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If you’ve ever wanted to waste less time on your phone, you know how hard it can be to break old scrolling habits.
Even if you can remove the most time-consuming apps, you’ll probably end up reinstalling them at some point. It may feel like you’re stuck in a constant loop of steps back and forth.
But if you’re looking for a new relationship with your phone and you’re really sticking with it, there’s no need to feel trapped in this hopeless cycle, and I’ve got the people to prove it.
In early 2024, I edited Reclaim Your Brain, a Guardian newsletter designed to help anyone unhappy with their use of screen time. It provides a five-week course that readers can sign up for at any time and comes with assignments tested by our expert Catherine Price, the award-winning author of How to Break Up with Your Phone.
It has since become The Guardian’s fastest-growing newsletter and has reduced subscribers’ screen time by an average of 40%.
When we checked in with subscribers in March, many were delighted with the impact the newsletter had had on their lives. “I am more present with the people in my life,” wrote Melissa Griffin, 53, who managed to reduce her screen time from eight hours a day to two. “I’m making decisions instead of blaming the phone for my habits. Now I can study, that was my goal… I’m back!”
It’s been a year since we launched the newsletter, so with bated breath we checked in with subscribers to see how they’d been doing and if they’d been able to maintain their progress.
This is what we found.
For some, the newsletter changed the way they approach their phones and helped them make important changes in their lives.
“I think the course changed my fundamental attitude towards my phone,” said Victoria, a subscriber based in Scotland. “So I find it easier to put it aside and no longer experience the feeling that I am ‘forced’ to open it.”
For Felipe, a reader based in Northern Ireland, the course gave him space to think about his life and make even bigger changes. “I found myself noticing aspects of my life that had long required my full attention, but had never gotten them, and I took the time to address them,” he said.
“For example, I finally gathered the courage to leave my old job and also became more aware and grateful for the people in my life. My reduced phone use was not the only factor that allowed this, but it was critical.”
He added: “While my phone usage fluctuated throughout the year, it eventually stabilized at a much healthier level. I use it more now than during the course, but the most disturbing behaviors never returned – and I just don’t miss them at all. It’s even strange to think that I ever spent any time Doomscrolling!
Meanwhile, others reported that their screen time had increased, but they were still able to manage it much better than before taking the course, with some significant benefits.
“My phone usage increased as the months went by, but not until pre-course usage,” said Kieran Healy, a 40-year-old construction manager based in Vancouver. “A big plus for me is that I rediscovered reading and read 35 books this year! “I don’t think I could have done this without considering the use of my phone.”
The Reclaim Your Brain wallpaper continues to provide a useful “speed drop”
As part of the newsletter, subscribers receive a custom wallpaper they can download for their lock screens that shows how their average daily screen time adds up over a year.
“The most useful part of the course remains the Reclaim Your Brain meter!” said Charlotte Conlin, an Oregon-based subscriber. “It remains my screensaver and a constant reminder of how much of my life I could be wasting on my phone, depending on how many hours a day I use it.”
Laura Silovsky, an English teacher based in Tanzania, also found the wallpaper useful. “I kept the Reclaim Your Brain background on my phone for months, which showed how many hours we were wasting on our phones – it led to some really interesting conversations with friends,” he said.
after newsletter promotion
We asked subscribers what the easiest and hardest parts of getting their brains back were. For some, it wasn’t too difficult to delete the apps they were wasting the most time on. “Leaving social media was surprisingly easy, even liberating,” Felipe said.
This was the same for Laura, but with a common caveat. “Deleting Instagram was easy. Staying on the sidelines was something else,” he said. “Eliminating social media was remarkably beneficial for my well-being and productivity but, living abroad, this also meant losing contact with some people. It was difficult to choose between feeling informed at home and feeling rooted where I am, but now I’m glad I chose the latter.”
Others struggled with the quieter moments in life where phones can be hard to resist. “The hardest part was not using my phone to get through somewhat uncomfortable and prolonged situations, like the time I spent on public transportation,” Annemarie said., PhD student in Germany.
This was shared by Inês, a 32-year-old archivist based in Portugal. “The hardest thing is to avoid the phone when I’m waiting, traveling or just bored,” she said. “It’s hard not to mindlessly scroll through apps like X, Reddit, Instagram, or short YouTube videos.”
Are you thinking about registering in 2025? Here are some tips from subscribers who completed the course.
“I would really recommend signing up. I may do an update myself in the New Year to keep the momentum going.” – Victoria, Scotland
“Don’t think about it in terms of all or nothing. “Any reduction in phone use is time to get back to your life.” – Kieran Healy, Vancouver
“Get a phone booth. It could be a shoebox or an envelope, but something that tells you, your brain, your loved ones and friends that your phone won’t distract you. Designate phone-free areas of the house and phone-free times of day, and train your family to hold them accountable. Put the Reclaim Your Brain meter as your phone’s home screen! – Andy, Philadelphia
“Think about what you are really trying to achieve. As someone who lives abroad, I never wanted to completely break away from my phone, because I want to stay in touch with family and close friends. But this newsletter helped me reevaluate and rebalance my relationship with my phone and, as a result, with those people.” – Laura Silovsky, Tanzania
“My advice would be to try it just for a day and then continue even if it makes you feel a little uncomfortable, but don’t beat yourself up if you slip up. Try again the next day. ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ and all that.” – Charlotte Conlin, Oregon
“I think it is crucial that we admit that screen addiction is an underdiagnosed and undervalued epidemic disease that we must address individually and collectively. Taking the challenge of this newsletter seriously was a great first step for me.” – Ines, Portugal
“Do your best to follow the advice; it’s really worth it. At the same time, don’t be too hard on yourself: the forces you face are truly formidable and you will fail from time to time. “I layered Reclaim Your Brain with an online mindfulness course and found they complemented each other very well.” – Felipe, Northern Ireland
“It can be helpful to inform people of any planned communication changes to manage expectations. Tell your friends or clients what your new time frame is for responding to messages and create some defined boundaries that people can be aware of and therefore understand why you’re not replying to them right away.” – Shelley, United Kingdom