Reclaim Your Time
Top 3 iPhone Hacks for an Effective Daily Digital Detox
I grew up using the internet at a time when it wasn’t as common in Europe. In the late 90s, I was already active online, long before it was a widespread practice. I had a presence on MySpace and even ran my own blog before most people were familiar with the concept of blogging.
Essentially, the online world has always been a significant part of my life. I’ve been heavily involved with computers, the internet, and various tech gadgets and phones. However, there came a point when I realized this constant connectivity was taking a toll on me, both physically and mentally, and I knew I had to make some changes.
The idea of a digital detox wasn’t new to me, and I had heard about it years ago. However, many of the suggestions seemed too extreme for me. Being online is essential for both my personal life and work, so completely disconnecting wasn’t an option. With the advent of smartphones and the pandemic, my reliance on my iPhone grew. It became my tool for making calls, answering emails, and handling tasks that I usually did on my MacBook, allowing me to work from anywhere.
This convenience, however, also made my life more hectic and stressful. My doctor suggested two options: either take a break in a remote location far from city life (which wasn’t feasible for me) or use an app for relaxation and even online psychotherapy. The latter, while reliant on my smartphone, wasn’t a bad idea. I’m currently using this method to manage my daily stress. Additionally, I’ve developed my own routine for a daily digital detox. It starts in the evening and lasts until the next morning. During this time, I limit my activities to just writing and listening to music.
To carry out my daily digital detox, I follow a few simple but effective steps every day:
Use the iPhone Focus Mode
The Focus Mode feature on iPhone and iOS is often overlooked, but it’s incredibly useful for reducing distractions from certain apps. It allows you to customize how notifications are displayed, or even turn them off completely. You can also rearrange or hide home screens, and choose who is allowed to contact you. These settings can be linked to specific times of the day or locations.
For example, I have a “Home” Focus Mode which deliberately hides all work-related apps and silences work notifications until I switch modes. I also have a “Work” mode, where I hide most social media apps to avoid distractions. In the morning, I use a “Morning” mode to keep social media apps hidden, helping me focus on my mental well-being. Additionally, there’s a “Night/Sleep” Focus Mode set for the time before bed, which removes almost all apps and home screens.
While I can still access apps through the app library or search, not having colorful app icons on the home screen and avoiding numerous notifications about social media activities helps a lot in reducing distractions.
The only people I always allow to contact me are my parents and partner, ensuring I’m reachable for important family matters.
Review the iPhone Screen Time
I receive a weekly screen time report on my iPhone, which has been quite eye-opening in the past. There were times when I realized I had spent more hours online or in a particular app than I was even aware of, and this time could have been spent being mentally present at home. Seeing these concrete numbers has been instrumental in motivating me to make changes.
Screen time tracking is enabled through the iPhone settings, and it can be synced across all your devices to give a comprehensive view of your digital habits. The report includes details like the total number of notifications received and which app you used first after picking up your device, either daily or weekly. These insights can be surprisingly revealing, helping you understand your digital behavior better and encouraging more mindful usage.
Delete Unnecessary Apps
Determining what constitutes an unnecessary app can be subjective, but for me, the process was straightforward. I decided to delete almost all my social media apps and surprisingly, I didn’t miss them at all. Initially, it was a bit challenging, but after a few hours and days, I couldn’t even remember why I used them so much in the first place.
Another method to identify seldom-used apps is to check the screen time settings on your iPhone (as mentioned earlier). This feature allows you to see a list of all apps and websites, sorted by the time spent on them. It’s enlightening to discover how much time might have been spent on certain websites or apps that don’t add significant value to your life. Based on this information, I removed all the apps that were just wasting my time and those I hadn’t used at all. Remember, you can always re-download an app if needed.
Of course, there are exceptions. I’ve kept some apps on my phone that I don’t use frequently but are important, like certain banking apps or the digital key for my gym. This process is very personal, and everyone needs to decide for themselves which apps are important but not frequently used.
Conclusion
I’ve adopted several strategies for my digital detox, but the three tips mentioned above are particularly effective in limiting phone usage, especially in the evenings. They’re a great start because these days, heavily influenced by digital technology, it’s unrealistic to think about completely eliminating smartphones or the internet. However, setting boundaries and finding a balance can be helpful. It’s about managing our use of technology in a way that benefits our lifestyle and well-being, rather than letting it dominate our daily routines.
Hej there! Can I ask you a favour (it will really help me out to grow this blog)?
If you find this article insightful and enjoy reading it, consider following me please and clap as many times as you want as this helps me to each a wider audience.
And if you really enjoy my content feel free to buy me a coffee. Thanks for reading and enjoy your day!
