[FollowingTheDao]

Old guy here who grew up without phones but later felt the dependace they were creating in me so worked to stop it.

You have to start with yourself an be an example. It is an "addiction of sorts" (maybe a very strong habit?), but think of it like telling an alcoholic to just stop drinking.

Like an addiction, you need to get rid of the Pavlovian ringing bells to help you through.

Rule one: Turn off all notifications and turn on battery saver mode.

Rule two: Get off of all social media. I am including HN with this. Delete them, you will be fine. HN is the only place I talk online now and only on my laptop, but its days are numbered for me.

Rule three: Leave your phone behind. Probably the hardest. I started just by leaving it the car when I was shopping, then leaving it home when shopping.When I ma at the coffee shop I leave it in my bag.

Rule four: Do not use your phone at all when you are home. Start by setting time limits and extend them, but no one died stopping cold turkey. I only even use my laptop in the morning to read news

Rule five: Learn to do something else with your hands. Cook, work on your car, clean your house, anything.

Rule six: Be OK with "not knowing" and try to stop searching the internet every time a question pops up in your head. This was very hard for me because of my clinically diagnosed OCD. I found the "checking" my phone was allowing me to do just made my OCD worse in the long run.

I am at the point now where I use my phone so little the battery lasts five days easy with 20% left.

[speff]

These are all good points - and ones I’ve been trying to follow for the past few months. Rule five was the most important one for me. Anytime I have an urge to doomscroll, I make a conscious effort to do something IRL instead. Taking up a deep hobby which can take years/decades to actually master seems like a better time sink (practicing visual art in my case)

The thought that quitting social media is harder than quitting smoking also helps cement the idea that it is bad for me when I try to dissuade myself from using it

[firesteelrain]

Ah that googling or asking ChatGPT a question and getting an answer is crazy for me. I thought it was just me. Glad I am not the only one

[Gooblebrai]

Don't you fall back into increased laptop use when stopping your phone usage? Any advice you have on that front?

[FollowingTheDao]

Yes, dicipline is needed there as well. I do a lot if genetic reseach and I look at my laptop as a tool, a potentially dangerous tool, like a woodworker using a lathe, i stay alert and focused on the task at hand.

My laptop is essentially a desktop as well. I only use it on a desk in one room.

I never turn to these devices out of boredum. That is the best rule.

Plus, steven black on github has a great host file blocking all kibds of websites.

[nunez]

I haven't. I use my laptop to code; if I'm not doing that, I'm usually outside or doing something around the house.