
Use Android’s Built-In Settings to Cut Your Phone Usage Time in Half
“Something went wrong Use my phone.
I was talking to a friend about laptop battery life. Google Pixel 9 Pro Slowly degrades over time. Normally my phone lasts all day, but at night I have to top up. That’s when it dawned on me: I was the problem. Between scrolling through Instagram and obsessively checking email, I use my phone excessively.
Android has some built-in tools under the “Digital Wellbeing” banner, including bedtime mode, notification manager, and timers that let you set limits on how long each app can be open. I’ve known about this feature set for years; it was the first to be announced after all Back in 2018. Have I been using this stuff? Not really.
Over the years, I’ve practiced a few productivity techniques. I deleted the Facebook app from my phone and now only use the service on my laptop. I also charge my phone in the kitchen, which helps me avoid using it in bed. However, these methods are not enough. My phone still freezes from mindless scrolling every night around 8pm. I need to control my usage. This is how I finally broke the curse.
Set timers for your most used apps
Google includes app usage timers on all Android phones, allowing you to set hard limits on individual apps. To access the timer, go to settingsand then look for digital health. These functions look a little different samsung galaxy The mobile phone is better than what they use Pixel and others Android phonebut everything is the same. I usually check my daily stats in the evening. On the main settings screen, there’s a dashboard that shows the total usage time for the day and which apps are the culprits. You’ll also see the total number of unlocks on your phone and the total number of notifications you’ve received that day.
To reduce usage time, start with the app timer. Setting strict time limits may seem a bit harsh at first, but timers actually work because they automatically shut down apps for us, snapping us out of our stupor. We realize that we are scrolling on TikTok or browsing too much throughout the day. in his book Taken the baitProductivity expert Nir Eyal says we’re not actually addicted to our phones. This is a clinical term and should be used for more serious problems. Instead we are infatuated. Almost every “like” or comment on social media gives us a hit of dopamine, which fuels our obsession.
I started with the app timer on Google Chrome and honestly, it was pain. I set the time limit to 45 minutes, and it seems like I hit that threshold every day at lunchtime. When one minute is left, the screen turns gray to warn that the app is about to close. I set the timer to 90 minutes and it seemed to work better. When the limit is reached, you must reset the timer or use the browser on another device. It can limit your use because you have to put in the effort to overcome the limitations you impose and have to live with. I also set limits on the Gmail app, Messages, Instagram, and TikTok.
You see, setting the time limit meant my total usage time dropped from 4 hours and 30 minutes per day to 3 hours and 30 minutes. I can regain my life for an hour every day. That wasn’t bad, but I wanted to reduce my screen time even more, so I turned to some radical techniques.
take some drastic steps
Google also offers a few other settings that can make your phone less attractive. For example, Android’s bedtime mode dims the screen and turns everything into black and white. To find this option, go into Digital Health settings and look for bedtime mode And set the usage period to start around 8 pm. This will also disable notifications until the next morning. For me, bedtime mode is helpful because it’s a visual reminder to put down my phone and stop scrolling. I cut off another hour of usage.
Sadly, I still use my phone too much. For me, notifications about new newsletters, Discord chats, and emails are always appealing. Who is contacting me? What do they need? Again, when we hear these jingles, we crave that dopamine hit. When we respond, we feel useful and productive, but the downside is that we become more addicted to our screens.
2024-12-13 13:30:00