhone, of course. Or rather because of me, since in the end I remain solely responsible for its use. Sometimes there were even entire chapters that I missed. Not perhaps in its entirety, but a good portion of the scenes that ultimately ended up being essential to understanding how the plot unfolded.

And all this for the same reason that I mentioned a few lines above. I was watching a series and it really interested me, but almost as an unconscious gesture, I ended up unlocking the iPhone for whatever. Check Twitter/X, respond quickly to a message… It doesn’t matter. And the thing is that sometimes it wasn’t something really “quick”, but maybe it dragged me for a few minutes and especially when it was a conversation with a friend or member of the family.

Likewise, I often toyed with issues related to what I was watching on TV, but it wasn’t the most relevant thing. You see, I recognize an actor and want to remember what other roles he has played, then I open Safari on the iPhone and start searching for his career. On several occasions I ended up finding myself searching for other related actors, reading about what happened to them and a long etcetera that once again left me with the same conclusion: I didn’t enjoy my free time.

The Magic iPhone Fit (and a simple bonus gesture)

Based on all this, I made the decision to stops the iPhone from distracting me. It’s all about willpower, I know, but I wanted an extra tool to help me do it. That’s when I remembered iOS’s well-known focus modes that help do just that, concentrate.

I chose to create a mode called “Disconnect” and which is automatically activated at 9:15 p.m. every day.. This is the time when I have completed all my tasks and I am ready to enjoy some TV time. In this mode I have configured a single screen in which I barely have in sight the ‘Reminders’ widget in case I still have something waiting, the ‘TV Time’ widget (app I use for follow series), as well as the ‘Music Icons’, ‘Camera’, ‘Photos’ and ‘Pocket Casts’.

Likewise I chose apply severe restrictions to the rest. For one, no notifications other than calls from my favorites, as well as limiting my access to apps that I know if I enter will entertain me untimely. See Instagram, X (Twitter) or YouTube. This way I make sure that even if I want to open them using the search engine, I won’t be able to do so. A good reminder of the importance of mental health and enjoying this free time without distractions.

Likewise, there is another gesture that I apply a lot these months and it is the definitive one: leave the iPhone in another room. If usage was already very limited, physically moving it away from the living room ensures that there won’t be even a slight temptation to use it. It seems like a simple, even silly, gesture, but it brings many benefits.

Much gained and absolutely nothing lost

Since I’ve been doing this, I feel like I’m really I Cut Down on My Absurd iPhone Use. And by absurd, I don’t mean that accessing social media, etc., is absurd. Personally, I like watching these social networks, but infinitely less than when I sit/lie down on my sofa to watch a series or a film.

Since then, I’ve not only improved my focus on what I’m watching, but I’m even moving much faster in my nightly marathons. And the best thing is that I extended these gestures to other areas. For example, when I have friends or family over at home. I put this “Disconnect” mode on the iPhone and thus prioritize that my attention is dedicated to the conversation I am having with visitors.

Obviously, every person is different and I honestly admire those who have the ability, on their own, to know how to detach themselves from the iPhone. I suppose with these practices I probably have a greater willpower to do it, but in the meantime, resorting to modes of concentration helps me avoid temptation. And as I said at the beginning, I know of other similar cases, which is why I advise everyone to apply measures like these in order to dominate the iPhone and that it is not he who controls and kills your time.

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